COLUMBUS, Ohio — November is National Veterans and Military Families Month where many people across the country will thank the men and women who serve our country each day.
Ohio lawmakers at the Statehouse are trying to make college more affordable for anyone serving in the U.S. Military reserve. A proposal is working its way through the committee process that provides scholarship money to anyone who is a reserve service member.
What You Need To Know
- The bill provides extra funds to service members through a two-year scholarship, According to State Rep. Adam Miller, D-Columbus
- House Bill 242 aims to get an extra cushion of support for service members in Ohio
- The proposal just passed a House committee and is now on its way to Rules and Reference Committee
“It provides a modest incentive for our service members through a two-year scholarship to stay in uniform while they are in Ohio, and serving in one of our reserve units,” said State Rep. Adam Miller, D-Columbus.
Miller, the sponsor of the proposal, is a member of the U.S. Army Reserve himself. He said the state has several higher education programs supporting the national guard. But it does not have anything in place for the Army, Air Force or Marine Corps Reserve Members. He said this bill will bring the same level of support.
“We’re doing a very modest one-year renewable to a second year opportunity for a reserve service member to allow them to stay in uniform,” Miller said. “Get their military occupational specialty, and their MOS qualification done, and then get their degree.”
The proposal has received support from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who voted in favor of the bill in the main committee hearing. Now, the bill is on its way to House Rules and Reference Committee. A veteran, State Representative Adam Holmes believes this initiative will bring in more people to serve the country.
“That extra funding not only makes them better soldiers or service members,” said Holmes, R-Nashport. “It makes them better citizens as well and increases opportunities for them and incentivizes others to join service as well.”