A Time to Give
Recognize servicemembers’ sacrifices with a gift of education.
By Vice Adm. Norbert R. Ryan Jr., USN-Ret.

As I write this column, MOAA members have a lot to be thankful for—particularly recent legislative gains, including additional compensation for hundreds of thousands of our most disabled retirees and improved health care access for guardmembers and reservists. We also realize MOAA’s work is far from done on these issues and many others, such as Survivor Benefit Plan inequities, and we will persevere until we succeed. 

In December everyone’s thoughts turn to family, friends, and the many blessings citizens of this great country enjoy. This time of year also offers a chance to focus on the needs of others, particularly those who sacrifice for all of us—America’s servicemembers and their families—and how to lend them a hand. In this vein, let me tell you about The Scholarship Fund of MOAA, which for more than 50 years has made it possible for sons and daughters from military families, officer and enlisted, to attend college.

The Scholarship Fund of MOAA provides no-interest loans, and some grants, to undergraduate students based on their academic achievement, extracurricular activities, and financial need. The loans needn’t be repaid until after graduation, and repayment can be delayed further for graduate school or other extenuating circumstances.

By awarding mostly loans, the fund constantly is replenished as loans are repaid; the portion of the fund that’s invested also brings in interest income. This means contributions to the fund are used not once, but over and over again, helping many kids rather than only a few. MOAA pays all expenses of the fund (primarily the salaries of the three staff members who run it), so every dollar contributed—100 percent—goes to help students. MOAA is especially proud of that.

The Scholarship Fund of MOAA is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the tax code, so contributions are deductible by donors, and donors can name the fund as a beneficiary using increasingly popular estate-planning techniques, such as charitable lead trusts and charitable remainder trusts.

The good news is that 7,500 students have benefited from this program since its inception, including more than 1,200 students this year alone. The bad news is the fund still must turn down five out of every six highly qualified students who apply, because scholarship money is limited.

Next year will be the association’s 75th anniversary; to mark the occasion, MOAA has set a goal of raising $7.5 million for the scholarship fund. We’re asking 100,000 members to contribute $75 or more apiece to help more young men and women realize their college dreams. If you believe our nation’s future lies in its young people, if you believe funding their children’s education is a good way to express our profound appreciation to military personnel for their dedication and sacrifice, please consider a donation to The Scholarship Fund of MOAA, P.O. Box 889, Alexandria, VA, 22334-0889.

As we prepare to close out 2003, I wish all of you and your families the happiest of holidays and a healthy and more peaceful 2004. 

Honored to be serving you!