Army Scholarship Foundation News
Press Releases:
Congressman John Shimkus Joins Honorary Advisory Committee
Congressman John M. Shimkus has joined the Army Scholarship Foundation as a member of the Foundation's Honorary Advisory Committee. Congressman Shimkus represents the 19th Congressional District in southern Illinois. His district has a very large per capita population of Army veterans.
Congressman Shimkus is currently serving his sixth term in Congress. He is one of the very few graduates of the United States Military Academy serving in the Congress and is a strong advocate for servicemen and women, military families, and America's veterans.
As a veteran of six years active duty and over 21 years reserve duty with the United States Army, Congressman Shimkus is very familiar with the challenges faced by the families of our soldiers and the families of veterans. Largely as a result of their sacrifices made in serving their country, military members and veterans are often ill prepared for the high costs of higher education for their family members who aspire to pursue their goals of higher education. As a member of the Honorary Advisory Committee of the Army Scholarship Foundation, Congressman Shimkus will provide advice and counsel to the volunteers of the Foundation as they assist deserving Army family students in the pursuit of their educational dreams.
The Army Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2001 to provide scholarships to spouses of enlisted US Army solders and to deserving sons and daughters of soldiers and Army veterans. The Foundation is sustained by the generous donations of its supporters. Tax free donations may be sent to The Army Scholarship Foundation, 6412 Brandon Avenue, Suite 201, Springfield, Virginia 22150.
KBR Establishes Honorary Scholarship to Support Army Families
The Army Scholarship Foundation announced today that KBR has established a scholarship to assist Army family members. This scholarship, to be known as the KBR Honorary Scholarship, will be awarded to the deserving son or daughter of a United States Army soldier or spouse of an active duty enlisted soldier. This scholarship will be awarded annually in perpetuity as a result of the generous donation and pledge of funding to the Army Scholarship Foundation by KBR. In presenting this award, Lieutenant General Joseph M. Cosumano, United States Army, Retired, and Senior Vice President of Operations, Maintenance and Logistics for KBR, emphasized the importance of corporate support for Army families. He said "our nation's soldiers are defending our way of life, often under the most dangerous conditions to protect the rights and freedoms which all Americans enjoy. Through KBR's support of this scholarship for Army family members, we are able in a small way to thank our soldiers for the many sacrifices they and their families make every day on behalf of our nation."
KBR is headquartered in Houston, Texas. KBR is a leading global engineering, construction, and services company supporting the government services, energy, petrochemicals, and civil infrastructure sectors. The company employs over 50,000 people worldwide in locations that include Australia, Africa, the UK, Asia, and the Middle East. KBR has built a proud history and a leading market position in the government infrastructure (G&I) sector by being a low-cost, high-efficiency and absolutely reliable provider. Not only is KBR the largest contractor for the United States Army and a top-ten contractor for the U.S. Department of Defense, it is currently the world's largest defense services provider.
The Army Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2001 by concerned Army veterans who desired to continue their service to the Nation and to support and assist families of Army soldiers. The foundation provides scholarships to deserving sons and daughters of U.S. Army soldiers and Army veterans, as well as to spouses of serving active duty enlisted soldiers. The foundation is sustained by the generous donations of its supporters. Tax deductible donations can be sent to the Army Scholarship Foundation, 6412 Brandon Avenue, Suite 201, Springfield, VA, 22150. Visit www.ArmyScholarshipFoundation.org (this web site) to establish a memorial scholarship, donate, or learn more about the Army Scholarship Foundation.
General Larry R. Ellis Joins Honorary Advisory Committee
General Larry R. Ellis, US Army (Retired) has joined the Army Scholarship Foundation as a member of the Foundation's Honorary Advisory Committee. General Ellis is currently the President and Chief Operating Officer of DHB Industries, Inc, a manufacturer of body armor in Pompano Beach, Florida.
General Ellis commanded US Army Forces Command from 2001 until his retirement from the Army in 2004. Previously, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, Department of the Army. He also commanded the 1st Armored Division, Germany; a Multinational Division, Bosnia and Herzegovina; was Assistant Division Commander, 2nd Infantry Division, Korea; Brigade Commander in Germany, Battalion Commander at Ft Polk, Louisiana, and a Company Commander in Vietnam and Ft Bragg, NC. His staff assignments included Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, HQDA; C3/J3/G3, United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/US Forces Korea/Eighth US Army; Deputy Director for Strategic Planning and Policy, Headquarters, US Pacific Command, Hawaii; service with the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel and the Office of the Chief of Staff Department of the Army, at U.S. Army Europe, and on the Faculty at the US Military Academy, West Point.
General Ellis' awards include the Defense and the Army Distinguished Service Medals, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry/Palm, the Korean Cheonsu Medal, the German Armed Forces Honor Cross (Gold), and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education from Morgan State University and a Master of Science degree in Physical Education from Indiana University.
As one of the Army's most experienced and distinguished senior leaders, General Ellis is most familiar with the challenges faced by Army families today and is uniquely qualified to provide advice and support to the Army Scholarship Foundation leadership and volunteers.
The Army Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2001 to provide scholarships to spouses of enlisted US Army solders and to deserving sons and daughters of soldiers and Army veterans. The Foundation is sustained by the generous donations of its supporters. Tax free donations may be sent to The Army Scholarship Foundation, 6412 Brandon Avenue, Suite 201, Springfield, Virginia 22150.
Army Scholarship Foundation, Hamilton Sundstrand Establish Honorary Scholarship to Support Army Families
Hamilton Sundstrand, in conjunction with the Army Scholarship Foundation, has established a scholarship to assist family members of United States Army personnel in their pursuit of higher education. This scholarship, to be known as the Hamilton Sundstrand Honorary Scholarship, will be awarded annually to a deserving son or daughter of a U.S. Army soldier or Army veteran, or to a spouse of a serving, active duty enlisted soldier. Hamilton Sundstrand is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. [NYSE:UTX].
The Hamilton Sundstrand Honorary Scholarship was created as a result of Hamilton Sundstrand's donation and pledge of funding to the Army Scholarship Foundation. "U.S. Army soldiers are serving in harm's way across the globe helping to defend the rights and freedoms which all Americans enjoy," said Edward M. Francis, a United States Army veteran, and vice president and general manager of Hamilton Sundstrand Space, Land & Sea. "This scholarship is just one small way we at Hamilton Sundstrand can say 'thank you' for the many sacrifices these soldiers and their families make on our behalf every day."
The Army Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2001 by concerned Army veterans who desired to continue their service to the Nation and to support and assist families of Army soldiers. The foundation provides scholarships to deserving sons and daughters of U.S. Army soldiers and Army veterans, as well as to spouses of serving active duty enlisted soldiers. The foundation is sustained by the generous donations of its supporters. Tax deductible donations can be sent to the Army Scholarship Foundation, 6412 Brandon Avenue, Suite 201, Springfield, VA, 22150. Visit www.ArmyScholarshipFoundation.org (this web site) to establish a memorial scholarship, donate, or learn more about the Army Scholarship Foundation.
With 2007 revenues of $5.6 billion, Hamilton Sundstrand employs approximately 18,300 people worldwide and is headquartered in Windsor Locks, CT. Among the world's largest suppliers of technologically advanced aerospace and industrial products, the company designs, manufactures and services aerospace systems and provides integrated system solutions for commercial, regional, corporate and military aircraft. It also is a major supplier for international space programs.
United Technologies Corp., of Hartford, CT., provides a broad range of high-technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.
Army Scholarship Foundation Announces Scholarship Awards for 2007-2008 Academic Year
The Army Scholarship Foundation announced today the award of seven scholarships to deserving children of United States Army soldiers and veterans and to spouses of active duty enlisted soldiers. Scholarships for the upcoming 2007-2008 academic year were awarded to Jennifer Cheek of Fayetteville, NC who is attending UNC Greensboro; Janay Cheek of Fayetteville who is attending North Carolina A&T State University; Ashley Wright of El Paso, TX who is attending the University of Texas at El Paso; and Kevin Northcutt of Niantic, Connecticut who is attending Stonehill College in North Easton, Massachusetts. In addition, a scholarship was awarded to Army spouse Amy Garlick of Clarksville, TN, who is attending the Miller-Motte Technical College of Clarksville. Mrs. Garlick's husband is Sergeant Robert Garlick, who is assigned to the 101st Aviation Regiment at Fort Campbell, KY.
The Captain Jennifer Schafer-Odom Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Deleshia Youngblood of Fort Campbell, KY who is attending the University of Louisville in Kentucky. She is the daughter of Sergeant First Class and Mrs John Youngblood. SFC Youngblood is assigned to the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell. Jennifer Shafer Odom grew up on a dairy farm in Knoxville, Maryland. After graduating first in her class at Brunswick High School, she entered the U.S. Military Academy and graduated as a member of the Class of 1992. She became an Army aviator and served tours of duty in both the United States and Europe, where she supported both the Kurdish refugee and Bosnia missions. While serving with the 204th Military Intelligence Battalion at Fort Bliss, Texas in 1999, her aircraft was reported missing while flying intelligence and counter drug missions over Columbia, South America. She and her crew were lost.
The Lieutenant Scott Love Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Raina Wade of Cliffwood, New Jersey who will attend Johnson Smith University in Charlotte, NC. Miss Wade's father was killed in action in 1991 while serving in Operation Desert Storm. Scott Love was an "Army brat" who was born at Fort Campbell, KY and graduated from high school in Huntsville, AL. He graduated from Florida State University in 1996 and enlisted in the US Army in 1999 as a military intelligence specialist. In 2003, he attended Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, and was subsequently assigned as a platoon leader with 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry stationed at Baumholder, Germany. His unit deployed to Kuwait in November 2005 with Scott's platoon assigned as part of Task Force 1-35 Armor when he was killed at Ar Ramadi, Iraq.
The Army Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2001 by concerned Army veterans who desired to continue their service to the Nation and to support and assist families of Army soldiers. The Foundation provides scholarships to deserving sons and daughters of US Army soldiers and Army veterans, as well as to spouses of serving active duty enlisted soldiers. The Foundation is sustained by the generous donations of its supporters. Tax deductible donations can be sent to the Army Scholarship Foundation, 6412 Brandon Avenue, Suite 201, Springfield, Virginia 22150.
Congressman Tom Davis Joins Honorary Advisory Committee
Congressman Thomas M. Davis III has joined the Army Scholarship Foundation as a member of the Foundation's Honorary Advisory Committee. Congressman Davis represents the 11th Congressional District in Virginia. His district is in northern Virginia and includes Fort Belvoir, and most of Fairfax and Prince William counties.
Congressman Davis was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant from the Reserve Officers Training Program and served two years active duty and seven years in the Army Reserves. He is the Chairman of the House Government Reform Committee and is a member of the House Homeland Security Committee.
As an Army veteran and a Congressman who represents a large military community including both active duty and former service members and their families, Congressman Davis is most familiar with the challenges faced by the families of our soldiers and their families and the families of veterans. Largely as a result of their sacrifices made in serving their country, military families are often ill prepared for the high costs of higher education for their family members. As a member of the Honorary Advisory Committee of the Army Scholarship Foundation, Congressman Davis will provide advice and counsel to the leadership team and volunteers of the Foundation as they assist deserving Army family students in the pursuit of their educational dreams.
The Army Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2001 to provide scholarships to spouses of enlisted US Army solders and to deserving sons and daughters of soldiers and Army veterans. The Foundation is sustained by the generous donations of its supporters. Tax free donations may be sent to The Army Scholarship Foundation, 6412 Brandon Avenue, Suite 201, Springfield, Virginia 22150.
General Johnnie E. Wilson Joins Honorary Advisory Committee
General Johnnie E. Wilson, U.S. Army (Retired), has joined the Army Scholarship Foundation as a member of the Foundation's Honorary Advisory Committee. General Wilson is currently the President and Chief Operating Officer of Dimensions International, Inc. in Alexandria, Virginia.
General Wilson was raised in Lorain, Ohio and enlisted in the US Army in 1961, attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant. On completion of Officer Candidate School in 1967, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Ordnance Corps. General Wilson served with distinction at every level of command. He commanded three times at company level, to include a company in Vietnam. He commanded the 709th Maintenance Battalion, 9th Infantry Division at Ft Lewis, as well as the Division Support Command of 1st Armored Division and the 13th Support Command at Ft Hood. He was Deputy Commanding General, 21st TAACOM, in Europe, which was the Army's largest and most diverse logistics unit, and he later commanded the Ordnance Center and School at Aberdeen, Maryland. He served as the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, responsible for the Army's logistics programs around the globe. He completed his career as Commanding General, US Army Materiel Command, a command with a nine billion dollar operating budget and over 80 thousand soldiers and civilians world wide.
As one of the Army's most senior and distinguished leaders, and as a soldier who advanced through the enlisted ranks to become an officer, General Wilson is most familiar with the challenges faced by Army families and is uniquely qualified to provide advice and support to the Army Scholarship Foundation leadership and volunteers.
The Army Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2001 to provide scholarships to spouses of enlisted US Army solders and to deserving sons and daughters of soldiers and Army veterans. The Foundation is sustained by the generous donations of its supporters. Tax free donations may be sent to The Army Scholarship Foundation, 6412 Brandon Avenue, Suite 201, Springfield, Virginia 22150.
Army Scholarship Foundation Announces Scholarship Awards for 2006-2007 Academic Year
The Army Scholarship Foundation announced today the award of seven scholarships to deserving children of United States Army soldiers and veterans and spouses of active duty enlisted soldiers. Scholarships for the upcoming 2007-2007 academic year were awarded to: Jennifer Cheek of Fayetteville, NC who is attending UNC Greensboro; Jamie Eller of Ft Leonard Wood, MO who is attending the Cox College of Nursing and Sciences in Springfield, MO; Erin Frake of Burke, VA who is attending the University of Virginia; La'Tesha Hinton of Bel Air, MD who is attending Xavier University in New Orleans; and Kathryn Laverty of Coto De Caza, CA who is attending UC Riverside. In addition, a scholarship was awarded to Army spouse Shannon Grover of Spanaway, WA who is attending the University of Phoenix. Mrs. Grover's husband is deployed from Ft Lewis, WA as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The Captain Jennifer Schafer-Odom Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Janay Cheek of Fayetteville, NC who is attending North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro, NC. Jennifer Shafer Odom grew up on a dairy farm in Knoxville, Maryland. After graduating first in her class at Brunswick High School, she entered the U.S. Military Academy and graduated as a member of the Class of 1992. She became an Army aviator and served tours of duty in both the United States and Europe, where she supported both the Kurdish refugee and Bosnia missions. While serving with the 204th Military Intelligence Battalion at Fort Bliss, Texas in 1999, her aircraft was reported missing while flying intelligence and counter drug missions over Columbia, South American. She and her crew were lost.
The Paladin Army Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2001 by members of the USMA Class of 1992 in the spirit of the Academy's mission to prepare leaders for a lifetime of service to the nation. The Foundation was renamed The Army Scholarship Foundation in 2006. The Foundation provides scholarships to deserving sons and daughters of U.S. Army soldiers and Army veterans, as well as to spouses of serving active duty enlisted soldiers. The Foundation is sustained by the generous donations of its supporters, and tax free donations can be sent to the Army Scholarship Foundation, 6412 Brandon Avenue, Suite 201, Springfield, Virginia 22150.
Colonel Mike Gonzales Joins Foundation Board of Directors
Colonel Michael R. Gonzales, U.S. Army, Retired, of Santa Fe, New Mexico has joined the Board of Directors of the Army Scholarship Foundation. Colonel Gonzales served 30 years in the New Mexico National Guard. He is a graduate of the New Mexico Military Institute and New Mexico State University. He holds an MPA from Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. Currently he is Director of Army Programs for Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI) of Alexandria, Virginia.
His key military assignments include Director of Strategic Operations at U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Deputy Assistant Commandant at the U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery School, Chairman of the Department of Strategy and Planning at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute, and G-6 at U.S. Army Central Command (Forward). He commanded the 6th Battalion (Chaparral), 200th Air Defense Artillery, New Mexico Army National Guard and served with the 6th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery in Germany.
Colonel Gonzales is married to the former Christine S. Smith. The couple has two children, Gabrielle A. Gonzales and Michael R. Gonzales II.
The Army Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2001 to provide scholarships to deserving sons and daughters of US Army soldiers and Army veterans, and to spouses of enlisted active duty soldiers. The Foundation is sustained by the generous donations of its supporters. Tax free contributions can be sent to the Foundation at 6412 Brandon Avenue, Springfield, Virginia 22150. To learn more about the Army Scholarship Foundation or to make a tax free donation, please visit www.ArmyScholarshipFoundation.org.
Congressman Silvestre Reyes Joins Honorary Advisory Committee
Congressman Silvestre Reyes has joined the Army Scholarship Foundation as a member of the Foundation's Honorary Advisory Committee. Congressman Reyes represents the 16th Congressional District in Texas, which includes the city of El Paso the surrounding communities. His district includes Fort Bliss, and covers the westernmost part of the State of Texas along the Rio Grande River adjacent to the US-Mexican border.
Congressman Reyes was drafted into the United States Army out of high school in Canutillo, Texas and served as a helicopter crewman in Viet Nam. He is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the Veterans Affairs Committee.
As an Army veteran and a Congressman who represents a large military community including both active duty and former service members and their families, Congressman Reyes is most familiar with the challenges faced by the families of our soldiers and their families and the families of veterans. Largely as a result of their sacrifices made in serving their country, military families are often ill prepared for the high costs of higher education for their family members. As a member of the Honorary Advisory Committee of the Army Scholarship Foundation, Congressman Reyes will provide advice and counsel to the volunteers of the Foundation as they assist deserving Army family students in the pursuit of their educational dreams.
The Army Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2001 to provide scholarships to spouses of enlisted US Army solders and to deserving sons and daughters of soldiers and Army veterans. The Foundation is sustained by the generous donations of its supporters. Tax free donations may be sent to The Army Scholarship Foundation, 6412 Brandon Avenue, Suite 201, Springfield, Virginia 22150. To learn more about the Army Scholarship Foundation or to make a tax free donation, please visit www.ArmyScholarshipFoundation.org.
Army Scholarship Foundation Achieves Final Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Designation as a Public Charity
On April 7, 2006 the IRS made its final determination that the Army Scholarship Foundation has achieved its exemption from Federal income tax under section 501(c )(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The IRS has determined that the Army Scholarship Foundation is a public charity, and, as such, all contributions to the Foundation are tax deductible for the donors to the extent allowed by law. This represents a major achievement for the Army Scholarship Foundation.
The IRS examinations for a charity to achieve full tax free status are extremely rigorous and involve a five year provisional period during which the charity operates under interim tax free status while developing its procedures and donor base. Upon completion of the five year probationary period, the IRS conducts a rigorous evaluation of the organization's books and accounting procedures. The Army Scholarship Foundation passed this critical milestone with flying colors, and is now a fully recognized public charity.
The Army Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2001 to provide scholarships to deserving sons and daughters of U.S. Army soldiers and Army veterans, and to spouses of enlisted active duty soldiers. The Foundation is sustained by the generous donations of its supporters. Tax free contributions can be sent to the Foundation at 6412 Brandon Avenue, Springfield, Virginia 22150. To learn more about the Paladin Army Scholarship Foundation or to make a tax free donation, visit www.ArmyScholarshipFoundation.org.
CPT Jennifer Shafer Odom Memorial Scholarship Awarded
The Army Scholarship Foundation has awarded its 2005-2006 Captain Jennifer Shafer Odom Memorial Scholarship to Miss La'Tesha Hinton of Bel Air, Maryland. Miss Hinton graduated from Hartford Technical High School in Bel Air and is majoring in Chemistry and Pre-Medical studies at Xavier University in New Orleans.
The Captain Jennifer Shafer Odom Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually in honor of Captain Odom, a Maryland native. Jennifer grew up on a dairy farm in Knoxville, Maryland. After graduating first in her class at Brunswick High School, she entered the U.S. Military Academy and graduated as a member of the Class of 1992. She became an Army aviator and served tours of duty in both the United States and Europe, where she supported both the Kurdish refugee and Bosnia missions. While serving with the 204th Military Intelligence Battalion at Fort Bliss, Texas in 1999, her aircraft was reported missing while flying intelligence and counter drug missions over Columbia, South America. She and her crew were lost.
Captain Odom's awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the NATO Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Army Aviator Badge, and the Parachutist Badge. The athletic facility at Fort Detrick, Maryland is named in Jennifer's honor. Her class ring is displayed at the West Point library, and her flight suit is in the Pentagon's Women in the Military Display.
The Army Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2001 to provide scholarships to deserving sons and daughters of US Army soldiers and Army veterans, and to spouses of enlisted active duty soldiers. The Foundation is sustained by the generous donations of its supporters. Tax free contributions can be sent to the Foundation at 6412 Brandon Avenue, Springfield, Virginia 22150. To learn more about the Army Scholarship Foundation or to make a tax free donation, visit www.ArmyScholarshipFoundation.org.