Veterans Affairs

BNTD’s Gene Powell and his wife Mary Lou Powell have recently started a scholarship program to help students attending Mary Lou’s alma mater, the University of South Florida, on the GI Bill. The Veteran Success Last Mile Scholarship will help recipients who still need assistance in paying tuition beyond what is covered by the GI Bill. Gene and Mary Lou both have the military life in their blood — alongside Gene’s own time in the service, his three uncles all served during World War II. Mary Lou’s father was a Navy man who served at Pearl Harbor. While presenting the inaugural Veteran Success Last Mile Scholarship award during the USF Alumni Luncheon, Gene made the following remarks, which we print in full below:

To lose a loved one is always a tragedy. For the spouse or family members of a military servicemember, that tragedy can be compounded by many different factors — whether they died during combat or deployment, after their return, or even years or decades later on. Family members may be left wondering if they’ll have access to any benefits to help them navigate the difficult path after their loved one has died. One of the most common questions we hear is from the spouses of recently deceased servicemembers, wondering if they will be able to access the benefits due after their loved one’s service. We have the answer below.