NGEF, DRS Technologies Create College Scholarship for Children of Fallen National Guardsmen
WASHINGTON, May 5, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Guard Educational Foundation (NGEF) today announced the creation of a college scholarship fund for the children of more than 650 National Guardsmen killed in the war on terrorism.
The DRS Guardian Scholarship Fund, which will be administered by the NGEF and underwritten by DRS Technologies, Inc. of Parsippany, N.J., will provide up to $6,250 per year to selected students attending a four-year institution or a two-year program at a community college or technical school.
First awards will be made in time for the fall semester this year.
"This program will enable us to give something back to some families who have given so much to us," said retired Maj. Gen. Gus L. Hargett Jr., the president of the NGEF and NGAUS. "In the process, I hope it sends a message to some very special young people, 'You remain part of the Guard family.'
"But as much as we want to lend a hand," he said, "this offering would not be possible without DRS, a company that shares our desires to fulfill the hopes and dreams of the children of our fallen heroes."
Mark S. Newman, the chairman and CEO of DRS Technologies, said, "I believe it is our responsibility to help the families of National Guardsmen who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. We created this fund to honor their memories and ensure that their children have an opportunity to receive a quality education."
The DRS Guardian Scholarship Fund is open to any high school or college student who is a son or daughter of a Guardsman killed in an operational or training mission in support of operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom or New Dawn.
Applicants must have already been accepted by a nationally or regionally accredited college, university or trade school. A panel created by NGEF will review the applicants and determine recipients based on a combination of academic merit and financial need.
Scholarship funds will be paid directly to the school and can be applied to tuition, applicable room and board, fees and books.
Deadline for applications for the 2011-2012 school year is June 30. Recipients will be notified by Aug. 1.
Funds for the scholarships will be provided by the DRS Charitable Foundation, which has given more than $5 million to charities, including the USO, Operation Mend and the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.
Complete details, an application and an explanation of how to contribute to the fund are available at www.drsfoundation.net/guard.
About the NGEF: Established in 1975 as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, the foundation tells all 375 years of the National Guard story. Co-located with NGAUS in the National Guard Memorial in Washington, D.C., the NGEF operates a variety of programs, including the management of the National Guard Memorial Museum, the only National Guard museum dedicated to sharing the history of citizen-soldiers and airmen from a national perspective.
For more information about the NGEF, please visit the foundation's website at www.ngef.org.
About DRS Technologies: DRS Technologies, headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., is a leading supplier of integrated products, services and support to military forces, intelligence agencies and prime contractors worldwide. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Finmeccanica S.p.A. (FNC.MI), which employs more than 75,000 people worldwide. For more information about DRS Technologies, please visit the company's website at www.drs.com.
About NGAUS: The association includes nearly 45,000 current or former Guard officers. It was created in 1878 to provide unified National Guard representation in Washington. In their first productive meeting after Reconstruction, militia officers from the North and South formed the association with the goal of obtaining better equipment and training by petitioning Congress for more resources. Today, 133 years later, NGAUS has the same mission.
Internet Availability: This document and other Guard and NGAUS news and information are available at www.ngaus.org.
SOURCE National Guard Association of the U.S.
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