ARMED FORCES LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM EXTENDED

 HARRISBURG, JUNE 22 – State Sen. Connie Williams announced the extension of a higher education loan forgiveness program for servicemen and women and their families.

 The program, which is open to any military personnel who served on active duty between Sept. 11, 2001 and Dec. 31, 2007, provides a one-time payment of up to $2,500 toward eligible education loans. It is administered by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency.

 "Through this program, Pennsylvania recognizes and rewards the sacrifices and bravery of the men and women of our armed services," Williams said. "This is a small token of our appreciation for their service."

 To qualify for the program, a borrower must meet one of the following four criteria:

• be a current Pennsylvania resident

• be a nonresident who left a Pennsylvania school due to a call to active duty

• be a state resident living in Pennsylvania at the time of enlistment and in the military continuously through at least Sept. 11, 2001, regardless of current place of residence

• be a nonresident who attended a state-approved college or university who went directly from the post-secondary enrollment into the U.S. military and was in the military through Sept. 11, 2001, regardless of current place of residence.

 Since the program started, nearly 7,500 service members have received a total of $17.5 million in funding.

 Eligible loans include PHEAA-guaranteed, AES-owned and/or AES-serviced Stafford Consolidation, PLUS and SLS loans that were disbursed on or before Dec. 31, 2007. The loan cannot be in default.

 For more information on the program or an application, military personnel should visit the PHEAA Web site at www.pheaa.org or call PHEAA at 1-800-233-0557. If a borrower is overseas, an application signed by the Power of Attorney will be accepted if the supporting documentation is provided.