AFRC offers educational opportunities for military dependents

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joanna M. Kresge
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  The cost of higher education can be daunting; however, there are numerous scholarships and grants available to military dependents.

Stephanie Reyes, chief of Airman and Family Readiness Center at Barksdale, home of Air Force Global Strike Command, discussed the similarities and differences between scholarships and grants.

"Grants and scholarships are free money in the sense that you do not have to pay any of it back," she said. "The key difference between grants and scholarships is scholarships tend to have more rigid requirements for selection. Students are required to have a minimum grade point average and take a certain number of credit hours.

"Grants are money usually given by a non-profit organization - scholarships are money given by government agencies and foundations," she continued.

Mrs. Reyes said there are countless resources online, as well as here on base for individuals who need help finding or applying for scholarships.

"The AFRC has books available for checkout in our discovery resource center," she said. "There are also a lot of resources online with military scholarship finders. They are Web sites that assist in finding dollars in scholarships and grants exclusively for the military community."

Mrs. Reyes encouraged dependents to apply for as many scholarships and grants as possible to help subsidize tuition costs and fees.

"Grants and scholarships are a great way of financing education," she said. "It's possible to receive enough scholarships and grants, to fund the cost of your education without having to obtain a student loan. However, it takes a lot of research and work."

To aid in research, various scholarships and grants available to military dependents are listed below. Each program listed has different monetary values, requirements and annual due dates.
  • Airmen Memorial Foundation Scholarship Program
  • Chief Master Sergeant Air Force Scholarship Program
  • Air Force Sergeant's Association scholarships
  • National Military Family Association Joanne Holbrook Patton Military Spouse Scholarship Program
  • Air Force Aid Society General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant Program
  • Defense Commissary Scholarship Program
Dependents may also be eligible to receive their parent or spouse's Post 9/11 G.I. Bill.

"When an individual wants to transfer their 9/11 G.I. Bill to their dependent, it is up to the member to go online and make the necessary changes," said Darlene Linton, chief of base education and training services. "The eligibility requirements are unique to each individual; however, if they do meet the criteria, they need to make a decision about who will receive the benefits before they separate from the military."

For more information on scholarships, contact the AFRC at 456-8400. For further information on 9/11 G.I. Bill benefits and how to use them, go to www.gibill.va.gov.