Education News

We spoke with Seth and Eli this morning...two different phone calls. They are finally back at Al Asad after a two day delay returning due to sand storms. We've heard this story before, but this will probably be their last trip outside the wire (except for maybe a short day trip or two.)......This all falls under the category of "I'll believe it when I see it!" Whatever the plans, I know that they will soon be leaving Iraq and returning home.
I would like to believe that Seth's letter writing campaign had the desired affect with the National Guard's educational reimbursement policy. Whatever the reason, House Bill 524 passed this year's legislature. I don't begin to understand everything it says, but here it is.....I've highlighted some of the important parts:

Any person who (i) is a member of the National Guard of the Commonwealth of Virginia and has a minimum remaining obligation of two years, (ii) has satisfactorily completed required initial active duty service, (iii) is satisfactorily performing duty in accordance with regulations of the National Guard, and (iv) is enrolled in any state institution of higher education, any private, accredited and nonprofit institution of higher education in the Commonwealth whose primary purpose is to provide collegiate or graduate education and not to provide religious training or theological education, any course or program offered by any such institution or any public career and technical education school shall be eligible for a grant in the amount of the difference between the full cost of tuition and any other educational benefits for which he is eligible as a member of the National Guard. Application for a grant shall be made to the Department of Military Affairs. Grants shall be awarded from funds available for the purpose by such Department.

Notwithstanding the foregoing requirement that a member of the National Guard have a minimum of two years remaining on their service obligation, at the discretion of the Adjutant General, if a member is activated or deployed for federal military service or state active duty, an additional day may be added to the member’s eligibility for the grant for each day of active federal service or state active duty.

This last part is the important part......Now I don't know what it means that it says "at the discretion of the Adjutant General:, but at least we're seeing some movement toward something that is fair and honorable for those soldiers who have given of their time in this war. They should not be penalized for serving their country!