The amount of student loan debt accumulated by college and university students in the United States over the last decade is staggering, growing 98 percent between 2007 and 2013, representing a 12 percent increase annually. Loan balances reached $1.27 trillion at the end of March 2015, enough to fund the Department of Defense’s FY 2016 defense budget—twice.

Parents struggling to pay for tuition, room and board, and related fees resort to federal and commercial loans, government grants, and work-study programs - even tapping their hard-earned retirement savings, in some cases. Some of these programs are available to students and parents at low or no cost, while others incur debts repayable over decades. According to the Department of Education, 13.4 percent of borrowers whose loans entered repayment between Oct. 1, 2008 and Sept. 30, 2009 had defaulted within three years, jeopardizing credit scores, employment prospects, home purchases, and other aspects of the American Dream.

There are alternatives to raiding one’s 401K to pay for English 101, books, and meal cards. Active duty, reserve, and retired military members are quite familiar with the education benefits afforded by the Veterans Benefits Administration’s various forms of the GI Bill. However, aspiring undergraduates who have not served in the military must be related to these veterans to enjoy any amount of these benefits.

Young men and women who want to avoid a significant tuition bill, yet step forward to serve their country can apply for the U.S. Army Reserve’s Minuteman Scholarship—a lesser-known program that pays full (uncapped) tuition and fees or $10,000 toward room and board at any college or university served by an Army Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (ROTC) program. The Minuteman Scholarship was developed to enhance the Army Reserve’s ability to recruit highly qualified ROTC cadets. The Army Reserve is allotted 120 scholarships each year; yet only 34 of them were awarded during last year’s campaign!

The scholarship’s benefits add up very quickly. For example, a cadet attending the University of Southern California, a private college, may use the scholarship to pay full tuition and fees of over $50,000 per year. After the program’s book allowance, monthly stipend of $300-$500, and monthly pay as a Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) participant, total payments to the student over four years total over $240,000.

Cadets who are awarded a Minuteman scholarship are required to participate in the SMP. This program allows students to both join Army ROTC and gain experience in the U.S. Army Reserve at the same time. Cadets participate in an Army Reserve unit’s monthly drills and 14-day annual training for which they are paid as a sergeant. After graduation and commissioning, Minuteman Scholarship recipients are guaranteed placement in the Army Reserve and required to serve an eight-year commitment.

Army ROTC programs are available in many colleges and universities across the nation, commissioning 60 percent of the Army’s second lieutenants through 275 host programs that serve almost 3,000 colleges and universities across the country. Cadets graduate from their respective programs with a degree and leadership skills developed through engaging, centralized leadership development training opportunities. Coupled with civilian employment programs available through ROTC and the Army Reserve, Minuteman scholarships offer new college students a jump start to a successful career.

Cadet Christopher Waddington, a business management student attending the University of North Georgia, wanted to become an Army officer, but wasn’t sure how to achieve his childhood dream. He enlisted in the Army Reserve as parachute rigger between his junior and senior years of high school, graduated, and then began Basic Combat Training. He enrolled in an undergraduate program and Army ROTC shortly afterwards, moving one step closer to commission as a second lieutenant.

However, the recession initially affected his journey. Although he was able to pay a portion of his tuition using Tuition Assistance and the GI Bill, he no longer qualified to draw upon other financial aid programs that enabled him to afford school.

“I could no longer pay for each semester and had to start finding other avenues of revenue through student loans,” said Waddington. “This became a financial burden for me and for my parents who were helping me receive additional money through federal Parent Plus loans.” The Minuteman Scholarship was an opportunity to end his financial concerns and focus on his coursework.

“If I had not heard of the Minuteman Scholarship, I would have found myself in a deep financial hole upon my graduating and would have spent years struggling to free myself of the financial burden of repaying my loans,” said Waddington.   

To qualify for the scholarship, students must enroll in their school’s Army ROTC program and meet scholarship requirements. These include:

•    Enroll in ROTC
•    Must be a high school graduate before 1 September of the year of award  
•    Cumulative high school GPA of 2.5 or 2.5 college CGPA for a nominee who has already completed at least one full college term
•    A minimum of 920 SAT or 19 ACT score
•    Be able to commission before reaching the age of 31
•    Meeting medical and physical requirements

High school students interested in the Minuteman scholarship should contact the Professor of Military Science at the Army ROTC program located at the school they plan to attend. For more information about Army ROTC, including the location of the nearest program, visit www. goarmy.com/rotc. Soldiers enlisted in the Army Reserve are required to notify their chain of command before submitting applications.    

Army Reserve Ambassadors (ARAs) may also endorse candidates for Minuteman scholarships. ARAs are highly qualified private citizens appointed by the Chief of Army Reserve to build awareness of the Army Reserve’s mission among key influencers and the general public. To find your nearest Ambassador, visit: http://www.usar.army.mil/Featured/AmbassadorProgram/FindanAmbassador.aspx

State support of financial aid programs is decreasing, while the cost of tuition and other fees is rising quicker than students and their families anticipated. The Army Reserve’s Minuteman Scholarship program empowers today’s students to arm themselves with the technical skills and leadership expertise they need to excel in tomorrow’s fast-paced global economy without sacrificing their future financial stability.

Originally Published:
http://www.kmimediagroup.com/mae/articles/428-articles-mae/the-army-reserve-minuteman-scholarship-program