Howdy Northshore,

I wanted to let you all know about a new benefit that just became law this month. The Patriot Scholarship covers all mandatory fees at Louisiana public colleges and universities for any member of the Louisiana Air National Guard (LA ANG).

How much is that? It depends on the school, since every school has different fees.

On top of that, the State Tuition Exemption Program, which already existed, still exempts members of the LA ANG from tuition at the same institutes. And, not only that, but members are eligible for other educational assistance in the form of the Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve, which pays money directly to the student every month they're enrolled. This amount is at least $439 during full-time enrollment (pro-rated for less than full-time) and could be as much as $789 if they're doing a critical job in the ANG.

What's the catch? Service in the Air National Guard. One weekend per month, and a week or two in addition (usually during the summer), the individual will serve in Louisiana doing one of our many jobs, from working on jet engines, to HVAC/structural/electrical type jobs, cable and antenna systems work, communications/IT, and much more. With pay, of course.

During hurricanes and floods, they may also be called up to assistance the community; this is usually in the form of providing needed supplies to those affected, which most of you are probably intimately familiar with unfortunately!

I know school has gotten more and more expensive, and this new Patriot Scholarship should really help with that. It even pays more than TOPS. So if you, or someone you know, could benefit from these educational benefits, as well as some career training and character building, feel free to ask me any questions here or reach out via chat. The list of benefits and reasons to join is long, and I can't list them all here, so please ask any specifics or voice any concerns and I'm happy to be open and thorough with my replies