As the child of a US military member there likely is a pride within you regarding your parent (or parents) and what they have done for this country. However, there are some external perks you can take advantage of when it comes to being a military child you may not know about yet.
While there are dozens of overall perks, here are some that are likely to become your favorite.
International Flight Benefits for US Military Children
That’s right, you may be able to score a discounted deal on international flights if you have an active military member located overseas. You can’t just land discounted flights for anywhere though, and there are some specifics. For starters, you need to be under the age of 23, a dependent ID, and you must be a full time college student. Your parent must be permanently located OCONUS as well. If you check off all the requirements you are eligible for one international flight round trip ticket per year. So when the holidays hit, you may not need to break the bank returning home.
Camps for Military Kids
Sometimes military parents will be out on active duty, leaving a child home either with guardians or with a single parent. This can make things difficult, both on the guardians/single parent and on the child. The Department of Defense tries to help with this. There are a number of camp and excursion options available to individuals ranging from young childhood through the teenage years. These activities offer everything from sailing lessons to caving. Additionally, the Department of Defense partnered with the 4H club to help offer additional camps throughout the United States.
Education
If you’re approaching college age, are enrolled in college, or are considering going back to college, there are a number of ways you can reduce your college expenses. First, your parents can transfer their GI Bill benefits to you as a dependent. On top of this, there are all kinds of scholarships available for a child of a military member (both active and retired).
You can find these scholarship options at Fastweb, which is an excellent site for showing you all the scholarships (both military and non-military) you qualify for (it also helps you organize the applications and keep your information all in one place). You can also read up more on the different scholarships available right here.
Military Sponsored Sports
Depending on where you live, sports leagues for children can be rather pricey. If your child is playing a sport in most seasons of the year the cost can increase quickly. There are military sponsored sports leagues for children though. These leagues either wave the fees or the fees are nominal compared to local rec leagues. It’s also a way for kids to connect with other children of military families.
Tutoring
There may be a time where you need help with schooling. One of the best ways to receive this help is with the aid of a tutor. Tutoring gives you the one on one assistance you may not receive from a teacher with a large classroom. The Department of Defense has partnered with local library programs and the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program (as well as others around the country) to provide free tutoring. These tutors are available through the Military.Tutor.com website with tutors available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
As a military child you have access to all kinds of perks. These are a handful of the best and the ones you’re more likely to take advantage of. It’s just another reason to thank your parents for their military service and everything they have gone and done.