Former Travis family member wins scholarship

  • Published
  • By Nick DeCicco
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The daughter of a former member of Travis Air Force Base was the recipient of the base's portion of a college scholarship awarded by the Defense Commissary Agency.

The DeCA organization Scholarships for Military Children recently awarded Lauren Belanger a $1,500 college scholarship. Ms. Belanger, a broadcast journalism major, attends Azusa Pacific University near Los Angeles.

Ms. Belanger said she found out about the scholarship on the Internet at Military.com. In order to capture the scholarship, she had to write an essay on the topic "every able-bodied citizen should be required to serve for a two-year period of time in the military - why or why not?"

"I said no," Ms. Belanger said about the essay. "We're a free country. That's what we're built upon."

Her school and community activities included Ceritos Language Program, National Youth Forum, National Honor Society and cheerleading.

Ms. Belanger is the daughter of Senior Master Sgt. Michael and Sonja Belanger. Sergeant Belanger is now stationed at Edwards Air Force Base as a member of the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron, a location that puts the elder Belangers within a two-hour drive to visit their daughter.

Applicants for the 2008 program were required to maintain a minimum 3.0 grade-point average, participate in voluntary school and community activities, demonstrate leadership qualities and write the essay. The scholarship is open to sons and daughters of members of the U.S. Armed Forces including active duty, retirees, Guard/Reserve, as well as children of deceased military personnel.

"I appreciate them giving it to me to help with school," Ms. Belanger said.

More than 600 college and high school students were awarded scholarships.

"We're excited to report that the scholarship program continues to be a success in helping military families defray the costs of education," said Defense Commissary Agency Chief Operating Officer Richard Page in a press release. "We're proud to be associated with a program that has awarded more than4,000 scholarships totaling more than $6.4 million since its inception."