Children of POW's Could Get College Aid

POW's

Florida provides college money for children whose parents are killed in action. It also provides 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.

Missing Gulf War pilot Capt. Scott Speicher of Jacksonville is listed as 'missinggcaptured' because his remains have never been found. That means his son and daughter aren't eligible for the state tuition waiver.

But a bill (HB 35) approved unanimously by the House Post Secondary Education Committee would change that.

The state Department of Veterans Affairs says Speicher is the only POW from Florida and his children are currently the only ones who would be eligible if the bill becomes law. The bill would also cover POW's of future wars, as well as civilian contractors in war zones.