by Chad Garland

For Websites2Print creative director Devin Martin, paying taxes to support the troops is no longer enough. He believes a philanthropic component has become necessary and he’s partnered with Illinois Patriot Education Fund (IPEF) to do his part. Devin and his team of creatives donate their time to improve and maintain IPEF’s websites.

“There are people putting their lives on the line and I just feel like it is my responsibility to step up and do some things to help out with our veterans,” Martin said.

Martin said his strong appreciation for veterans and the military comes from his grandfather who served in World War II and whose letters from Normandy and Paris he inherited.

The 24-year-old Northwest Indiana native said he feels connected to Illinois through his many links to the Chicagoland area and recognized the importance of IPEF to Illinois veterans after learning about it from Fred Chico, owner of John Chico’s Menswear. He said he realized he could use his web development team to help revamp some of IPEF’s websites, such as www.medinahpatriotday.com, and was able to provide his counsel and professional opinion about the IPEF’s online presence.

Between web design, development and site maintenance, Martin estimates he and his team have donated several hundred hours of services to IPEF.

“It feels good being able to do something like that and being able to save IPEF thousands of dollars for them to give to veterans’ families when every dollar counts,” Martin said. “It’s a huge honor for me to be able to do something like this and to be part of an organization like this.”

Mark Slaby, IPEF founder and executive director said, “Devin and his team have brought tremendous value to our volunteer team and have allowed us to reallocate more scholarship funding to our Illinois military families. We are grateful for the countless hours Websites2print have invested in the Illinois Patriot Education Fund.”

Martin said Websites2Print has plenty of paid work to keep it busy because of the great rapport he builds with clients. He said his goal is to see how much they can do for clients rather than how much they can charge their clients.

“I am busted at the seams with work, and I have done zero marketing,” he said. “It’s all word-of-mouth. We’re growing exponentially because our clients are happy and they’re referring work back to us.”

Even though he remains busy, Martin said he is always looking to take on more work and grow his team. That team consists of nine full-time employees, including designers, programmers, copywriters and project managers, as well as a “handful” of freelancers.

Martin started Websites2Print because he had experience with small business owners and wanted to provide a one-stop-shop for “business cards to billboards and more” while also helping them save money. He said he is able to provide everything from websites to videography to printing and custom promotional products for small to large businesses.

“We’re solution-savvy,” Martin said. “We’re a custom-tailored, fitted solution for the small to large businesses and we’re very affordable compared to our competitors.”

Martin said he is able to offer services at Northwest Indiana prices but with the quality of a Chicago-area firm. He added that Websites2Print can work within any budget, and prides itself on satisfying its customer needs with the right technology and the best solution.

One of the biggest trends Martin said he’s seeing is a push to integrate social media into a business’s web strategy and capitalize on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). He said Websites2Print is able to create custom Facebook pages for its customers and integrate with other social sites like Twitter and Google+. He said one of Website2Print’s strengths is online advertising campaigns using pay-per-click.

“We can create landing pages, we can even shoot videos – we’ve got a really good videographer on staff – where we can come out and shoot a promotional video and we can edit them ourselves,” he said. “We make you look good.”

As another way of supporting IPEF, for a limited time, Websites2Print is offering a special in honor of Medinah Patriot Day. From now through May 29, just for mentioning this article when you order web, printing or video services through Websites2Print, Martin will donate 10 percent of the cost of your order to IPEF.

Chad Garland is an Illinois Patriot Education Fund intern and a student veteran at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he helped found Illini Veterans, a student organization that seeks to help veterans transition to campus and on to post-transition careers. Garland is a graduate student studying Journalism.

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our dear friend John Brown.  There  was no finer Patriot than John Brown. John had an amazing journey throughout his life – one of those most notable was his 25 year marriage to Nancy. John and Nancy have always been very supportive of  the IPEF mission and we are grateful for their support. Our thoughts and prayers are with Nancy and her family.

Below is the obituary that appeared in today’s Indianapolis Star.

John C. Brown

87, Indianapolis, passed away peacefully March 23, at his residence. John was the proprietor of John’s Spirits and Fine Wines in Downtown Indianapolis and Greenwood, Indiana. He was also formerly employed as executive vice president of Danners Inc. for 43 years. He was a veteran of Patton’s Third Army; during WWII “Battle of Bulge.” John was a proud American who loved his country, had many friends from all aspects of life, and never knew a stranger. John served as a board member of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Horse Patrol. John enjoyed golfing, auto racing, all team sports, and spending weekends at his Nyona Lake cottage. John was a member of the Columbia Club, Halfway Lodge No. 298, F.&A.M., Murat Shrine of Indiana, Scottish Rite (Valley of Indianapolis), Antelope Club, the American Legion Post #79 & 36, Fraternal Order of Eagles, Yankee Division Veterans Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States 9 (Life Member), and the Rochester Elks Lodge. John was born April 4, 1924 in Tipton County, Indiana. John is survived by his loving wife of 25 years Nancy, daughters Kay (Bill) Micheli, Cynthia (Jeff) Smith, stepsons Burns (Nathan) Gutzwiller, and James (LeAnn) Gutzwiller. Also surviving are six grandchildren and one great-grand son.

Funeral Information: A celebration of life will be held Wednesday April 4, 2012 (John’s 88th birthday) from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. with a family tribute service at 7 p.m. at the Columbia Club 121 Monument Circle, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Donations Information: Memorial donations can be made to Illinois Patriot Education Fund‘s John Brown Scholarship Fund to provide educational assistance to families of fallen veterans.

The Illinois patriotic youth organization will reveal results of annual service project to support Illinois veterans and military families on Saturday

On Feb. 25, the Illinois State Children of the American Revolution (ISCAR) will honor Illinois Patriot Education Fund 501(c)3 during its annual state conference. ISCAR is the Illinois state chapter of the National Society of the Children of the American Revolution (CAR), the nation’s oldest and largest patriotic youth organization.  ISCAR has been raising funds and spreading awareness about Illinois Patriot Education Fund, (IPEF) as part of its annual service project for 2011-2012, under the theme “Building Blocks for Education.” The organization will reveal the results of its efforts during the its 74th annual Illinois state conference at the Hilton Lisle/Naperville, 3003 Corporate West Drive, Lisle, Ill. Each year the ISCAR state president selects a project of historical or patriotic significance that will benefit the society and the state. This year, the worthy objective of supporting the educational aspirations of our service men and women and those of their families inspired the society’s president Caitlin M. Collins to select IPEF as the beneficiary of the 2011-2012 state project. “In the last ten years, everyone has been touched by the sacrifices made by military families who hail from Illinois,” Collins wrote in her announcement of the project on ISCAR’s website. “It is time for each and every one of us to return the favor.”

Donors who gave $10 or more to ISCAR’s annual project received a lapel pin featuring this image. (Image courtesy of ISCAR.)

As part of the project, ISCAR members, who are all under 21 years old and lineally descended from recognized patriots, soldiers, sailors or civil officers of the American Independence, solicited donations throughout the state and distributed lapel pins to donors who gave $10 or more toward the cause.

The efforts these young patriots have put forward is already a great honor for IPEF, but it will also have a genuine impact in the lives of Illinois service members and their families. Government education benefits, such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill offer tremendous support for veterans, but often those benefits do not extend to the families of these brave men and women, which can create hardships and financial burdens. As many as 85 percent of military spouses and children are not eligible to receive the educational benefits the wounded veterans have earned.

Illinois Patriot Education Fund fills the gap by providing scholarships not only to the veterans and service members themselves, but to their children, from kindergarten through college.

In December 2011, IPEF distributed $13,000 to support Operation Homefront Illinois’ Backpack Brigade, which provides school supplies to more than 1,000 Illinois children from military families. Also in December, IPEF provided the Pat Tillman Foundation with $9,000 to support Tillman Military Scholar David Glass, an Air Force pararescuman from Oak Forest, Ill., who is currently pursuing his Doctor of Medicine, Trauma Surgery and Rural Medicine at the University of Illinois. In January, through Student Veterans of America, IPEF awarded seven $1,000 scholarships for veterans attending Illinois universities.

Under Collins’ leadership, ISCAR’s annual project will enable IPEF to provide continued support for veterans and their families as increasing numbers of veterans are expected to enroll in colleges and universities throughout the state.

Contact Illinois Patriot Education Fund founder and executive director Mark Slaby or ISCAR Senior State President Robert Collins (illinoiscar <at> yahoo.com) for additional information.

Chad Garland is an Illinois Patriot Education Fund intern and a student veteran at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he helped found Illini Veterans, a student organization that seeks to help veterans transition to campus and on to post-transition careers. Garland is a graduate student studying Journalism.

Provided to Student Veterans of America

Six men and one woman to receive $1,000 each to help meet undergraduate, graduate educational needs

CHICAGO – January 31, 2012 – The Illinois Patriot Education Fund (IPEF) and Student Veterans of America (SVA) announced today the names of the scholarship recipients funded by the recent $7,000 award made by IPEF to help support seven Illinois student veterans as they pursue a degree or certificate in the spring of 2012.

The award to SVA is one of several that IPEF issued as part of its inaugural year and was made possible due to the generous support of IPEF’s donors.

The scholarships that SVA will disseminate to student veterans in Illinois will incentivize academic excellence, ease the financial stress facing many student veterans, and supplement the gaps left in the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

More than 200 Illinois student veterans submitted applications, along with an essay, for the scholarships between January 10 and 27. To be eligible, applicants must be attendees of an Illinois school or be able to demonstrate a strong Illinois connection (i.e. lived in the state prior to service) in their essay. All applications were scored according to a pre-established rubric that judged academic achievement, SVA participation, community involvement, and the applicant’s personal essay. This year’s winners are:

• Nathaniel Davis (Army Veteran) pursuing a PhD in History at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
• Blake Leitch (Army Veteran) pursuing a B.A. in Corporate Communication at Eastern Illinois University
• Andreas Lucido (Army Veteran) pursing an MBA at the University of Illinois
• Eric Meredith (Navy Veteran) pursuing a Masters of Nutrition at the University of Illinois-Chicago
• Jonathan Nelson (USMC Veteran) pursuing a B.S. in Electrical Engineering at Heartland Community College
• Derek Vardon (Navy Veteran) pursuing a Masters in Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois
• Danielle Weech (Navy Veteran) pursuing a B.S. in Kinesiology and Atmospheric Science at the University of Illinois

Founded in 2008, Student Veterans of America is a non-profit coalition of more than 550 student veteran organizations on college campuses nationwide. SVA’s mission is to provide military veterans with the resources, support, and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education and after graduation. The peer support that each chapter provides to returning veterans is critical to a successful transition from combat to college.

IPEF’s contribution was raised during its 2011 fundraising efforts to support student veterans in Illinois.

“We were stunned with more than 200 online application responses,” said Mark Slaby, IPEF founder and executive director. “This clearly demonstrates the significant need for this type of scholarship for our Illinois veterans. We can – and need to – do more. Our community needs to continue to step up and work harder to fill this need and ensure more scholarships can be provided during our next grant cycle.”

IPEF’s mission is to provide financial assistance to support the educational journey for Illinois military service men and women who have given their lives or become disabled in service to our country and their families. IPEF encompasses early education (K-12) through advanced, collegiate educational needs. IPEF also supports the education of active duty members of our Armed Services over and above the benefits provided by the Post-911 GI Bill.

This grant was made in memory of Staff Sgt. Jacob Frazier, who was killed in Afghanistan on March 29, 2003, while embedded with the Army Special Forces as an Air Force Joint Tactical Air Controller. It is also made in recognition of Jacob’s father, Jim Frazier, who has been volunteering many years of service assisting Illinois veterans and their families in need. In addition, this grant is made in honor of all Gold Star Families throughout the State of Illinois. Please know that your sacrifice continues to inspire our volunteers to work hard each day on your behalf.

For more information on Student Veterans of America or the Illinois Patriot Education Fund, please visit: www.studentveterans.org and www.illinoispatrioteducationfund.org. To make a much needed tax deductible donation to IPEF, please visit www.illinoispatrioteducation.org and click on the “DONATE” button on the right-hand side of the page. IPEF thanks you for your support.

###

About the Illinois Patriot Education Fund

The Illinois Patriot Education Fund is a 501(c)(3) based in Chicago, whose mission is to raise scholarship funds on behalf of the spouses and children of Illinois military service men and women who have given their lives or become disabled in service to our country. We also support the education of active duty members of our Armed Services over and above the benefits provided by the Post-911 GI Bill. For more information please visit www.illinoispatrioteducationfund.org or follow www.facebook.com/ILPatriotriotEdFund and www.twitter.com/ILPatriotEdFund for the latest updates.

WASHINGTON, DC – SVA and the Illinois Patriot Education Fund have teamed up to give 7 student veterans a $1,000 scholarship each. Eligible student veterans must be enrolled during the spring 2012 semester and can apply online here.

The award to SVA is one of several that IPEF issued as part of its inaugural year and was made possible due to the generous support of IPEF’s donors.

These scholarships will incentivize academic excellence, ease the financial stress that many student veterans face, and supplement the gaps left in the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

“SVA is very grateful to IPEF for this generous donation and is proud to be a partner in their efforts to improve the academic success of America’s veterans and military families,” said Michael Dakduk, Executive Director of SVA. “As a former student veteran, I know the importance of a sound financial footing while attending school. These scholarships will make that a reality.”

The Illinois Patriot Education Fund’s mission is to provide financial assistance to support the educational journey for Illinois military service men and women who have given their lives or become disabled in service to our country and their families.

About Student Veterans of America

Student Veterans of America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit coalition of student veteran organizations on college campuses nationwide. SVA’s mission is to provide military veterans with the resources, support, and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education and following graduation.

Posted by SVA

Our Work Continues…

The Illinois Patriot Education Fund 501c(3) provides financial assistance to support the educational journey for Illinois military service men and women who have given their lives or become disabled in service to our country and their families. We encompass early education (K-12) through advanced, collegiate educational needs.  We also support the education of active duty members of our Armed Services over and above the benefits provided by the Post-911 GI Bill.

In expanding our reach to early educational needs, the goal is to ensure the children of Illinois service men and women have access to the school supplies and materials; programs; and schools to prepare them for vocational careers and college. IPEF assistance could include school supplies and materials; professional tutoring programs, funding to help offset charter school costs, and scholarships.  Educational support for our Illinois service men, women, and families is our Mission.

Our efforts are focused on the belief that we can all make a difference – right here in Illinois. We believe we can have a greater impact by making certain your donations are re-invested locally and encouraging a strong grass roots effort to ensure that  Illinois military families are able to successfully transition into civilian life. Our scholarship partners include:  Operation Homefront, Pat Tillman Foundation, Fishers House Foundation, and Student Veterans of America.  Each has agreed to allocate 100% of your donations to our Illinois military families’ educational pursuits.

Over the past ten years of combat operations in our Nation’s ongoing War on Terrorism, hundreds of Illinois military families have suffered the loss or disability of a loved one in service to our country. Government programs, such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, offer only limited educational benefits to service members’ spouses and dependents. This lack of educational opportunity translates into fewer opportunities for our military families and creates an unreasonable, and what should be an unnecessary, financial burden.

The gap created by the minimal assistance offered through the Post-9/11 GI Bill and what the military families can provide on their own is startling. Illinois Patriot Education Fund not only helps to bridge that gap in order to ensure all Illinois military families have access to the educational opportunities that prepare them for success in their post-service lives, but also to draw attention to the problem in order to effect change.

We Need Your Help…

Our mission field is simple:  it is your family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and Illinois corporations. In the last ten years, everyone has been touched by the sacrifices made by military families who hail from Illinois. It is time for each and every one of us to return the favor. It is our responsibility to respect and assist those who answered the call of duty on our behalf. We can do so in a meaningful way by supporting the educational aspirations of our service men and women and those of our Illinois families.

Service to Country should never be taken for granted.  Help us ensure that our message reaches every street corner in Illinois. Get involved today and make a difference.

With sincere gratitude.

Mark Slaby

Founder & Executive Director

The Illinois Patriot Education Fund 501c(3) Tax ID number is 80-0681047

www.illinoispatrioteducationfund.org

Please Click on Donate Button to Donate

Or Write a Check to:
Illinois Patriot Education Fund
4064 N. Lincoln Avenue, Suite 436
Chicago, IL 60618

You don’t know me. Not yet, anyway. I’m the new guy.  My name’s Chad Garland. I’ve been interning at Illinois Patriot Education Fund, or IPEF, for a little while now, helping out with “social media” like our Facebook andTwitter pages. I decided to introduce myself, since I’ll be updating this blog with posts about IPEF’s activities, as well as issues related to veterans, military families and education. I don’t want to bore you with my life story. Instead, I’ll treat you to a few bullet points – everybody loves bullet points! – of both pertinent and impertinent information about me.

• Though I served in the Marine Corps before and after 9/11, I never set foot in Iraq or Afghanistan. When I was discharged, the Taliban was mostly in hiding after Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan and OIF hadn’t even started yet.
• Born and raised in Illinois, I grew up near Northern Illinois University, but I’m a first generation college graduate, thanks to the veterans education benefits.
• I’m a second generation beard-wearer.
• At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, I’m studying journalism and I report for the independent student newspaper The Daily Illini.
• I’m an amateur photographer. My brother’s probably a better lenser, but he doesn’t have flickr.
• Some people think I look like King Henry VIII, minus the fancy outfit (but I’m Irish and Catholic!).
• When I was young, I wanted to be a private eye. Or an archeologist – but my sister has that photo.
• I love Mexican food. Yes, love. If I had to eat one thing for the rest of my life, it would be tacos. Or fajitas. Or margaritas.
• I speak Russian. I learned it in the Marines at the Defense Language Institute and got my bachelor’s in Russian Literature at U. of I.
• In 2009, I helped found Illini Veterans, the student group for military veterans and their supporters at the U. of I. and established it as a chapter of Student Veterans of America. We have over 100 members, but we should have a thousand.

The Illinois Patriot Education Fund 501c(3) provides financial assistance to support the educational journey for Illinois military service men and women who have given their lives or become disabled in service to our country and their families. We encompass early education (K-12) through advanced, collegiate educational needs.  We also support the education of active duty members of our Armed Services over and above the benefits provided by the Post-911 GI Bill.

In expanding our reach to early educational needs, the goal is to ensure the children of Illinois service men and women have access to the school supplies and materials; programs; and schools to prepare them for vocational careers and college.

IPEF assistance could include school supplies and materials; professional tutoring programs, funding to help offset charter school costs, and scholarships.  Educational support for our Illinois service men, women, and families is our Mission.

Bottom line:  I simply want to see more of Illinois’ veterans and their dependents going to college.

Honestly, I’m not the type of person who believes a college education is necessary for success. I was even reluctant to use my own military educational benefits, but I realized I’d be crazy not to, even though it hasn’t always been easy financially.

I had a decent job back in 2008. Returning to college full-time at age 30 on the Montgomery G.I. Bill and the Illinois Veterans Grant was not a necessity, but it’s been an experience I’m extremely grateful for. In college I’ve expanded my horizons by exploring new concepts and ideas, developed confidence and competency in valuable skills, deepened my knowledge of a variety of subjects, and changed (or at least impacted) the very culture of the university.

Along the way, I’ve made friendships and bonds that will last the rest of my life. In my opinion, much of the benefit of a college education is social. Here everyone’s got plans and ambitions, ideas about where they’re going and how they’re getting there. And if you’re one of the few who don’t yet, there are resources to help you figure it out.

They say we become like those we surround ourselves with, so it’s a huge benefit to study among people who are bent on success. For that reason, this kind of environment can also be incredibly helpful for veterans trying to plan the next phase of their lives.

We’ll be grappling with the effects of the past decade at war for the next seven decades. Ensuring our veterans have a solid education will set the course for those seventy years. Veterans who return to school to study medicine or counseling will go on to help their fellow veterans as well as others like them. Those who learn about business and entrepreneurship will help shape our resurgent economy. Others will become the engineers to solve our pressing energy and infrastructure problems. Still others will educate the next generation of Americans or design computer programs to save us hours of work (or provide us hours of entertainment). In a very short time, our investment in their education will pay for itself.

Because I believe education offers such great promise, I want it to be available for all who have served our country and for the families of those who have been killed or disabled.

Unfortunately, it’s just not always feasible to ask or expect the government to provide all the benefits that our service members deserve. It’s up to us sometimes to fill those gaps. That’s what IPEF’s about.

But, I’m the new guy. For those who’ve been supporting IPEF all along, thank you. Soon, hopefully, it won’t be rare to see a veteran in the classroom.

Next blog I’ll write about my recent trip to D.C. and the Army-Navy game with fellow IPEF intern Blake Leitch, but for now, here’s a preview.

U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen march on to FedEx field in Lansdowne, Maryland before the Army-Navy game on Dec. 10. Navy defeated Army for the 10th year in a row in the game between the oldest rivals in college football.

By Angela Bender

For The Sun December 19, 2011 5:18PM

Naperville North High School graduate Mark Slaby wanted to help those left behind, so he established The Illinois Patriot Education Fund.

The fund raises money for scholarships on behalf of those from Illinois who have been affected by loss or disability while serving our country.

“One of the things I committed to is: how do I serve my country,” Slaby said. “A lot of people ask that question and particularly after the events of 9/11.”

Slaby also is inspired by the loss of his friend and fellow Naperville North graduate U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Andrew Pokorny. Pokorny was killed in 2003 in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Slaby had heard about Pokorny’s death on the news.

He looked to Pokorny as a leader during their time at Washington Junior and Naperville North high schools. Slaby attended Pokorny’s funeral and never stopped wondering how his family and children were doing.

“People really need to know that their neighbors are going through this loss,” Slaby said. “I felt that by doing some small part to supplement and complement the gaps, we have done our part as Illinois citizens to say thank you.”

The fund was established through a team of volunteers to help those who are impacted by loss, those who need help transitioning back to civilian life and those who have been disabled. The fund’s mission is specifically to provide financial assistance for their education.

“I believe people want to make a difference and help out their troops as they transition home, and this is one way they can do that,” Slaby said.

Slaby said, by partnering with nationally established programs, IPEF can ensure that its services are not being duplicated while also maximizing efforts and reducing their costs. IPEF has created contracts with various programs stating that 100 percent of the money raised by the fund will go directly to a scholarship for a member of the military, or a family member, from the state of Illinois. In addition IPEF also invests in educational supplies that allow for students to stay in school and reduce the financial burden on the family.

“We know (military) families will be challenged. We’re trying to invest in these families because the government can’t do it,” said Slaby, noting that there continues to be cuts to the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, which provides financial support for education and housing to members of the Armed Forces.

Every time that IPEF makes a donation, it will be in honor of someone who has been lost. Most recently IPEF partnered with the Pat Tillman Foundation by providing $9,000 in scholarship support. The donation was made in honor of the three children left behind by Pokorny, who continues to inspire Naperville citizens.

Naperville North social studies teacher Jeff Bedore said Pokorny will not be forgotten.

“The generation of faculty and students who knew Andy personally has passed from these halls,” said Bedore, who also served in the Marines. “But Andy has not. He has become an inspiration for people he never met but who know and admire his selflessness and his courage.”

Funds helped organization’s Backpack Brigade program for Illinois school-age children

First Annual Oktoberfest Deemed a Success as Thousands Turned Out to Help Military Families

CHICAGO – November 10, 2011 – Illinois Patriot Education Fund (IPEF) announced today that it has received a check in the amount of $5,000 from Ignite the Spirit, the 501(c)(3) behind the Oct. 8 IgniteFest event held at Paul Revere Park in Chicago with all proceeds going to IPEF to help fund scholarships and educational needs for Illinois military families.

Ignite the Spirit was created in 2003 by full-time members of the Chicago Fire Department as a charity specifically for emergency responders. Ignite the Spirit gets its funding through events and merchandise sales to help first responders in times of hardship. It was a natural fit for the firefighters to come together to help those who serve our country.

“As firefighters, we really wanted to do something for Illinois veterans’ families,” said Rich Pinskey of CFD Engine Company 112, Tower Ladder 21. “There’s no better way to say ‘Thank you’ for their service than to invest in their children’s education as they transition back into civilian life here in Illinois.”

The event drew more than 2,000 attendees in its first year and was generously promoted by media partner NBC5 Chicago. In addition to food and beer, revelers enjoyed some of the best Chicago bands, with a lineup that included Resident Freak, State and Madison, Stache, Whiskey Jezebel, and NORTHSIDE, to name just a few.

IPEF’s mission is to raise scholarship funds on behalf of the spouses and children of Illinois military service men and women who have given their lives or become disabled in service to our country.

“We are grateful to the Chicago Fire Department, Ignite the Spirit and the members of Firehouse 112 and Tower Ladder 21 for all the hard work they invested in setting up and running the event to raise funds for our Illinois military families,” said Mark Slaby, founder and executive director of Illinois Patriot Education Fund. “We thank them for their service to our community and their partnership with IPEF.”

IPEF will use the proceeds towards its scholarship program and in its expanded efforts to help military families with a wide variety of education-related assistance that may include school supplies and materials, professional tutoring programs and funding to help offset charter school costs. For more information, please visit the website or direct email to info@illinoispatriot.com.

IPEF receives 100 percent of its funding through individual and corporate donations via its website and at its hallmark fundraising events, including Medinah Patriot Day and Bets for Vets™. IPEF is currently seeking corporations and individuals interested in making a difference in the lives of military families and children by becoming volunteers and corporate sponsors to join its roster of 2011 Financial Sponsors and Goodwill Partners. Please direct any inquiries to sponsors@illinoispatriot.com or volunteers@illinoispatriot.com.

# # #

About the Illinois Patriot Education Fund

The Illinois Patriot Education Fund is a 501(c)(3) based in Chicago, whose mission is to raise scholarship funds on behalf of the spouses and children of Illinois military service men and women who have given their lives or become disabled in service to our country. We also support the education of active duty members of our Armed Services over and above the benefits provided by the Post-911 GI Bill. For more information please visit www.illinoispatrioteducationfund.org or follow www.facebook.com/ILPatriotriotEdFund and www.twitter.com/ILPatriotEdFund for the latest updates.

Event will feature food, beer and music

By LACEY MCCRANEY

You can join the Chicago Fire Department in helping the families of our troops killed or injured in the line of duty.

Firefighters will hold its “Ignite the Spirit” Octoberfest October 8th from Noon-10 p.m. at Paul Revere Park on the city’s north side.

The day long event will feature food, beer and live music in the Bavarian tradition of Octoberfest and it’s for the whole family. Parking is free.

From noon-1:30 p.m., you can sing to your heart out on the Karaoke stage. Then, starting at 1:45 p.m. the professionals take over. First, Resident Freak will perform. They’re followed by State and Madison at 3:30 p.m., Stache at 5:15 p.m., Whiskey Jezebel at 7 p.m. and Northside at 8:45 p.m.

All the funds raised from the event will go directly to the Illinois Patriot Education Fund. The fund raises scholarship funds on behalf of spouses and children of Illinois military service men and women who have given their lives or have become disabled while serving our country. It also helps those currently serving by providing financial assistance beyond what is offered by the Post-911 GI Bill.

For more information about the event, click here to be linked to the “Ignite Fest” website. You can also donate to help the Chicago Fire Department’s “Ignite the Spirit” charity by donating through PayPal through the site.

Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/shows/newstoday/Chicago-Fire-Departments-Ignite-the-Spirit-Octoberfest-130257843.html#ixzz1ZAjedgWC

Ignite the Spirit, a charity founded in 2003 for  first responders, paramedics and fire fighters, which works specifically to benefit the Chicago Fire Department, has selected Illinois Patriot Education Fund (IPEF) to be the charity to receive the proceeds from its “Ignite the Spirit” Oktoberfest event to be held Saturday, October 8 from noon to 10 p.m.

The event will start at noon with a hour of enjoyable Open Mic Karaoke. If you aren’t a Karaoke fan then grab some food and beer and enjoy the extensive live music on tap for the event. The band schedule for the day is as follows:

1:45 – Resident Freak

3:30 – State and Madison

5:15 – Stache

7:00 – Whiskey Jezebel

8:45 – Northside

IPEF became involved when NBC5 producer Kathryn Janicek ran a segment about the Medinah Patriot Day event after being contacted by our PR director. Kathryn was so moved by the cause that she and her father signed up to participate at the Medinah event. Kathryn is also involved with “Ignite the Spirit” and when organizers were seeking a military charity for this year’s event, she recommended to organizer Rich Pinskey that IPEF be considered.

“It truly is an honor and a privilege to be chosen as a charity to not only be a part of this year’s event but also to be a recipient of the proceeds from this great cause,” said Mark Slaby, IPEF founder and interim executive director.

We at IPEF are excited to see all of our supporters at “Ignite the Spirit” so we can continue to better our efforts in helping our military heroes and their families. It will also be a great opportunity to show our support to all of Chicago’s finest, its first responders, and how much they mean to our country.

So before you close out of this page, click on the link below which will take you to the ”Ignite the Spirit” Facebook page for you to RSVP and invite all of your friends to this great day of festivities.

“Ignite the Spirit” Facebook Event Page Link.

– Blake Leitch, blake@illinoispatriot.com

Photo credit: Daily Chronicle, Kyle Bursaw / AP

This last weekend I attended my first college football game. I know, I am 29 years old and have never been to a college football game! I first heard about the opportunity when I got my weekly email from Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) listing all the upcoming events free to all combat wounded veterans. I quickly told my wife that I had good news and bad news. Okay, good news first, I said. “I have free tickets to go watch team Army battle it out on the Gridiron!” Then the bad news . . . it was on the same weekend that seven years ago we were joined together in holy matrimony.

Once we got to the game we had to filter through what I imagined to be a typical college tailgate party. After meeting the NIU Veteran Club President I made it to the WWP tent and was quickly in my element. Everywhere I looked were veterans and their families. I could not ignore the fact that there were veterans with canes, seeing eye dogs, and the typical Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) hat with the Purple Heart pin. I was so humbled to be in the midst of so many of our nation’s true Heroes.

Looking back at the weekend, my wife and I have begun to realize how blessed we are to have a support system and be fiscally stable. Unfortunately, not all veterans are as fortunate as we are and need a helping hand and organizations like Illinois Patriot Education Fund to get them back on their feet by filling in the gaps left by the government. Many thanks go out to the Wounded Warrior Project for securing the tickets for us and enabling us to have a weekend that will not soon be forgotten.

By the way, the Army team fell a little short of securing a victory against NIU. There’s always next year!

– Blake Leitch, blake@illinoispatriot.com

Editor’s Note: Illinois Patriot Education Fund is excited to announce an addition to our team – our intern, Blake Leitch. Blake is an Army veteran who was deployed to Iraq in 2005, where he earned an Army Accommodation Medal and the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in action. For his service, he also earned the rank of Sergeant. Upon separating from the military in 2009, Blake started college at Lake Land College in Mattoon, Ill., to pursue a communications degree and better prepare himself to serve the veteran community.

Since then he became involved with IPEF’s partner, Student Veterans of America, founding an SVA chapter at Lake Land. In the spring of 2010, his fellow students elected him as the college’s Student Trustee. In this role, he had the opportunity to represent his peers on the Illinois Community College Board. He was then elected to serve on the ICCB’s Executive Board and was the only student representative chosen by the White House to represent all community college students at The White House Summit on Community Colleges in San Diego and Indianapolis. Blake was later given the Student Trustee Excellence Award for his dedication to student veterans and college completion.  Blake is now continuing his communications studies at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Ill., and resides in Mattoon with his wife, Jackie, and toddler son, Spencer.

Throughout his internship, Blake will be blogging about his experiences. Following is his first entry.

I first found out about Illinois Patriot Education Fund at this year’s Medinah Patriot Day, while attending the event as a representative of Student Veterans of America. After meeting executive director and founder Mark Slaby and spending some time hearing his vision I was sold.

Now let’s back up. I am a disabled combat veteran who, like countless others returning from a tour in Iraq, knew that I needed to get some education in order to compete with today’s tough job market. Within my first semester into college I quickly realized that acquiring an education was not going to be a cake walk and that there were a lot of gaps in the new G.I. Bill. I went from not really being sure what I wanted to do with my life to being completely sold on dedicating my every breath to helping my fellow veterans.

It did not take long for me to get my feet wet in the veteran community. First of all, I now travel the nation sharing the story of my experience in Iraq. I speak about how sharing what happened to me and my fellow comrades helps me combat my Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I also share how, after being involved in more than 20 roadside explosions, I am still alive. Although I did take some shrapnel and have a bad back from the whiplash I endured, I am very lucky that I walked away with so few injuries.

In addition to traveling and sharing my story I started an SVA chapter at my college and was able to form a scholarship for veterans after just one year of the club being active. This year I am looking forward to figuring out more ways to help my fellow veterans, which I believe will be much easier now that I am interning with IPEF.

There are countless loopholes in the system for veterans in education, and I must stand by my warrior ethos:  I will always place the mission first, I will never accept defeat, I will never quit, and I will never leave a fallen comrade. I live by this and if we let a veteran fall through the cracks then we have left a fallen comrade.

I look forward to what the next year holds and trust that while serving as an intern with IPEF great strides will be made to make it easier for the heroes of this great state and their families to have a better life because they were able to get a well-deserved education.

Along the way, I will be posting from the perspective of a veteran, a young father and husband, and an intern working in the trenches to better the lives of my fellow veterans. Stay tuned with me on this journey and, in the process, I hope you will be inspired to do what you can to help.

– Blake Leitch, blake@illinoispatriot.com

During last week’s gala dinner at Medinah Patriot Day, Gold Star Father Jim Frazier read a letter from Illinois Governor Pat Quinn commending the efforts of Illinois Patriot Education Fund and welcoming the participants of Medinah Patriot Day. Long known for his support of Illinois military families and veterans, the Governor has spent countless hours on programs and partnerships to help those deserving individuals.

In addition to developing a relationship with the Governor’s office, IPEF has been hard at work in talks with other state agencies and veterans groups to ensure that its mission and goals are complementary to ongoing efforts and programs being put forth by the state as well as ensuring that we bridge the gaps in current federal programming toward educational scholarships for veterans and their dependents.

To see the PDF version of the Governor’s letter, please click here.

The organizers of the second annual Medinah Patriot Day are pleased with the outcome of last Thursday’s event, where more than 150 volunteers, supporters, corporate executives, philanthropists, VIPs and professional athletes came together to raise funds for Illinois Patriot Education Fund.

The event was kicked off by a sometimes moving and other times rousing Opening Ceremonies at noon, with remarks from IPEF founder and interim executive director Mark Slaby welcoming the guests, along with host family Jarrett and Trish Payton explaining why they became involved in a cause that provides educational assistance for Illinois military families. Following the presentation of colors by VFW Post 7539 and the playing of Taps in honor of our fallen soldiers, Jarrett Payton described having “goosebumps” as he introduced a special guest to sing the National Anthem — Chicago Blackhawks’ own Jim Cornelison, who had the crowd cheering as though they were in the United Center and not the hallowed greens of Medinah Country Club. Lunch was generously sponsored by Tour Edge Golf.

Following a shotgun start, the field enjoyed a great time on Course 1, with some opportunities for added fun with a few betting holes (all for the cause) and beverages provided courtesy of Coca-Cola. Several of our special guests enjoyed a great day on the course, if not a few challenges, including Jarrett Payton, Steve Dahl, Tom Thayer, Steve Cochran, Otis Wilson and Ron Kittle, to name a few. We also had plenty of media on hand, ranging from Comcast Sportsnet to NBC5 to Golf Chicago Magazine and TV. And we can’t forget JenChicago, who was there to capture it all for social media as well.

Gracing the lunch grove area were two examples of automotive eye candy courtesy of our dinner sponsor, Joe Perillo, in the form of a sedan and convertible Rolls Royce from the newly-opened Perillo Rolls Royce. More than a few of the guests couldn’t resist having their photo taken behind the wheel of these rare rides.

Following the tournament, guests were able to enjoy all the amenities of the Medinah Clubhouse before moving on to the cocktail reception and silent auction, which had one very unique item that was nabbed earlier that day exclusively for Illinois Patriot Education Fund. While golfing on Course 3, Michael Jordan himself was gracious enough to sign an event shirt for the cause. After being seated for dinner, guests enjoyed Jeff Ray singing “God Bless America” and “The National Anthem,” followed by the invocation by Col. Tom Nettling, USA Retired.

Steve Cochran guided the evening as the emcee, with remarks from Mark Slaby, who announced that the “Bets for Vets” fundraiser — an ESPN-style poker tournament — will be coming in the fall, followed by a moving speech from Gold Star Father Jim Frazier. The night was capped off by headliner Tom Dreesen, who had the guests laughing before the close of the silent auction.

Event organizers have reported that since the beginning of 2011, counting efforts through Medinah Patriot Day, IPEF has raised $95K in total funds. IPEF would like to thank all of its supporters, corporate sponsors and volunteers for a successful event and we look forward to announcing next year’s date soon!

Please click here for a slide show of photographs from the 2011 Medinah Patriot Day.

Editor’s Note:  This article originally appeared on Huffington Post on June 24, 2011.

By Amanda M. Fairbanks

 

Stephen Lee, a veteran of the U.S. Army, is now a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

MADISON, Wis. — Nearly two years ago, Stephen Lee uprooted his wife and two children from their home in Clarksville, Tenn., to study political science here at the University of Wisconsin.

As a 31-year-old Army veteran, Lee took advantage of one of the most successful tuition assistance programs in the nation’s history — the G.I. Bill. In exchange for his nine years of military service, the federal government agreed to pay for Lee’s college education.

But on a brittle February night, the rules suddenly changed. At a Vets for Vets meeting on campus, Lee listened in disbelief as a university official told his classmates that the government had reneged on its original promise. In December, Congress voted to cut their G.I. Bill benefits.

Lee closed his eyes and bowed his head. The official said that, beginning in August, out-of-state residents at the university would face caps on their tuition assistance pegged at whatever in-state students had to pay. Lee, who became a Tennessee resident while stationed at Fort Campbell, now owed an extra $8,000 per semester. Beginning next fall, he and 56 other out-of-state residents attending the university on the G.I. Bill needed to come up with $16,000 in order to finish out the year — an increase in cost none of them could afford without going into debt.

When Lee, a first-generation Korean-American, moved his young family to Wisconsin, taking out loans in order to graduate wasn’t part of the deal. The Post-9/11 G.I. Bill promised to cover his educational expenses in exchange for his military service during the previous decade. But then the rules changed.

“When I came to school here, the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill meant that I wouldn’t be on the hook for any tuition — it meant that I’d be covered,” says Lee, over beers and brats one recent afternoon on the banks of Lake Mendota. He now feels let down by his country. “I see my time in the military as my service. I volunteered to do it. And while I don’t think it necessarily entitles me to have the country now bend over backwards for me, if you say you’re going to do something, you should do it.”

Since going into effect in August 2009, the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill has provided generous educational support for veterans returning home from war. It is the successor to the original G.I. Bill, or the Serviceman’s Readjustment Act of 1944, which enabled millions of World War II veterans to attend college. In addition to money for school, the original G.I. Bill provided loan guarantees to 19 million veterans, enabling them to purchase homes and farms and start small businesses.

In America prior to the Second World War, only relatively affluent elites owned homes or went to college. The G.I. Bill helped lower the barrier of entry for the average citizen. It suddenly made the American Dream of homeownership and a college education accessible to a new generation of young people.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, nearly half of the 16 million WWII vets used the original G.I. Bill for college between 1945 and 1956. Over the past two years, the ranks of veterans attending American institutions of higher education has again swelled — with more than 500,000 now using the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill.

Under the first version of the bill, a veteran who served for a minimum of three years after Sept. 11, 2001 received a full tuition subsidy from the government if they enrolled at a public college. He or she also received a monthly housing allowance, which varies according to residency, and a $1,000 annual stipend for books. Yet another provision, the Yellow Ribbon Program, enabled veterans to attend private schools as well as graduate and doctoral programs.

All of that changed in December of last year when Congress voted to amend the enhanced G.I. Bill by capping tuition assistance for out-of-state residents according to in-state public rates. Meanwhile, veterans attending expensive private schools will face a $17,500 cap on tuition. Prior to the change, caps varied widely. For instance, student veterans in Mississippi were capped at $805 per semester, while veterans attending schools in Florida were capped at $43,660 per semester. The new rules increased benefits for some while decreasing coverage for many others.

In recent months, Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) and Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) have introduced separate pieces of legislation aimed at grandfathering in veterans currently enrolled in private schools whose tuition would skyrocket in August — or about 30,000 veterans, according to Miller’s office. Currently, no provision exists to cover out-of-state veterans attending public schools.

The V.A. doesn’t track where student veterans reside, so the precise number of out-of-state students these changes affect is unknown. Student Veterans of America, a national coalition of student veteran’s groups on college campuses, estimates that it may involve upwards of 80,000 out-of-state residents — veterans that aren’t protected under either Schumer or Miller’s grandfather clause.

“The goal was to cover the greatest number of veterans impacted by this change, while using the limited amount of available money to do the most good,” says a spokesperson for Miller. Schumer’s office declined to comment on why his proposed legislation doesn’t include out-of-state veterans attending public institutions.

In mid-May, Miller’s bill made it through the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Schumer’s bill now awaits a markup with the Senate’s Veterans’ Affairs Committee, which is chaired by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.). The markup is scheduled for the middle of next week. While out-of-state student veterans at public schools could be added, additional tuition assistance is unlikely. Even for veterans, most increases in federal spending are simply untenable in the current economic and political climate.

What all of this seems to boil down to is that future veterans returning home will face limited options for higher education. Going forward, most will attend a public institution as an in-state resident — or forgo the dream of a college degree altogether.

For veterans, the in-state requirement is a particular burden. Their twenties are commonly peripatetic. Many decide to establish residency in a state where their military base is located or maintain residency in the state where they last lived in high school. When their service is up and civilian life beckons, many scatter and choose to put down roots in states where they haven’t lived previously. Several states, Wisconsin included, don’t allow full-time students to become residents while they’re enrolled in school.

Faced with a bleak job market, many young veterans are finding it difficult to make a seamless transition from military service back to civilian life. Over the past two years, unemployment payments to returning servicemembers have nearly doubled. And according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the jobless rate for male veterans between the ages of 18 to 24 is 30 percent. For young people in the population at large, the jobless rate is 18 percent.

In the weeks following the announcement about tuition caps at the University of Wisconsin, Lee debated whether he should drop out for a year in order to establish residency. He also weighed the option of relocating to another state. But abandoning Wisconsin and his lifelong dream of a college degree wouldn’t only affect Lee.

He mostly fretted about how to break the news of the G.I. Bill cuts to his wife. They currently live on his fixed income of $1,300 a month, combined with their savings. Taking on more debt in order for him to graduate simply isn’t an option. They were barely scraping by as it was.

“When I came to school here and ran those numbers, we made the decision as a family based on how affordable it would be,” says Lee. While he realizes a college degree is no longer a path of guaranteed riches or stability, entering an unstable job market as a 31-year-old with only a high school diploma seemed a far riskier bet. “I ran those numbers in good faith based on the promises our country made not just to me, but to my family. It really feels like a bait and switch.”

DREAMING OF ASSIMILATION

One of Lee’s earliest memories is from third grade. His teacher passed out strips of construction paper and brightly colored markers to make Mother’s Day cards. But with neither a mother nor a father at home, he instead made a card for his grandmother, the woman who raised him.

Lee was born in the United States to parents of Korean origin, but it was his grandparents who brought him up. He last saw his mother just before his tenth birthday. Even today, he and his father can go years between conversations.

When Lee was growing up in San Jose, Calif., he tried his best to assimilate. “We spoke the language, we ate the food,” he recalls. “My grandfather encouraged us to accept that America was our country. He firmly believed that if you were going to succeed in a new place, you had to become a part of the new society — you had to join it.”

Lee’s grandfather, like many immigrants, believed that an education — and especially a college degree — were pivotal parts of his grandson’s eventual assimilation. He hoped Lee might become a successful doctor, lawyer, or engineer.

But most of the time Lee felt like an outsider, unable to quite fit in. In elementary school, he tested two grade levels above the rest of his classmates. As one of two Asian kids in a mostly white school, the racial taunts worsened as he grew older. Once puberty hit, Lee, who is now 5’10″ and 250 pounds, went from being a scrawny kid getting picked on to one who was able to strike back. Fistfights became a regular part of his life, and with two aging grandparents, the troubled kid went to live with his father in Arcadia, a suburb of Los Angeles.

His father barely spoke English and worked in downtown L.A. in the import-export business. He shirked the responsibilities of parenthood. At 14, largely unsupervised, Lee came and went as he pleased and started to drink. His schoolwork faltered and as a chronic absentee with a 2.6 grade point average, Lee barely graduated. College figured far on the horizon, if at all.

After two false starts at community colleges in Chicago and California, he moved back to Arcadia. One afternoon with nothing better to do, one of his buddies suggested an excursion to the local Army recruiter’s office. Lee recalls his friend enticing him with something about college money. Mostly, he just went on a whim.

He completed a basic aptitude test in the back room of the recruiter’s office. As his friends struggled to get through it, the grade-school whiz kid handed in his exam with plenty of time to spare. The recruiter marked his test on the spot and, Lee says, his score was in the 99th percentile — which qualified him for a desk job in military intelligence.

A month later, Lee boarded a plane for Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri to complete basic training. In the military, Lee thrived. It provided him with a sense of stability and comfort he’d searched for all his life.

“Looking back, I realized I had been living in chaos for the better part of my life,” says Lee, who excelled in classes for a career in intelligence. “The military’s routine, the getting up at the same time every day and doing the same thing, it was exactly what had been missing from my life.”

THE PROMISE OF A NEW G.I. BILL

In those early years, however much Lee benefited from the routine and sense of purpose the military brought to his life, the training and work felt monotonous and of little consequence.

He spent months staring at computer screens, trying to make patterns of out of tiny, green dots. He devoted countless hours to trying to solve make-believe scenarios in which Soviets still threatened much of western Europe. Once 9/11 happened and actual wars erupted, Lee yearned to leave his desk behind; in early 2002, he went on the first of three deployments overseas.

While on his first tour in the Gulf, he gathered intelligence from computers. But midway through his deployment, he realized that he excelled at reading emotional cues, at reading people. “I had to read my family and read between the lines,” says Lee, referencing his childhood. “It lent itself pretty well to becoming an interrogator.”

During his second 11-month deployment to Eastern Baghdad, Lee spent most of his time in local prisons, working with Arabic translators. In his work as an interrogator, Lee developed two sides to his personality — the normal, easy-going guy morphed into a fierce, relentless questioner. While he says he never did anything illegal, he felt a growing sense of discomfort. Engaging in the psychological warfare his job required, Lee had to control every aspect of a detainee’s life: when and how often they could sleep, eat, or even relieve themselves.

Just thinking about it now makes him uncomfortable.

“The stuff that really messes with my head is the stuff I was good at,” says Lee, referring to the days he spent with detainees, breaking them psychologically to secure information. “Interrogating people is not a pleasant thing. It’s a battle of the wills. You use certain tools and they’re unsavory tools and fortunately or unfortunately, I just so happened to be good at it.”

Between his first and second deployment, Lee attended a language school in Monterey, Calif. where he became fluent in Korean. Unlike high school, he flourished in the classroom and college suddenly seemed like a real possibility for his future. While in Monterey, he met Ayumi Kanamaru, a native of Tokyo who attended school nearby. The two married and Ayumi made a home for them in Tennessee near Fort Campbell, the local base where Lee was stationed. Before Lee’s final deployment to Afghanistan, Ayumi became pregnant with twins.

“In Afghanistan, I started to see these things in the frame of becoming a dad, becoming responsible for these kids,” says Lee, who last collected intelligence in the Afghanistan’s Paktika Province.

Most of his work centered around keeping the Taliban from taking control of the local government. Playing with a detainee’s emotions weighed on his own. To try and get detainees to talk, Lee would use psychological pressure about a prisoner’s wife and children against them. As a new father, such tactics quickly became unbearable. “I guess I just started to see things differently. I know I couldn’t continue doing the things I’d done and look at myself in the mirror at the end of it.”

While overseas in June of 2008, Lee got word of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill’s passage. The bill meant not only a substantial increase in college tuition assistance, but a monthly stipend to live on. It made many schools in states where Lee didn’t reside suddenly affordable. A vision of his post-military life started to appear, where college now figured as the next, logical step. After his service, he hoped to avoid the series of dead-end jobs he worked after graduating from high school. Lee saw a college degree as the best way to avoid becoming a displaced and unemployed vet.

At the urging of his wife, Lee applied to half a dozen schools while still in Afghanistan. As civilian life beckoned, Lee wasn’t sure how to translate all he had learned in the military into a coherent career path. He decided to major in political science, believing that a well-rounded liberal arts degree would best prepare him to transition for life on the outside.

And when he received his acceptance letter from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, just months after his release from the Army, the decision to go was an easy one. He’d be able to attend free of cost.

“It was pretty much billed as get into school and we’ll take care of it,” recalls Lee.

When Lee, Ayumi, and the twins arrived in Madison they purchased a two-bedroom starter home on the outskirts of town. As Lee acclimated to the routine of being back in school, the family settled in for the long haul. For a while at least, their future felt certain.

AN IMPROVEMENT FOR SOME, A LETDOWN FOR OTHERS

“Education assistance for veterans helps reduce the costs of war, assists veterans in readjusting to civilian life after wartime service, and boosts the United States economy,” reads the original Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, which Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) sponsored in 2008.

Webb believed the updated education benefits might do for current veterans returning home from war what the original G.I. bill had done more than half a century ago when the Greatest Generation returned home after World War II. In an Op-Ed in The New York Times, Webb and then-Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) described the young men and women who have served in the military since 9/11 as the “new greatest generation.”

“If you truly believe that our Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are like those who fought in World War II, let us provide them with the same G.I. Bill that was given to the veterans of that war,” wrote Webb, a former Secretary of the Navy who served during the Vietnam War. “A G.I. Bill for those who have given so much to our country, often including repeated combat tours, should be viewed as an obligation.”

The Post-9/11 G.I. Bill sought to shore up an earlier iteration, the Montgomery G.I. Bill, which was signed into law in 1984 and replaced both the Post-Vietnam Veterans’ Assistance Program and its predecessor, the original WWII G.I. Bill. Named after its sponsor, former Rep. Gillespie V. Montgomery (D-Miss.), the 1984 bill increased college assistance for full-time students.

But as college costs continued to skyrocket, in most cases the Montgomery G.I. bill wasn’t enough. The $800 monthly subsidy barely covered community college, let alone the expense of a four-year degree. The Post-9/11 G.I. Bill described the prior educational assistance as “outmoded and designed for peacetime service.” The 9/11 bill gained bipartisan traction once Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) signed on. The Senate voted 92-6; the House voted 416-12.

Since its enactment nearly two years ago, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, $9.9 billion has gone towards tuition assistance. Between August of 2009 and February of this year, 547,945 veterans used it to pay for college. Of these, 335,334 attend a public institution, 121,655 attend a private for-profit institution, and 90,956 attend a private non-profit institution.

But the original bill wasn’t perfect. Last fall, Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) sponsored the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010. It sought to fix flaws in the existing legislation by making benefits more streamlined and less complex, and allowing members of the National Guard and the Reserves to qualify for assistance. Last December, it sailed through the Senate with unanimous approval, including the support of Webb. In the House, only three Representatives voted it down. And in January, President Obama signed it into law.

Webb’s office declined to comment about the changes that have been made to his original bill.

While Akaka’s legislation improved the benefits for many veterans, a $17,500 tuition cap that was part of the bill hurt about 100,000 veterans who attend private schools or out-of-state residents who attend public institutions. Akaka’s communications director, Jesse Broder Van Dyke, says Akaka supports Schumer and Miller’s efforts to provide relief to veterans attending high-cost private universities affected by the cap.

But others say such legislation doesn’t go nearly far enough.

“We’re still trying to get to the original intent this country put forth — that any veteran who has served this country should be able to go to any school they want,” says Michael Dakduk, who directs Student Veterans of America, a coalition of student veteran groups on college campuses. Created in 2008, S.V.A. is a nonprofit funded by public and private donations. It also lobbied on behalf of changes to the bill. “Some of those changes were a long time coming and we were pleased to see them pass. But many veterans are still left out and it still needs to be amended. Student veterans are experiencing a decline in benefits beyond just those attending private institutions. We must not forget that out-of-state student veterans throughout the nation are also affected by changes to the bill. ”

Despite some improvements — such as enhancing the reliability and ease of a payment scheme — the inequity has left Lee reeling.

But Lee, of course, isn’t the only anxious veteran.

At Columbia University in New York, Richard Baldassari, a 25-year-old Air Force veteran, monitors the progress of the bill each morning after he wakes up. Baldassari is the leader of the Veterans for Higher Education Committee, the national veteran action group he formed. Prior to enrolling at Columbia, he served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unless Schumer and Miller’s legislation grandfathers him in before the August deadline, Baldassari is on the hook for more than $30,000.

Baldassari is concerned with the limited degree of social mobility enjoyed by veterans now returning home. “Because of the cap, they will now have to choose public institutions or institutions that cost less money,” says Baldassari, who believes all schools in the Ivy League should remain among the list of available options. “If a veteran has the academic potential and drive, they should be able to attend the best school they can get into. That was the whole point of this thing.”

Back in Wisconsin, Lee and several of his classmates weighed the option of dropping out for a year in order to establish in-state residency. Lee also considered transferring to another school. But as a homeowner, and with only a year left of school, his options were limited.

In the end, Lee took advantage of the Yellow Ribbon Program that allows veterans to attend institutions whose fees are higher than the available cap — as long as a college is willing to split uncovered tuition and fees with the Veterans Administration. While the University of Wisconsin is willing to fund the 57 currently enrolled veterans who are out-of-state residents, it will not commit to funding future out-of-state veterans.

“In future years, we’ll have to tell out-of-state veterans that unless they want to take out student loans, they won’t be able to come here,” predicts John G. Bechtol, an assistant dean who is responsible for the more than 600 student veterans attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “It’s like putting up a stop sign for future veterans wanting to come to this world-class institution. They won’t be able to come here using solely their G.I. Bill.”

KEEPING PROMISES

When Lee first arrived in Madison, he had a hard time getting out of bed and making it to class on time. Ayumi would ask him what was wrong and what she could do to make him feel better. Challenged by anxiety and depression from his combat experience, he often didn’t know how to respond.

Even now, when he’s walking through campus or playing with his two-and-a-half year-old twins, he sometimes has to remind himself to smile.

And a college degree may still not solve all of Lee’s job problems. In addition to graduating into a weak job market, when potential employers want to know what he’s been doing for much of the last decade Lee usually tries to change the subject.

“There aren’t a lot of private sector opportunities as an interrogator. I know my skills are useful, but I’m still figuring out how to translate them,” he explains, unsure of what comes next. “I guess it’s a puzzle I still haven’t figured out yet.”

When Lee finally graduates next spring, what he wants most is a normal job — doing something where he feels like he’s of service, a job that feels like he finally fits in. His dream is to work in Washington, D.C., advocating on behalf of other veterans acclimating to life after service.

But until his senior year of classes begins this September, Lee is without work. He was even unable to find an unpaid internship for the summer, so he’s currently polishing his resume and doing volunteer work on behalf of other student veterans in Wisconsin.

“When I look at my kids, the last thing I want to see is a generation of veterans who are unable to finish school, a generation of veterans who are unemployed. It’s a really scary thought,” he says. “We as a country need to do something. I guess we could start with honoring our original promises.”

WOULD YOU JUST THROW AWAY $50?

If you don’t register today for Medinah Patriot Day, that’s exactly what you’re doing! Starting tomorrow, pricing for both our full day and dinner only packages increases by $50 — which is great for the families and children who will receive the scholarship funds — but bad news for you if you’ve been planning to sign up for our event and just haven’t gotten around to it.

I know the weather has been lousy and it’s sometimes hard to pull the trigger on taking a full day off during the summer, but we expect a great day, a wonderful turnout and work will still be there when you return! Besides, you will be helping to provide scholarships for the families of Illinois service men and women who have become disabled or given their lives in service to our country. What better excuse is there than that for a day spent at Medinah Country Club, site of the 2012 Ryder Cup? And if you can’t commit a full day, then purchase the evening package and attend the Cocktail Reception, Silent Auction and Dinner Gala!

There are two packages available (pricing shown valid until June 25):

Full Day Event Package with Golf on Course 1* – $550 per person or $2,000 for a foursome
Cocktails, Silent Auction and Dinner Package (no golf) – $250 per person/$2,000 for a Corporate Table of 10

The “Full Day Event Package” includes:  Driving range, lunch, all forecaddie fees, drinks on the course, use of clubhouse and locker rooms, open bar and appetizers during cocktail reception, silent auction with unusual items and special celebrity guests, sit down dinner with a high-end menu selection and entertainment.

*Limited opportunities available to play on Course 3, the Ryder Cup course. Please email mark@illinoispatriot.com for more info.

See schedule below for additional information and click here to go directly to the registration page. Thank you!

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Tentative schedule of events: THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2011

8:30 am – Registration, followed by “Bloody Mary’s on the Patio” at 10:00 AM courtesy of Moët Hennessy (Driving range and practice area open for use)

12 Noon – Opening Ceremonies:  Posting of colors by VFW Post 7539 Bloomingdale, playing of TAPS, and welcome by Illinois Patriot Education Fund and host Jarrett Payton

1:00 pm -  Shotgun Start, Course 1

6:00 pm – Cocktail Reception, Appetizers, Silent Auction

7:30 pm – Dinner, Presentation and Entertainment, featuring emcee Steve Cochran and headliner Tom Dreesen

CHICAGO – June 13, 2011 – Illinois Patriot Education Fund (IPEF) announced today that it has formalized its partnership with the Pat Tillman Foundation (PTF) to support active and veteran service members and military families by removing financial barriers to completing a degree or certification program of choice.

PTF was created in 2004 following the death of NFL player Pat Tillman, while serving in the U.S. Army’s 75^th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan, to honor his commitment to leadership and service. The organization is a national leader in providing resources and educational scholarship support to veterans, active service members and their families.

PTF’s mission is to invest in veterans and their families through education and community. This mission is supported through donations received by individuals and organizations nationwide, as well as through Pat’s Run, the Foundation’s signature annual fundraiser, and Team Tillman, a fund raising program designed for everyday athletes who identify with the values exhibited by Pat Tillman. Through these fundraising initiatives the Foundation raises the funds necessary to provide service members and their families with the proper educational resources.

The Tillman Military Scholars program provides scholarships to cover traditional education related expenses such as tuition and fees, as well as other needs, including housing and child care. Since the program’s inception in 2008, PTF has invested more than $2.7 million in financial support to active and veteran service members. The scholarship program also focuses on guiding an engaged community and providing essential resources that enable scholars to serve and lead in their local communities, making it a natural fit for IPEF’s mission and educational objectives.

Marcy Wojtulewicz, Deputy Director of the Pat Tillman Foundation shares, “The Pat Tillman Foundation commends the Illinois Patriot Education Fund for its ongoing commitment to support veterans and military families and we are honored to be selected as charity partner for Medinah Patriot Day. The partnership will generate additional funds and awareness that enables the Tillman Military Scholars program to not only honor Pat’s legacy, but to inspire others to create their own.”

IPEF’s mission is to raise scholarship funds on behalf of the spouses and children of Illinois military service men and women who have given their lives or become disabled in service to our country.

“We are proud to announce this partnership with the Pat Tillman Foundation,” said Mark Slaby, founder and interim executive director of Illinois Patriot Education Fund. “Thanks to number of supporters and the reach that the Pat Tillman Foundation has, we feel like this partnership will allow us to help a much larger number of military families in need of educational support.”

IPEF will share a portion of the proceeds from its hallmark fund raiser, Medinah Patriot Day, with its scholarship partners, including PTF. The second annual event, taking place July 7 at Medinah Country Club, site of the 2012 Ryder Cup, will be a golf, entertainment and networking experience highlighted by an evening gala featuring entertainment by legendary comic Tom Dreesen. A limited number of foursomes and corporate sponsorships are still available and PTF’s Tillman Military Scholars program will be the beneficiary of a percentage of donations received from the event.

If you would like to join the team of Tillman supporters nationawide, or for more information on the organizaion, please visit the website or direct email to info@pattillmanfoundation.org.

IPEF receives 100 percent of its funding through individual and corporate donations via its website and at its fundraising events, including  Medinah Patriot Day and Bets for Vets™, and is currently seeking corporations and individuals interested in making a difference in the lives of military families and children by becoming volunteers and corporate sponsors to join its roster of 2011 Financial Sponsors and Goodwill Partners. Please direct any inquiries to sponsors@illinoispatriot.com or volunteers@illinoispatriot.com.

# # #

About the Illinois Patriot Education Fund

The Illinois Patriot Education Fund is a 501(c)(3) based in Chicago, whose mission is to raise scholarship funds on behalf of the spouses and children of Illinois military service men and women who have given their lives or become disabled in service to our country. We also support the education of active duty members of our Armed Services over and above the benefits provided by the Post-911 GI Bill. For more information please visit www.illinoispatrioteducationfund.org or follow www.facebook.com/ILPatriotriotEdFund and www.twitter.com/ILPatriotEdFund for the latest updates.

An Army carry team carries the remains of Army Pfc. Michael C. Olivieri at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Wednesday. | Jose Luis Magana~AP

With a war that’s lasted longer than any other, the reality is that if you wait long enough, sooner or later the statistics will catch up with you. When asked why I got involved with Illinois Patriot Education Fund (IPEF), I always explain to people that it’s because I have had family who have served (five generations in the Navy on my husband’s side) and also because it’s the least I can do for all of those families who have sacrificed. But, when I hear that more than 250 Illinois soldiers have given their lives for our freedom, I can’t help but act. Now that number has grown by one.

Last Monday, Pfc. Michael Olivieri was killed while serving in Iraq, along with four other U.S. soldiers, when insurgents launched an attack on their base, according to officials. What makes Olivieri’s death particularly poignant is that he hails from my community, Homer Glen, in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago. Never mind that I normally tell people I’m from nearby Lemont or Orland Park because nobody’s ever heard of Homer Glen. The fact remains that this is where I call home and that’s the same for the Olivieri family, where they will now have to carry on proudly without their son, husband, brother, grandson and patriot.

Homer Glen is a small but close-knit community, where plans are already being made to honor Pfc. Olivieri in the form of a special memorial at the Homer Township Public Library, where his mother Jody works. They are creating a “Heroes” quiet reading room as part of a library expansion to honor the  26-year-old soldier and others in the military.

Olivieri was due home on Monday June 13, which would have been his one-year wedding anniversary with his wife Sharon, and was also due to attend his sister’s wedding on the 25th. All of this makes his death especially hard for his family and friends to take. From all accounts, however, they have been nothing but proud of his service to his country.

Olivieri was a 2002 graduate of nearby Lockport Township High School (where another of our volunteers is a teacher) and attended Southern Illinois University. He also started and played in a local band called The Moops. His friends called him, “The glue that held us together.”

Olivieri is also survived by his father, Mike, sisters Elizabeth and Ashley, brother Joe, and grandparents Joseph and Adelaide Olivieri and Dorothy Riegel.

I write this to not only report on the loss of an Illinois soldier, but to put into perspective why we here at Illinois Patriot Education Fund do what we do, put in the hours that we do and are working so hard toward Medinah Patriot Day. It’s so that when the inevitable happens and a soldier is lost from your community — you can do something to help the family that is left behind.

Won’t you please join us? Go to www.medinahpatriotday.com to learn more about our event and to register for the entire day or for just the dinner gala. Or if you cannot attend, consider making a one-time donation by texting “Patriot” to 48510. You may also donate by clicking here. Thank you for your support.

Illinois Patriot Education Fund (IPEF) is proud to partner with Make My Day Mondays to throw a “Party for Patriots” in order to spread awareness about our cause. IPEF provides scholarships for the families of Illinois service men and women who have been impacted by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, particularly those who have a family member disabled or killed in the line of duty.

This cocktail reception is free of charge and will include beer, wine and vodka cocktails from 5:30pm to 8:00pm courtesy of our generous host, The Joynt. A 100% tax deductible suggested donation of $30 can be made at the door, all of which goes to to the IPEF fund for Illinois military families.

Lots of surprise guests and VIPs will be on hand so RSVP early, as a limited number of people will be admitted.

We will also be signing up participants for our 2011 Medinah Patriot Day event to be held July 7 at Medinah Country Club, site of the 2012 Ryder Cup. Come play golf with Tom Dreesen, Steve Cochran, former AL Rookie of the Year for the White Sox Ron Kittle, Jarrett Payton, Steve Dahl and more, followed by a silent auction filled with unique high-end items and an evening of entertainment at a gala dinner with emcee Steve Cochran and headliner Tom Dreesen. Go to www.medinahpatriotday.com for more info.

We look forward to seeing you on June 20 at The Joynt! Please RSVP by no later than June 17. To download our printable invitation, please click on the following:   June 20 Event Flyer.

Fund Raising Tool Allows Participants to Earn a Spot in the Tournament, Win Prizes and Engage the Community While Raising More Money for Military Families and Children

CHICAGO, IL — June 1, 2011 — Medinah Patriot Day, taking place July 7 at Medinah Country Club, site of the 2012 Ryder Cup, announced that it has partnered with Razoo.com and Operation Homefront to launch a fund raising tool that is inherently viral and goes along with Illinois Patriot Education Fund‘s belief that the community should be an integral part of fund raising and spreading awareness.

The Golf-A-Thon allows participants to earn a spot into the Medinah Patriot Day event by soliciting pledges from donors in lieu of the $550 registration fee. Doing so gets the community involved in the grassroots effort and donors contribute as little as a few dollars for each hole played. At the same time, the golfer has a chance to earn prizes by raising the most money in the Golf-A-Thon, which works very much like a traditional walk-a-thon.

In addition, Razoo’s technology makes it very simple for participants — or teams — to easily invite friends, family and colleagues to visit their customized page and to share it on social networks, including Facebook and Twitter. It’s even possible for those unable to participate in the July 7 event to create a page and fund raise in the spirit of helping provide scholarship funds for Illinois military families and children.

Complete details about the Golf-A-Thon can be found here. You may download and print out our official flyer by clicking here:  Medinah Patriot Day Golf-a-Thon Flyer (FINAL). We hope you will join our fund raising efforts, involve your friends and community and have fun at the same time!

###

Not surprisingly, football is in Jarrett’s blood starting in St. Viator High School and continuing on to when he was recruited by major Universities nationwide including Penn State and Notre Dame.  He settled on the University of Miami (Florida), where he played in five major bowl games in five years capped off in 2004 when Payton was named MVP of the Orange Bowl.

Payton went on to play in the NFL for two years with the Tennessee Titans and the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe, winning the world bowl championship.  From 2007-2009, Payton played in the CFL for the Montreal Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts.  In 2010 Payton signed with his hometown team, the Chicago Slaughter of the Indoor Football League.

Payton’s zest, candor and smarts have transitioned him off the field and into a well sought after radio and TV personality, and motivational speaker.

Payton is the host of The Jarrett Payton Show, an internet sports radio show.  The show, airing weekdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., covers current sports’ stories, personalities and more.  To listen to “The Jarrett Payton Show” visit www.chicagolandsportsradio.com and click “Listen Live.” You can also follow the show’s facebook page by clicking here. Illinois Patriot Education Fund’s executive director Mark Slaby was featured on the show May 20 to talk about Medinah Patriot Day.

Helping promote Medinah Patriot Day is a natural fit for Payton, as he regularly dedicates his time to charitable causes, including The Walter & Connie Payton Foundation.  The organization, created in honor of Jarrett’s late father, Walter Payton, is dedicated to the emotional healing of neglected, abused and underprivileged children by providing tools and opportunities to build self-esteem and encourage a better family unit, giving hope for a brighter future.

Along with honoring his father’s legacy of making a difference in the community, Payton enjoys connecting with children, serving as a role model and stressing the importance of education and character.  Through his drive to make a difference, Jarrett and his wife have established The Jarrett Payton Foundation working with Chicago area schools to implement anti-bullying messages and programs to increase awareness and encourage safe environments for our youth.

Payton’s tie-in to helping children and families fits perfectly with the mission of Illinois Patriot Education Fund to help military families and children, particularly in the pursuit of their educational dreams. We are thrilled to once again have Jarrett and Trisha on board to host and help us promote our cause and we hope that you’ll visit his website at www.jarrettpayton.com to learn more about his activities. You may also follow his facebook page by clicking here and follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

Organizations partner to provide assistance to military families in need

CHICAGO – May 26, 2011 – Illinois Patriot Education Fund (IPEF) announced today that it has formalized its partnership with Operation Homefront Illinois (OH-IL) to provide emergency assistance to service members and wounded warriors, assist in fund raising efforts and provide cross-promotional opportunities.

OH-IL works to provide emergency financial and other assistance to the families of active service members and those wounded in battle. By partnering with IPEF, OH-IL is able to fulfill its mission, which is, “Where there is a need we do not provide, we will partner with others for the benefit of our military families.” OH-IL is able to achieve its mission and vision through widespread public support, hardworking staff and generous volunteers.

In 2010, OH-IL was able to assist 167,348 military families, including active duty, National Guard and Reserve members from all branches of the military. To date, it has provided more than $92 million in funding to programs that benefit military families.

“We welcome this wonderful opportunity to partner with the Illinois Patriot Education Fund in furtherance of our respective missions in service to Illinois military families,” said Dan Proft, chapter president of Operation Homefront-Illinois.  “We thank Illinois Patriot Education Fund for their leadership in bringing together military service providers who operate in Illinois so that the benefits for Illinois military families from our collaboration may be greater than the sum of our individual efforts operating independently.”

In a demonstration of its commitment to education, the organization, in conjunction with the Women’s Self Worth Foundation, recently announced the 2011 Saban Military Wife Educational Scholarship. The scholarship is offered to wives of uniformed service members to attend vocational training programs in the medical field. The Scholarships will be awarded to recipients on July 1, 2011.

OH-IL also provides a wide variety of emergency assistance to families and individuals. Funding can be provided to cover food costs, emergency home repairs, financial assitance and in a number of other areas. The majority of clients are the lowest paid service members, the E-1 throught E-6 enlisted ranks. OH-IL is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. For more information about OH-IL, please contact staff at 312-575-9500, toll free at 800-825-9189 or visit the website.

IPEF’s mission is to raise scholarship funds on behalf of the spouses and children of Illinois military service men and women who have given their lives or become disabled in service to our country.

“We are honored to be partnering with an organization like Operation Homefront Illinois,” said Mark Slaby, founder and interim executive director of Illinois Patriot Education Fund. “With its ability to meet the everyday and emergency needs of military families, OH-IL is the perfect complement to help IPEF identify candidates in need of educational assistance.”

IPEF will share a portion of the proceeds from its hallmark fund raiser, Medinah Patriot Day, with its scholarship partners, including OH-IL. The second annual event, taking place July 7 at Medinah Country Club, site of the 2012 Ryder Cup, will be a golf, entertainment and networking experience highlighted by an evening gala featuring entertainment by legendary comic Tom Dreesen. A limited number of foursomes and corporate sponsorships are still available and OH-IL’s emergency assistance program will be the beneficiary of a percentage of donations received from the event.

IPEF receives 100 percent of its funding through individual and corporate donations via its website and at its fundraising events, including  Medinah Patriot Day and Bets for Vets™, and is currently seeking corporations and individuals interested in making a difference in the lives of military families and children by becoming volunteers and corporate sponsors to join its roster of 2011 Financial Sponsors and Goodwill Partners. Please direct any inquiries to sponsors@illinoispatriot.com or volunteers@illinoispatriot.com.

# # #

Event will pledge percentage of donations to Heart of Missouri United Way through May 30

CHICAGO – May 25, 2011 – Illinois Patriot Education Fund (IPEF) announced today that it will donate a portion of all donations received through Memorial Day (Monday May 30) to assist the victims of the recent tornado with desperately needed funds during emergency relief efforts.

“Like millions of Americans our hearts go out to the thousands of Joplin residents affected by the recent tornado, especially those who lost loved ones in this tragedy,” said Mark Slaby, founder and interim executive director of Illinois Patriot Education Fund. “During Memorial Day weekend we certainly want people to remember our military families and the tremendous sacrifices they have made in service to our country. And while our minds are also with Joplin residents during their time of need we’re hoping we can combine the two causes and double the efforts for those who want to help.”

Starting May 25 and continuing through midnight on Monday, May 30, IPEF has pledged to match five percent of all donations made to Illinois Patriot Education Fund or its hallmark fund raiser, Medinah Patriot Day, to Heart of Missouri United Way, which has established a fund specifically for the victims of the Joplin tornado.

The second annual Medinah Patriot Day event, taking place July 7 at Medinah Country Club, site of the 2012 Ryder Cup, will be a golf, entertainment and networking experience highlighted by an evening dinner gala featuring entertainment by legendary comic Tom Dreesen. A limited number of foursomes and corporate sponsorships are still available as well as individual dinner seats and corporate dinner tables of 10. To register for the event or for more information visit www.medinahpatriotday.com. All donations made through May 30 in conjunction with the event will qualify for the five percent donation to the Joplin tornado relief effort.

For those not available to attend Medinah Patriot Day, IPEF has launched a texting donation tool which also allows for cash donations. Donors can simply text “Patriot” to 48510 or go to www.obopay.com/patriot to donate by credit card.

IPEF receives 100 percent of its funding through individual and corporate donations via its website and at its fundraising events, including  Medinah Patriot Day and Bets for Vets™, and is currently seeking corporations and individuals interested in making a difference in the lives of military families and children by becoming volunteers and corporate sponsors to join its roster of 2011 Financial Sponsors and Goodwill Partners. Please direct any inquiries to sponsors@illinoispatriot.com or volunteers@illinoispatriot.com.

# # #

CHICAGO – May 24, 2011 – Illinois Patriot Education Fund (IPEF) announced today that it has formalized its partnership with Student Veterans of America (SVA) to assist in identifying and qualifying scholarship recipients, to participate in fund raising events and to provide cross-promotional opportunities.

Founded in 2008, SVA’s mission is to provide military veterans with the resources, support, and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education and following graduation. SVA is the only national network of student veterans on college and university campuses. It has member chapters on more than 350 college campuses nationwide. These groups coordinate campus activities, provide pre-professional networking and generally provide a touchstone for student veterans in higher education.

“With more than 350 chapters on college campuses nationwide, Student Veterans of America is the largest organization in the country dedicated to helping military veterans transition from combat to college to career,” said Michael Dakduk, Executive Director of SVA. “We believe that, while we have separated from the military, we have not separated from each other. It’s remarkable to be a part of a unique grassroots movement initiated by and for student veterans.”

SVA advocates for student veterans to receive the benefits they have earned and to have the necessary resources to successfully transition back to civilian life.  By working with government agencies, other veteran service organizations, institutions of higher learning and members of the U.S. Congress, SVA is able to make positive changes at the national, state and campus levels.

IPEF’s mission is to raise scholarship funds on behalf of the spouses and children of Illinois military service men and women who have given their lives or become disabled in service to our country.

“We are so happy to have Student Veterans of America as our partner,” said Mark Slaby, founder and interim executive director of Illinois Patriot Education Fund. “With its wide reaching network and focus on student veterans, SVA is perfectly positioned to help us identify candidates in need of educational scholarships.”

IPEF will share a portion of the proceeds from its hallmark fund raiser, Medinah Patriot Day, with its scholarship partners, including SVA. The second annual event, taking place July 7 at Medinah Country Club, site of the 2012 Ryder Cup, will be a golf, entertainment and networking experience highlighted by an evening gala featuring entertainment by legendary comic Tom Dreesen. A limited number of foursomes and corporate sponsorships are still available and SVA’s National Scholarship Program will be the beneficiary of a percentage of donations received from the event.

SVA scholarships fill the gaps left by the Post-9/11 GI Bill and provide direct support to student veterans that have demonstrated academic excellence, a commitment to their community and a financial need. SVA is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. For more information about SVA, please contact 866-320-3826 or email contact@studentveterans.org.

IPEF receives 100 percent of its funding through individual and corporate donations via its website and at its fundraising events, including  Medinah Patriot Day and Bets for Vets™, and is currently seeking corporations and individuals interested in making a difference in the lives of Illinois military children and families by becoming volunteers and corporate sponsors to join its roster of 2011 Financial Sponsors and Goodwill Partners. Please direct any inquiries to sponsors@illinoispatriot.com or volunteers@illinoispatriot.com.

(from CNN.com)

Savannah Dejong, with son Rhone, 3, greets her husband, Daniel, in Hawaii after his seven-month deployment to Afghanistan.

(CNN) — For every man or woman serving our country in the U.S. military, there is a family left behind. The massive military deployment in the past 10 years has left the families of our armed forces stretched emotionally and financially.

Here at Impact your World, we are all about helping you help others. This Memorial Day, we want to remember not only the men and women who have died serving America, but also their families. The people left without a mother, father, wife, husband, son or daughter for weeks, for months … or forever. They are the quiet casualties of war.

There are many organizations devoted to meeting the needs of military families. We talked with some of them to find some very simple ways you could help someone right now, today.

Here are some ideas:

Honor the fallen

This is what Memorial Day is all about. It was created to honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for their country. If you can’t make it to your local cemetery to pay tribute to the men and women who have died for us, you can do it online.

Military Families United has created The National Gold Star Family Registry. It is considered an online monument that gives families and friends a chance to leave written tributes to honor the life of a person who died defending freedom. Families find it healing to read and remember the lives of their loved ones.

Even if you don’t know someone who died in defense of the nation, you can still visit the website and honor those who have.

Make it personal

For the families of those still serving, keeping it all together stateside can be tough. Operation Homefront is an organization focused on the specific needs of military families, from helping to pay a bill or find a place to stay to getting diapers. The organization has helped fulfill more than 400,000 requests for help since it started in 2002.

What we really like about Operation Homefront was the need/request “ticker” at the top of its website. Click on the request in the ticker, and it tells you exactly where the need is and how to help. Operation Homefront checks every request out to make sure it’s legitimate. It’s truly an opportunity to make a difference and know exactly how your gift or contribution will be used.

First lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, launched a program in April called Joining Forces, which is also dedicated to helping military families. You can find ways to help military families by searching your ZIP code on the website.

Send a stuffed toy

When Mom or Dad wears combat boots, sometimes what a child may need is a hug or at least something to hold. California-based Operation Gratitude has a program called Battalion Buddies that provides special stuffed toys to the sons and daughters of U.S. military personnel as their units get ready to deploy.

You can send a stuffed animal from the size of a Beanie Baby up to 18 inches tall to:

Operation Gratitude
17330 Victory Boulevard
Van Nuys, CA 91406
Attn: Battalion Buddies Program

You can also include letters to the families and children, and Operation Gratitude will deliver those along with the stuffed animals.

Operation Gratitude has shipped more than 600,000 care packages to servicemen and women overseas, and they always have included a small stuffed animal. The organization learned the troops give them away to children in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Some of the love is staying home. Operation Gratitude sends the specially outfitted toys in a care package and lets the kids know a similar package was also sent to their mommy or daddy.

Help send a kid to camp

Military Families United provides support for families of active duty servicemen and women; this includes children of the deployed through a program called Camp Desert Kids.

The mission is to help military children better understand the deployments that shape their lives. The camp uses games, crafts, regional food and drink to teach kids about the place their parents are serving. Kids even get the chance to dress up like Mom or Dad in full camouflage gear.

To support Camp Desert Kids, visit the website to make a donation to Military Families United or volunteer to help at an upcoming camp.

Get busy

Offer to help the family of a deployed service member in your community. While service members are away, their spouses carry double the responsibility. Offering to mow the lawn, make dinner or baby-sit the kids for an afternoon will mean the world to a spouse left behind.

Say thank you

It can be hard to approach a family after the loss of a loved one in war. According to Military Families United, try saying “Thank you for your sacrifice” instead of “I’m sorry for your loss.” To thank them makes it personal and a bit easier to respond to.

It’s also helpful if you can personalize it even more, if you know the name of their fallen soldier, by saying “Thank you for your sacrifice, I’d like to know more about your son Mike.” That leaves the door open for them to talk more.

This Memorial Day weekend, take some time to remember those who have died serving this country or are serving in a combat zone, but also recognize the people behind the troops with a simple act of kindness.

Dan Proft, the Chapter President of Operation Homefront-Illinois (operationhomefront.net/illinois), a non-profit that provides emergency assistance to Illinois military families, and host of “Wolf and Proft,” which airs weekends on WLS, interviewed Cpl John Peck yesterday.

Dan caught up with Cpl Peck to talk about what he’s been doing since his return home to Antioch from Walter Reed Army Medical Center (you can read more about Cpl Peck’s story on our blog). He was also promoting his upcoming blood drive taking place in Antioch on Monday, May 9.

You may listen to the entire interview by clicking here:  Dan Proft – Corp John Peck Int.

U.S. Marine Cpl. John Peck

Cpl. John Peck, the Marine we previously wrote about who stepped on an improvised explosive device in May 2010 while serving in Afghanistan and lost both of his arms and legs, is finally back in his hometown of Antioch.

Residents and others are encouraged to welcome home and show their appreciation for Cpl. Peck during a procession in his honor taking place at 10:45 a.m. Monday May 9, in downtown Antioch.

The Illinois Patriot Education Fund is grateful for this type of positive press that helps spread the word about our cause and encourages people to participate in our hallmark fund raising event. We look forward to working with Golfers on Golf in the weeks to come as we get closer to Medinah Patriot Day. To read the article please click on the following link:

http://spears.golfersongolf.com/2011/04/22/medinah-patriot-day-to-benefit-illinois-veteransfamilies.aspx

Chicago’s Own Tom Dreesen to Headline Gala Dinner to be Emceed by Chicago Radio Legend Steve Cochran

Illinois Patriot Education Fund announced today that its hallmark fund raising event of 2011, the Second Annual Medinah Patriot Day, will take place July 7 at Medinah Country Club, site of the 2012 Ryder Cup. The benefit will raise funds for educational scholarships for Illinois military service men and women and their families.

“We are honored to have such a historic venue like Medinah as the setting for our primary fund raiser of 2011,” said founder and interim executive director Mark Slaby of the Illinois Patriot Education Fund. “This really is all about meeting the educational needs of our Illinois veterans’ families considering the enormous sacrifice they have made for our country, and the fact that we are being hosted by the home of the 2012 Ryder Cup makes it all the more exciting and significant for our cause.”

In its second year, the Medinah Patriot Day turns its focus to the State of Illinois, benefiting the newly-launched Illinois Patriot Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) chartered in Illinois and based in Chicago. The organization’s mission is to raise scholarship funds on behalf of the spouses and children of Illinois military service men and women who have given their lives or become disabled in service to our country. IPEF is an Illinois-specific philanthropic effort. All donations will be distributed to assist families with local ties, ensuring that Illinois citizens may support their neighbors who have sacrificed so much.

The tentative schedule for the 2011 Medinah Patriot Day is as follows:

8:30 am –   Registration

12:00 pm –  Opening Ceremonies: Posting of Colors, Playing of TAPS, and Presentation by IPEF

1:00 pm –  Course #1 Shotgun Start

6:00 pm – Cocktail Reception and Silent Auction

7:30 pm –  Dinner, Presentation and Entertainment

Medinah Patriot Day will include a full schedule of activities, including an 18-hole golf tournament, silent auction, gourmet dinner, entertainment, and more. A very limited number of spots are being offered for play on Course #3, the Ryder Cup course, on a first-come, first-served basis. Celebrity comedian, charismatic golf enthusiast and tireless supporter of our troops, Tom Dreesen, will provide entertainment for the evening’s festivities, which will be emceed for the second year by legendary Chicago TV and radio personality Steve Cochran.

The event is actively seeking corporate sponsors and volunteers. More information, including costs for foursomes and individual golf spots, corporate dinner tables as well as sponsorship and volunteer committee information can be found at MedinahPatriotDay.com, or by emailing Mark Slaby at mark@illinoispatriot.com. To receive the latest updates, follow the event on Twitter @medinahgolfday and on the event’s official Facebook page.

Legendary Chicago TV and radio personality Steve Cochran will once again serve as the emcee for the gala at the Medinah Patriot Day event on behalf of Illinois Patriot Education Fund.

(via Chicago Sun-Times, April 12, 2011)

U.S. Marine Cpl. John Peck

LifeSource and the Antioch VFW are hosting a replenishment blood drive for Marine Cpl. John M. Peck from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 9 at Antioch VFW, 75 North Ave., Antioch.

Peck, 25, of Antioch, enlisted in the Marines in September 2005. While deployed to Iraq in 2007, Peck received his first Purple Heart when his vehicle ran over an improvised explosive device and he suffered a tear in the right front lobe of his brain.

In April 2009, Peck re-enlisted for another four years of service.

A year later, Peck received his second Purple Heart when he was deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan. On May 24, 2010, he stepped on an IED, immediately losing both of his legs and his right arm. During one of his surgeries, the doctors had no choice but to take his left arm. Peck contracted a bacterial mold.

Peck has undergone 27 surgeries to fight the aspergillus bacteria and treat his injuries. During the course of his treatment, Peck received 81 transfusions of blood products.

To register for the Corporal John M. Peck Replenishment Blood Drive or for more information, call LifeSource at (877) 548-3768 or visit www.lifesource.org.

Link to original news story:  http://newssun.suntimes.com/news/4713989-417/replenishment-blood-drive-for-antioch-hero.html

DONOR CRITERIA

Blood donors must be at least 17 years old (16 with written parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds, and be in generally good health. Most medications are accepted. Proper ID is required to donate blood. A LifeSource or military ID, driver’s license or employee badge with picture and full name are all approved forms of ID. A birth certificate along with a picture ID that includes the donor’s full name will also be accepted.

After years of planning, due diligence and thoughtful counsel and strategy from dozens of prominent advisors, the Illinois Patriot Education Fund (IPEF), a 501(c)(3) chartered in Illinois and based in Chicago, is formally launching. The organization’s mission is to raise scholarship funds on behalf of the spouses and children of Illinois military service men and women who have given their lives or become disabled in service to our country.

“The Illinois Patriot Education Fund provides an opportunity to ensure a legacy of education to our Illinois military families. This is a chance for Illinois citizens to serve their country by serving those who have served,” said Mark Slaby, founder and interim executive director of IPEF. “Each of us needs to continue to say ‘Thank You’ and dig in by giving a little more – whether in the form of time or money – and take personal responsibility to ensure we have done our best for our Illinois military families,” he said.  “It is the very least we can do considering the enormous sacrifice many have made for our country.”

As of today, 230 Illinois soldiers have fallen during the U.S. engagements in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and more than 10,000 Illinois families have been impacted by long-term deployments, disabilities and fatalities. Troops that return home have struggled to find employment, creating a need for post-secondary degrees and additional civilian training and experience in order to support themselves or their families.

The Illinois Patriot Education Fund is an Illinois-specific philanthropic effort. All donations will be distributed to assist families with local ties to the State of Illinois, ensuring that Illinois citizens have a chance to support their neighbors who have sacrificed so much. Additionally, 100 percent of all donations generated from IPEF events are designated to support the educational needs of spouses and children of those who have served and whose needs are not fully met by the Post-911 GI Bill.  Surprising, only 15 percent of the families of wounded soldiers qualify for Veterans Education funds, and the average annual income of an Illinois veteran is about $28,000, demonstrating the urgent need for assistance, particularly during these tough economic times.

IPEF seeks to supplement and complement state and federal programs already in place. Further examples of instances in which IPEF will provide assistance not covered by the Post-911 GI Bill include:

• Assistance for room, board, books, out of state tuition, advanced degrees and more (the Post-9/11 GI Bill does not help with advanced degrees)
• Smaller private institutions or out-of-state tuition (the Post-911 GI Bill does not assist families in either of these cases)
• Additional educational costs, including incidental fees, all known grants, and any difference between school fees and state and federal government provisions
• The Post-911 GI Bill doesn’t necessarily transfer educational benefits to children and spouses without strict guidelines requiring specific terms of active service; IPEF does

Further information about fund distribution and applying for assistance is available on the newly launched IPEF website, www.illinoispatrioteducationfund.org.

IPEF receives 100 percent of its funding through individual and corporate donations via its website and at its fundraising events, including  Medinah Patriot Day and Bets for Vets™, and is currently seeking corporations and individuals interested in making a difference by becoming volunteers and corporate sponsors to join its roster of 2011 Financial Sponsors and Goodwill Partners. Please direct any inquiries to sponsors@illinoispatriot.com or volunteers@illinoispatriot.com.

Our main “face” to the consumer is our newly-launched website at www.illinoispatrioteducationfund.org, for which we seek an individual who can provide consistent support and maintenance on an ongoing and as-needed basis, up to 15 hours per month on average (or less). This is an unpaid position providing an opportunity for a student to gain experience while providing a meaningful service to his or her fellow veterans, networking with business and community leaders, and serving your country with your skill sets. This position allows you to work remotely and on your own schedule, provided you can meet reasonable deadlines.

Specific additional requirements are as follows:

• Experience with WordPress and the ability to upload images, files and content with ease
• Intermediate to advanced skills with HTML code and/or Facebook FBML code for Facebook pages
• Basic graphic design skills with photo editing ability highly desirable but not required
• Must be reachable and/or able to respond via email, text or cell phone during normal business hours
• Candidates need not be located in Illinois but this is preferred

For more information on IPEF, its mission and vision, please visit our mission and vision page, or submit your qualifications/resume to Lisa Gunggoll directly at lisa@illinoispatriot.com.

Serve our military families while being served!

Illinois Patriot Education Fund is excited to announce its partnership with Celebrated Chefs Chicago, which is a wonderful, free and very easy way for anyone who enjoys dining out to help a wonderful cause at the same time.

Celebrated Chefs is an exciting new program that helps our organization raise funds all year long.  Here’s how it works:  Simply dine at any of the fabulous Celebrated Chefs restaurants and 5% of your bill will be donated to our cause!  Enrollment is free and it includes a beautiful, hardcover complimentary Celebrated Chefs cookbook featuring recipes and essays from Chicago’s best chefs.

Sign up today at www.celebratedchefs.com and make sure you choose Illinois Patriot Education Fund as your chosen cause under the Military Support category to ensure that your funds go to help Illinois military families. And enjoy!

By John Lauerman – Feb 23, 2011 (via Bloomberg)

For-profit colleges, whose recruitment practices have been probed by Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs, got a boost from changes to a veterans’ benefits bill approved in December.

The law will let veterans receive $673 a month for housing while taking college courses online, about half the average allowance for students attending classes on campuses. Passed by Congress Dec. 16 and signed by President Barack Obama last month, it also adds money for veterans in training and non- degree programs that are offered by many for-profit colleges.

The new benefit may entice more veterans to take online courses at for-profit colleges, even as the schools draw scrutiny from the U.S. government, said Derek Blumke, co-founder of the Student Veterans of America, a Washington-based advocacy and support group. The Department of Veterans Affairs began collecting data on the industry’s “questionable” recruiting in October and cut some companies from its benefits programs, according to a Feb. 10 letter VA Secretary Eric Shinseki sent to Democratic Senator Richard Durbin, who has held hearings on for- profit colleges in his home state of Illinois.

“Students are finding themselves in schools that are worthless, with teachers that are without credentials and programs that don’t lead to jobs,” Durbin said in a telephone interview about veterans’ education benefits. “This is a national scandal.”

Twenty for-profit colleges received $521 million from veterans’ and military educational programs last year, according to a Dec. 9 report by Senator Tom Harkin, an Iowa Democrat and chairman of the Senate education committee.

Kline’s Measure

The housing stipend for online students, included in the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2010, was sought by supporters of for-profit colleges, who say it increases access to education for rural and disabled students. The benefit broadens educational choices that veterans had been seeking since the original Post-9/11 GI Bill took effect in 2009, said Harris Miller, president of the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities, a Washington-based for-profit-college trade group. Most of the changes in the law take effect in August.

“We’re saying they should have the choice, and we’re glad that Congress agrees,” said Miller, whose group lobbied for the bill, in a telephone interview. “I wouldn’t want to tell someone who was willing to fight and die for our country in Iraq or Afghanistan how they should get their education.”

Some advocacy groups say taking online courses at home isolates veterans who need to socialize after returning from a tour of duty.

Social Support

“For the vet, it’s not about sitting at a computer and trying to graduate,” said John Schupp, founder and national director of Supportive Education for Returning Veterans, which helps establish veterans-only courses on college campuses. “In the military, you rely on people to support you through situations. You’re not going to get that online; I don’t care if you have an online chat room.”

The housing stipend represents a shift for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, an expansion in veterans’ educational benefits that Obama co-sponsored as a senator. Housing stipends for online students were left out of the original bill, probably to encourage students to attend classes in person and contain costs, said Blumke, 30, of the student veterans’ group.

‘Less Than Ethical’

For-profit colleges embed advertising in benefits information websites that appear otherwise official and impartial, Blumke, a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in Afghanistan, said in a telephone interview. Students who click on links offering more information are invariably steered to for-profit colleges rather than non-profit ones, he said.

“The recruiting techniques of some of these schools have been less than ethical,” Blumke said. “When you’re paying the high costs for some of these schools and drop out, as many attending the online for-profit colleges do, you’re worse off than when you started.”

Eight of the top 10 colleges providing education for VA- funded students in 2009 were for-profit institutions, led by Apollo Group Inc.’s University of Phoenix, the largest for- profit college, according to the agency. The average drop-out rate at 16 for-profit colleges in 2008-2009 was 57 percent, Harkin said in a report published Sept. 30 that didn’t give the names of the institutions.

Blocking Move

The U.S. House of Representatives voted Feb. 18 to block proposed Education Department regulations of for-profit colleges that would tie their eligibility for federal government student aid to graduates’ incomes and loan repayment rates. Representative John Kline, a Minnesota Republican and the measure’s chief sponsor, said the regulations would deny low- income students access to job training. The measure, part of a spending bill, must be approved by the Senate to take effect.

For-profit colleges have tried to recruit veterans because their benefits don’t count against a government cap on education companies’ annual revenue from federal grants and loans. The rule limits such revenue to 90 percent. Apollo Group has said it may violate the cap this year.

The benefits law approved in December received support from the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the National Guard Association, and other military and nonmilitary groups, said Tim Embree, legislative associate for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America which backed the bill. It passed unanimously in the Senate and with only three opposing votes in the House of Representatives.

‘Flexible’ Approach

“Students choose institutions with online modalities, such as University of Phoenix, because they seek a flexible and balanced approach to higher education,” said Manny Rivera, a spokesman for Apollo Group, in an e-mail. “At University of Phoenix we provide veteran and military students with dedicated and comprehensive support services through our Military Division — a team of just under 1,000 individuals, many of whom are veterans themselves — to help military students attain their academic goals every step of the way.”

The Congressional Budget Office, which analyzed the bill, didn’t estimate the cost of the new housing stipend for online study. Overall housing expenses in the bill were expected to decline $1 billion over the next 10 years because of cuts in allowances for students attending physical campuses, the CBO said.

Job Training

The law also expands benefits for veterans taking job- training courses, a specialty of for-profit colleges, and is expected to cost the Veterans Administration about $475 million in tuition, books, and housing stipends, the CBO said.

“Some of this money will surely make its way to the for- profit colleges,” said Bradley Safalow, an analyst with PAA Research in New York. For-profit colleges got about $32 billion in government student grants and guaranteed loans last year, according to the U.S. Education Department.

The Bloomberg U.S. For-Profit Education Index of 13 companies has fallen 22 percent in the past 12 months through yesterday.

About 71 percent of education benefits for active-duty military personnel went to online programs in fiscal 2009, according to the Defense Department. While soldiers may need the flexibility of Internet courses during deployment, the advantages shrink when veterans return home, said Donald Overton, executive director of Veterans of Modern Warfare, a Washington-based advocacy group.

‘Roped Into Programs’

“Our concern is that veterans may be getting roped into programs that won’t meet their needs,” said Overton, who testified before Congress in September about the law, in a telephone interview. “We believe that distance learning can help promote access to education, but we know a typical bricks- and-mortar education is going to be looked on better by employers than an online degree.”

Harkin has been investigating misleading student recruitment practices, use of government funds and the effectiveness of job placement at for-profit colleges. Since he began his probe, state prosecutors in Florida, Iowa and Kentucky have opened investigations of the companies.

The VA is compiling a list of companies that have lost eligibility for funds, said Katie Roberts, a spokeswoman, in an e-mail. Durbin said he has asked for a copy of the list.

To contact the reporter on this story: John Lauerman in Boston at jlauerman@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jonathan Kaufman at jkaufman17@bloomberg.net.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill became law on June 30, 2008, and was originally proposed by Senator Jim Webb from Virginia in another form in January of 2007. His intent was to help current veterans as much as the original GI Bill helped what many have called “The Greatest Generation” in America following World War II.

Essentially, the Post-9/11 GI Bill is was an expansion of that earlier version, with the main provisions of the act being 100% funding of a public four-year undergraduate education to any veteran who has served three years of active duty since September 11, 2001. In addition, the veteran has the option of transferring the benefits to a spouse or children after serving (or agreeing to serve) for a period of 10 years.

The original Post-9/11 GI Bill’s provisions went into effect on August 1, 2009. Pending changes will go into effect in August and October of 2011.

Following are additional details and provisions of the Bill as outlined in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ official website:

The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

As of August 1, 2009, the Post-9/11 GI Bill is effective for training. Approved training under the Post-9/11 GI Bill includes graduate and undergraduate degrees, and vocational/technical training. All training programs must be offered by an institution of higher learning (IHL) and approved for GI Bill benefits. Additionally, tutorial assistance, and licensing and certification test reimbursement are approved under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill will pay your tuition based upon the highest in-state tuition charged by a public educational institution in the state where the school is located. The amount of support that an individual may qualify for depends on where they live and what type of degree they are pursuing.

This Post 9-11 GI Bill will pay eligible individuals:

• Tuition & fees directly to the school not to exceed the maximum in-state tuition & fees at a public Institution of Higher Learning.
• For more expensive tuition, a program exists which may help to reimburse the difference. This program is called the “Yellow Ribbon Program”. A monthly housing allowance based on the Basic Allowance for Housing for an E-5 with dependents at the location of the school.
• A monthly housing allowance based on the Basic Allowance for Housing for an E-5 with dependents at the location of the school.
• For those attending foreign schools (schools without a main campus in the U.S.) the BAH rate is fixed at $1,347.00 for 2011 and $1,348.00 for 2010.
• An annual books & supplies stipend of $1,000 paid proportionately based on enrollment.
• A one-time rural benefit payment for eligible individuals.

This benefit is payable only for training at an Institution of Higher Learning (IHL). If you are enrolled exclusively in online training you will not receive the housing allowance. If you are on active duty you will not receive the housing allowance or books & supplies stipend. This benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits, generally benefits are payable for 15 years following your release from active duty.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill also offers some service members the opportunity to transfer their GI Bill to dependents.