ARMED FORCES STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS DEADLINE EXTENDED

HARRISBURG, NOV. 22 – State Sen. Connie Williams announced that the deadline to file an application for the Armed Forces Loan Forgiveness Program had been extended until Dec. 31, 2007.

The program, which is open to any military personnel who served on active duty between Sept. 11, 2001 and June 30, 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.

As of Nov. 1, 2006, nearly 7,000 service members have received a total of $16 million in funding.

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.