Marine Gunnery Sergeant John D. Fry Scholarship

GI BILL SCHOLARSHIP HONORS the FAMILIES of FALLEN HEROES

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Public Law 111-32, the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship, is an amendment to the Post-9/11 GI Bill (chapter 33) designed to provide educational support to the children of service members who died in the line of duty after Sept. 10, 2001.

Children eligible for the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship receive full tuition and fees up to the cost of attending the most expensive four-year public college or university in the state where they are enrolled, plus a monthly living stipend and book allowance once enrollment and course load requirements are met.

Eligible children can use the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship benefit until age 33, receiving 36 months of educational benefits to see them through a four-year education.

The Marine Gunnery Sgt. John David Fry Scholarship promises the children of heroes killed on active-duty since Sept. 10, 2001 the same Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits as veterans who serve three years of active-duty.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE FRY SCHOLARSHIP?

Military children who qualify for Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship:

• receive up to 36 months of 100% education benefits
• have 15 years to use the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship, starting on his/her 18th birthday
• may use the Scholarship benefit until the 33rd birthday
• cannot use benefit before age 18, even if high school was completed early
• are ineligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program

If you are a military child who has served or is currently serving in the armed forces and are eligible for benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty, Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve, and/or the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP), you must relinquish one of those programs to receive Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship benefits under Post-9/11 GI Bill.

• A child's character of discharge from his or her own service does not impact eligibility for Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship.
• A child on active duty will receive benefits at the active duty benefit rate (unlimited tuition and fees but not monthly housing allowance or books and supplies).
• A child who meets the service requirements to transfer entitlement under Post-9/11 GI Bill may be eligible to transfer up to 36 months of entitlement of Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship to his or her children.

WHEN ARE SCHOLARSHIP BENEFITS PAID?

VA also began accepting applications for Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship on May 1, 2010, and issuing payments to eligible children by August 1, 2010. Eligible children enrolled in school from August 1, 2009 - July 31, 2010 received retroactive payments for that time.

Military children currently enrolled in school may apply for benefits under VA's Dependents' Educational Assistance Program, which offers 45 months of education benefits. The application for this benefit is available online at the GI Bill website, by choosing VONAPP, the online application. Select VA Form 22-5490, Application for Dependents' Educational Assistance.