There are a number of different groups that assist family members of Servicemembers who are seeking to get an education. In times past the children of our Military men and women serving on active duty were often prevented financially from getting an education. This was especially true in the past of Servicemembers who died or were killed in action while serving on Active Duty. Into the gap in the last two decades have stepped private groups, such as the American Legion. The American Legion is one of the private not for profit groups that offer college scholarships and funding to the dependants of those military Servicemembers who have been on active duty and lost their lives while serving their country. Military dependants can receive assistance with funding to help fill in different educational funding gaps they may be having.
The American Legion have a long history of support for Servicemembers and their children, and they work to find ways to support Servicemembers on an ongoing basis. Beginning with the time period right after the Twin Towers Tragedy, they stepped up efforts in 2001 to help meet the needs of Servicemembers and military dependants that lost a parent or loved one on active duty. The program in place currently was created in the wake of 911 to assist children who lost a parent in the September 11th attack on America, and continues to offer scholarship to military dependants who have lost a parent in combat. The current scholarship program is open to any dependant; spouse or children who have had a military parent lose their lives since September 11th, 2001. While this is not a well-known program, the word is slowly getting out and recipients in the program vary, and are from a wide variety of locations around the United States. The Spokesman for 2008 for the American Legion scholarship program is Country Music Star Michael Peterson, who will serve as the chairman for the American Legion program for a one-year term.
One of the goals for the 2008 scholarship year is to raise the awareness of the public about the scholarship fund. The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund hopes to be able to raise awareness and to also attract more corporate sponsorship for their scholarship program.