SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM TERMS, CONDITIONS, AND APPLICATION PROCESS

PURPOSE

The USARA Michael B. Ranger Legacy Scholarship Program is a memorial to selfless service and contributions made to our country by those who have earned the title U.S. Army Ranger. These awards are given in their honor. This program provides financial assistance to qualified dependents of Rangers to help further their education.

POLICY

It is the Association’s intention to provide financial grants to students who have applied and are pending acceptance or are currently enrolled at an accredited college, university, technical trade school as a full-time student. To that end, it will adhere to the following policies:

1. The USARA Michael B. Ranger Legacy Scholarship Program is not an entitlement, and no award shall be automatically granted or approved. The scholarship is awarded to qualified dependents, as defined below, of Ranger based on merit.
2. The Scholarship Committee shall ensure that appropriate documentary support is received for all applications, which may include transcripts, copies of letters of acceptance and/or proof of application, etc.
3. USARA grants Scholarship awards annually based on funds available; applicants must apply each year and no recipient may exceed four awards. The maximum cumulative amount any individual may receive shall not exceed $5,000.
4. Siblings may apply and be awarded scholarships, but the Scholarship Committee reserves the right to prioritize awarding available scholarships to multiple families.
5. All efforts are made to avoid appointing members to the Scholarship Committee that are likely to have family members apply. If it is discovered that a Scholarship Committee member is related to an applicant, the committee member must excuse himself from rating or discussing the applicant.
6. If an applicant has been awarded a scholarship and for any reason decides not to study as planned, the scholarship shall be deobligated or, if already awarded to the applicant, shall be returned in full. If time allows, the next qualified applicant will then be awarded a scholarship.
7. The preceding requirement to return scholarship funds shall not apply if an awardee is faced with a medical condition and cannot continue at school, except to the extent that any portion of the awarded funds remain unused. A student who cannot continue on the basis of a medical condition shall not be prohibited from applying for a scholarship at a future date provides a letter from a doctor verifying the medical basis is provided to the Scholarship Committee.
8. Scholarship awards funds are intended to assist with academic expenses associated with higher education, such as tuition, books, fees, supplies, and room and board. Funds shall be disbursed directly to the individual awardees, who are presumed to know the best use of the award.

FUNDING AND AWARDS:

The USARA Michael B. Ranger Legacy Scholarship Program is supported entirely by donations. The number of scholarships to be awarded annually varies on the basis of funding received during the prior award.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Application Request Form

The Association only accepts scholarship applications in the spring. Once this process begins the Association will publish an Application Request Form to its website. Individuals who wish to apply must complete the online Application Request Form; there is no paper-based form. The form provides the Association's Scholarship Committee with information necessary to determine eligibility.

Application Request Forms must be completed by the applicant, not by a parent, friend or other person. Evidence that an Application or Application Request Form has been completed by a third-party will disqualify the applicant from further consideration.

Applicants will receive confirmation by email of receipt of the Application Request Form.

Eligibility Determination

To be eligible to apply for the MBR Legacy Scholarship, individuals requesting an Application Form must be a qualified dependent of a Ranger. Eligible individuals will receive confirmation via email. If eligibility cannot be confirmed, the requesting individual will be notified that he or she is not eligible. If the Ranger is not a USARA member, a copy of the service member's DD214 must be sent to scholarships@ranger.org for a determination of eligibility. The Social Security number can be redacted for privacy.

1. Qualified Dependent: The term Qualified Dependent is defined to mean an individual who:

• Is the i) child, grandchild, a great-grandchild, (including those legally adopted) under the age of 30; or, ii) the spouse of an active duty Ranger; and,
• Has a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 grading scale at i) the school in which the applicant is enrolled at the time of application, or ii) the most recent school at which the applicant was enrolled for at least two years, if not attending school at the time of application.
  
  

2.  Ranger: The term Ranger is defined to mean an individual who:

• Has been awarded the Ranger Tab, on order from the U.S. Department of the Army;
• Served in a combat arms capacity for at least 12 months in the 75th Ranger Regiment or a unit within the direct lineage of the 75th Ranger Regiment; or,
• Served in a combat arms capacity in the 75th Ranger Regiment or a unit within the direct lineage of the 75th Ranger Regiment, and been awarded the Combat Infantryman’s Badge (CIB), Combat Medical Badge (CMB), or Combat Action Badge (CAB) while serving in the unit.

USARA does not determine the units that fall within the lineage of the 75th Ranger Regiment. Those designations are made by the US Army’s Institute of Heraldry, and currently include the following:

• Any of the World War II Ranger Battalions,
• The 5307th Composite, “Merrill’s Marauders” during WWII,
• The Alamo Scouts during WWII,
• The 29th Ranger Battalion during WWII,
• Any of the Ranger Infantry Companies (Airborne) during the Korean War,
• The Eighth Army’s “8000 Series” units during the Korea War,
• Any of the lettered Ranger companies of the 75th Infantry, or their immediate LRRP predecessor units, during the Vietnam War,
• Any Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) Ranger Unit (Biệt Ðộng Quân).
• Any officially designated U. S. Army Ranger unit, to include E/65th Inf (PRNG), D/151st INF (IN NG), A/75th and B/75th Ranger (V and VII Corps LRP), or their immediate LRP predecessor units.
• The 1st or 2nd Ranger Battalion, during the period 1974 to 1984.

Scholarship Application Instructions and Application Forms

Eligible applicants will be provided with electronic access to the Scholarship Application Instructions and Scholarship Application Form. Applications are provided in PDF format. Applicants must have access to their own PDF reader or editing tool; the Association will not provide PDF reading and editing software to applicants.

Scholarship Application Submission

The applicant must complete and submit the Scholarship Application along with uploading required supporting documentation electronically using the procedures set forth in the Scholarship Application Instructions. Applications submitted in a manner other than the prescribed will not be accepted.

USARA will provide applicants with the date by which all applications and supporting materials must be received. Applications received after this time will not be accepted.

Award Selection

Following the close of the application period, USARA’s Scholarship Committee will review and score each application for the purpose of recommending awardees to the president of USARA. Selection of recommended awardees rests solely with the discretion of the USARA Scholarship Committee, and shall be final and binding. No effort to contest or appeal the selection will be permitted.

Scholarships will be awarded without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or physical disability.