New law will provide college money for Speicher's children
The Associated Press
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.
The children of missing Navy pilot Capt. Scott Speicher will be eligible for state college tuition benefits under a bill signed into law Friday by Gov. Charlie Crist.
Megan and Michael Speicher, who were 2 and 3 when Speicher was shot down on the first night of the Gulf War in 1991, were at the bill signing at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Wall.
Florida has long provided college money for children whose parents are killed in military action. The state already provided tuition benefits to children of prisoners of war or troops missing in action from the Korean and Vietnam wars. But that law was never updated to include the Gulf War.
Speicher, whose FA-18 fighter was shot down over Iraq, was at one time considered killed in action. But the Navy has since returned his status to "missing/captured," in part because his remains have never been found. That made Megan and Michael ineligible for the state tuition waiver.
According to the state Department of Veterans Affairs, Speicher, who lived in Jacksonville, is the only current POW from Florida.
"American servicemen and women put their lives on hold to wear the uniform and stand for freedom," Crist said. "For that reason, it is our responsibility to ensure the future opportunities of the children of those who become prisoners of war or are missing in action."
The bill (SB 412), was sponsored by Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis, and Rep. Stan Jordan, R-Jacksonville.
The measure also allows children going to college to get benefits sooner, one year after their parent's classification as POW or MIA. In the past, they could not start the application process until a year had elapsed.