Over the past ten years of combat operations in our nation’s ongoing War on Terrorism, hundreds of Illinois military families have suffered the loss or disability of a loved one in service to our country. Government programs, such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, offer only limited educational benefits to service members and their dependents. This lack of educational opportunity translates into fewer prospects for the family and creates an unreasonable and what should be an unnecessary financial burden.

The gap created by the minimal assistance offered through the Post-9/11 GI Bill and what the military families can provide on their own is startling. The Illinois Patriot Education Fund not only helps to bridge that gap in order to ensure all military families have access to the educational opportunities that prepare them for success in their post-service lives, but also to draw attention to the problem in order to effect change.

IPEF's mission field is your family, friends, neighbors and colleagues. In the last ten years, everyone has been touched by the sacrifices made by military families who hail from Illinois. It is time for each and every one of us to return the favor. It is our responsibility to respect and assist those who answered the call of duty on our behalf. We can do so in a meaningful way by supporting the educational aspirations of our service men and women and that of their families.