Military Student Loans
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Military student loans are one of the few ways the country can say thanks to the hundreds of thousands of men and women who have served and are now serving in the various branches of the Armed Forces. If a citizen grows up in a family where serving in the Armed Forces was not a part of his heritage, there can be a distinct disconnect in terms of what sacrifices and pains that Armed Forces families have gone through to protect our nation. Cheaper groceries on base and free medical care and even military student loans cannot begin to repay these brave families, but these special perks are a small token of a grateful country's thanks. Armed Forces lending agreements can be given to those who have served and they can also be available in some cases to family members of those who directly were in the business of guarding our country's security. If these kinds of lending agreements can help relieve an Armed Forces family of some of the burden of worrying about the high cost of education, then it is the least our country can do.
Military student loans are not really an issue at the country's major military academies. At these schools, the US Naval Academy, West Point and the Air Force Academy, the training is specifically for future officers. Only the very finest students are admitted through the direct recommendation of the governor of the student's state. The education at these academies is completely paid for and the students can even receive stipends to help pay extra expenses. Time after time in the Bible, the Christian life has been likened to warfare against evil. "For though we walk in the flesh we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.) (2 Corinthians 10:3-4)
In many instances, if an individual wishes to attend a military school of higher education, military student loans are available through the school of choice. The Citadel, Texas A and M, Virginia Military Institute and Virginia Tech are some of the excellent Armed Forces colleges in the nation that offer both scholarships and lending agreements to outstanding future Armed Forces students who show the capabilities of being able to withstand the academic rigors of these programs. In addition, the Military College Loan Repayments Plan enables students who enlist under the officer Candidate School program to have part of their military students lending agreements repaid. The Army and Navy will repay up to sixty five thousand dollars of a student's lending agreements who graduate from college and join their branch as an officer. The Army will repay up to twenty thousand dollars of lending agreement costs and the Air Force up to ten thousand dollars of lending agreement repayment.
Not all military student loans will be repaid through this program. Here is a list of those lending agreements approved for partial repayment. Auxiliary Loan Assistance, Stafford Loans, Parents Plus Loans, Federally Insured Student Loans, Perkins Loans and Supplemental Loans for Students. To receive the assurance that one can actually be eligible for partial lending agreement repayment, the student must have had no Armed Forces record, must enlist for at least four years, and many other requirements. A prospective student should check with each branch of the Armed Forces to ascertain the qualifications for the lending agreement repayment possibilities. Of course, the biggest provider of educational assistance is the Montgomery GI Bill, the successor to the old GI bill. For veterans, this law enables them up to ten years after discharge to receive benefits up to thirty six thousand dollars for training at either a college or trade school. Included in these approved types of schools are flight school and correspondence courses. Some schools offer an extra 20% off tuition for active Armed Forces personnel. Since there is a clock ticking on receiving some of these educational benefits, a person should not delay of receiving his inherent benefits. There is also a perk for military student loans holders after graduation.
If a student has fully graduated from a military college, or from any college for that matter and immediately enters into active duty a special exemption may be available for military student loans repayment. Forbearance is the term used to describe the temporary freeze on repaying student lending agreements. It is different than what is called deferment where even the interest is frozen. Instead, an active member of the Armed Forces is able to pay only the interest accruing on his lending agreements. This same forbearance exemption is available for med school students and those entering the AmeriCorps. Stafford lending agreements are the type of lending agreement available for such forbearance exemptions as well as parents paying for PLUS loans.
Military student loans may be available nationwide for certain students, but there also some tuition assistance within certain states for the children of veterans. For example, in Alabama, children of disabled veterans can receive free tuition at state colleges and technical schools. In Illinois each county awards one scholarship to a child of a veteran. In Kentucky there are tuition waivers for veteran's children at state schools, while at Michigan there are twenty eight hundred dollar tuition wavers for children of disabled or deceased veterans. In Wyoming there is free education for spouses and children of veterans whose death was service related. If the reader is a veteran, thank you so very much for your service to our country. Veterans truly deserve all the benefits accorded to them.
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