As an unfortunate consequence of Operation Iraqi Freedom and America's war on terror, many children of our active-duty military personnel are now members of single-parent families. In most cases, this also means their chances to attend college have greatly diminished. Children of military personnel killed on active duty are entitled to receive money toward a college education. But it's not enough.

We are raising funds to ensure that higher education will be a reality for these families. Providing for the children our military personnel left behind is our civic duty. An education is a powerful way to show our thanks. That is why we have established the American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund. But we need your help.

A Critical Gap

The American Legion fights to see that our active-duty military personnel and their families are looked after. But despite our efforts, recent years have seen a significant shortfall in dollars allotted by our government. The educational benefit provided to surviving children is one of these critical gaps.

The total survivor benefit for these children is slightly more than $37,000 to be used for a college education. In today's dollars, this benefit will pay little more than half of what a college education costs in the most affordable situation. This gap widens when considering the cost of a college education in the future. The most conservative estimate is that costs will increase by 5 percent per year, meaning that in 16 years, the most affordable college education will be $105,800. Military compensation will not keep up with these dramatic increases.

Join Our Effort

Money provided by law simply has not kept up with what a higher education costs today, let alone what college will cost in years to come. Remember, these children are the direct descendants of people who died protecting our country. Their parents made the ultimate sacrifice. The least we can do is make sure they are provided for.

We need your help to make The American Legion American Legacy Scholarship a reality. Too many men and women in uniform have died in the fight to preserve our nation's freedoms. Together, we can make sure their children have the opportunity these parents were unable to provide. We encourage you to give generously to The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund. Help us to bridge the gap and restore the faith of these special children.