VFW's Scholarship Helps Army Veteran Find New Direction

Oct 23, 2015

U.S. Army veteran Chad Gibbs always knew he wanted to make serving in the military his career.  During a 2006 deployment to Iraq, an IED blast changed those plans, and his life, forever. Suffering severe trauma to his left arm and leg, Chad braved over two years of surgeries and rehabilitation before being medically retired in February 2009. 

No longer able to make serving a career, Chad drew from his military background and insider’s perspective on military formations to find a new direction. With new hopes of one day becoming a college history professor, he focused on studying multiple aspects of World War II history. After exhausting his military educational benefits while earning his bachelor’s degree, he applied for the VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” to help cover his tuition as he worked toward a master’s degree.

After being selected as a 2014 fall scholarship recipient, Chad was incredibly happy and humbled to have been awarded the scholarship a second time.

“I’m very grateful to the VFW and its sponsors for this award,” said Chad. “Many scholarships are tied to a great deal of requirements on the recipient when they are already busy trying to be successful students. I think the VFW has designed a solid assistance program … that is free of all these additional hoops.”

The support Chad received from the Help A Hero scholarship helped him focus on achieving his educational goals and put him one step closer to a successful teaching career. 

The VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” was created to provide service members and veterans with the financial assistance they need to complete their educational goals without incurring excessive student loan debt. Awarded twice a year, scholarships help cover the cost of tuition and fees. Applications are currently being accepted for the 2016 spring semester. For more information on the Help A Hero Scholarship program or to apply, click here.