Military Connection: ThanksUSA Offering Scholarships to the Children and Spouses of U.S. Troops

By Debbie Gregory.

ThanksUSA is on a mission to provide college, technical and vocational school need-based scholarships for the children and spouses of US military personnel.The national nonprofit organization gives the gift of education to America’s troops.

“Ten years after ThanksUSA was launched, we remain committed to helping military families flourish and advance their dreams through education,” ThanksUSA CEO and Chairman Bob Okun said in a press release.

Founded in 2005 by sisters Rachel and Kelsi Okun, ThanksUSA provides need-based scholarships to the children and spouses of service members across all the armed forces, including the reserves. They also give special consideration to families of the fallen and wounded. Over the past decade, the organization has raised more than $10 million, resulting in the giving nearly 3,400 scholarships.

When eight year Rachel and six year old Kelsi saw their neighbor, Colonel Lanier Ward, come back from Baghdad severely injured by an IED explosion, they were touched by the struggles Col. Ward and his family faced during his recovery. They saw an opportunity to thank the children and spouses of our U.S. military by providing them with educational scholarships.

ThanksUSA’s awards are made possible by donations and several campaigns and events throughout the year including; ThanksUSA Treasure Hunt, Jackson Casey Scholarship Fund, Tennis Thanks the Troops, and AthleticDNA.

Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry, a supporter of ThanksUSA’s mission to provide scholarships to our nation’s heroes, became ThanksUSA’s National Spokesperson in 2010.

ThanksUSA is a nonpartisan, charitable effort to mobilize Americans of all ages and gender, as a thank you for their service to the nation. The organization provides college, technical, and vocational school scholarships to the children and spouses of military personnel.

Those looking to apply to the scholarship can apply via the organization’s website, by May 15, 2015.

MilitaryConnection.com is a proud media sponsor for ThanksUSA.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard,Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.

Military Connection: ThanksUSA Offering Scholarships to the Children and Spouses of U.S. Troops: By Debbie Gregory