I choose to support this bill. I am one of the students who was not able to finish school and ended up owing $10,000. Because of that I was not able to get my transcripts. Today I am at J Sargent having to take classes again. Supporting this bill is hope for not only myself but the many other students who cannot get their transcripts or go back to school at all for their debts.

On behalf of the nearly 10,000 currently serving members of the Virginia National Guard, I urge you to support this bill. As a military brat , I moved 13 times during in my childhood. Spanning from Germany, to Texas, to Kentucky, to Georgia, back to Texas, back to Germany, over and over again. Eventually, my parents settled in Upstate New York. I completed high school and chose Virginia for my higher education. Joining the Corps of Cadets at the Virginia Military Institute was one of the best decisions I ever made. It was also one of the most expensive. I opted to join the Virginia National Guard to help pay for the cost of education. I joined the Guard and began my military service-- swearing my Oath of Enlistment to the Governor of Virginia. In the months and years that followed I performed all of my monthly drills and was activated for State Active Duty, all in the name of Virginia. I worked hard and earned scholarships, grants, and worked every summer to pay for my education. I told myself that it was an investment in me. After graduating and commissioning in the National Guard, I spent the next 10 years paying off my student loans. The difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition was almost $120,000 over the four years. Scholarships only covered the in-state rates, my parents did not have a college fund for me, and there was only so many hours in a day that I could work my summer jobs. I never wanted a handout; my dad taught me to work hard and earn my place in the world. Looking back at the path I took to get where I am today, I know I worked hard and earned every step of the way. It's not supposed to be easy. It's supposed to be a fight. There is supposed to be sacrifice. This bill doesn't take away the challenges-- they are still there! This bill just makes getting an education a little less difficult. Allowing Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen the ability to serve Virginia and receive the in-state tuition rates is an investment in the emerging leaders of your National Guard. Please support this bill. Thank you.