MCB Camp Pendleton

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State offers free tuition for disabled vets' family members;

2 Jun 2005 | Lance Cpl. Daniel J. Redding Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Disabled veterans in California need not worry about financing their children's college education -- as long as their kids don't leave the state.

That's because most state universities provide free tuition to children of disabled or deceased veterans.

"Basically, you can send a child to any state college," said William J. Earle, the assistant director for the Riverside County Office for Veterans Services, who touted the tuition waiver as "a very valuable benefit."

Students will still incur fees for textbooks and services. But the California State College Tuition Fee Waiver will cover the vast majority of fees, according to Earle.

The waiver marks an agreement between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the schools, said Adam K. Orton, a VA work-study student. To qualify, students must be California residents and the parent must be registered as disabled with the VA, he said. The rating applies to all possible service-connected disabilities suffered during a servicemember's career, added Orton, 25, from Fair Oaks.

Family members are covered under either Plan A or B.

"Plan A is for the children and spouses of veterans killed on active duty, or the veterans who are 100-percent, service-connected disabled," said Earle, 60, from Moreno Valley.

Plan B is for children of servicemembers with a VA rating of less than 100 percent.

Plan A has no income restrictions. Students must not have income greater than $9,573 to qualify for Plan B.

Family members older than 26 are ineligible for Plan A. Spouses can tap free tuition under Plan A, but are ineligible for Plan B, Orton said.

Tuition at private or vocational schools is not covered under the program.

Orton said the program is not not well-known. "You only hear about it through word of mouth."

He'd like to see schools advertise the program.

"The only reason I can think of as to why the schools don't promote it more is due to money," he said.

Earle disagreed the program is unheralded.

"It's fairly wellknown," he said. "Each year, we seem to get more and more people taking advantage of the benefits.

"It's hard to find a veteran that doesn't known about it."

For more information, call your local County Veterans Service Office. To locate the one nearest, visit www.cacvso.org.

Or call the County Veterans Service Offices information line at (916) 503-8397.

State offers free tuition for disabled vets' family members;

2 Jun 2005 | Lance Cpl. Daniel J. Redding Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Disabled veterans in California need not worry about financing their children's college education -- as long as their kids don't leave the state.

That's because most state universities provide free tuition to children of disabled or deceased veterans.

"Basically, you can send a child to any state college," said William J. Earle, the assistant director for the Riverside County Office for Veterans Services, who touted the tuition waiver as "a very valuable benefit."

Students will still incur fees for textbooks and services. But the California State College Tuition Fee Waiver will cover the vast majority of fees, according to Earle.

The waiver marks an agreement between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the schools, said Adam K. Orton, a VA work-study student. To qualify, students must be California residents and the parent must be registered as disabled with the VA, he said. The rating applies to all possible service-connected disabilities suffered during a servicemember's career, added Orton, 25, from Fair Oaks.

Family members are covered under either Plan A or B.

"Plan A is for the children and spouses of veterans killed on active duty, or the veterans who are 100-percent, service-connected disabled," said Earle, 60, from Moreno Valley.

Plan B is for children of servicemembers with a VA rating of less than 100 percent.

Plan A has no income restrictions. Students must not have income greater than $9,573 to qualify for Plan B.

Family members older than 26 are ineligible for Plan A. Spouses can tap free tuition under Plan A, but are ineligible for Plan B, Orton said.

Tuition at private or vocational schools is not covered under the program.

Orton said the program is not not well-known. "You only hear about it through word of mouth."

He'd like to see schools advertise the program.

"The only reason I can think of as to why the schools don't promote it more is due to money," he said.

Earle disagreed the program is unheralded.

"It's fairly wellknown," he said. "Each year, we seem to get more and more people taking advantage of the benefits.

"It's hard to find a veteran that doesn't known about it."

For more information, call your local County Veterans Service Office. To locate the one nearest, visit www.cacvso.org.

Or call the County Veterans Service Offices information line at (916) 503-8397.