The Foundation of the 1st Cavalry Division Association Overview

The Foundation of the
1st Cavalry Division Association
Updated on 1 September 2009

RELATED FORMS

KIA/Disabled Scholarships
Registration Form

Ia Drang Scholarships
Background Information
Registration Form

Active Duty Scholarship Program
Active Duty Overview

FOUNDATION OVERVIEW

The Foundation of the 1st Cavalry Division Association was established for the purpose of providing financial assistance in the form of scholarship grants toward the pursuit of an advanced education.

These grants are reserved for children of those soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division who died, or were totally and permanently disabled as a result of wounds received or disease contracted while serving with the 1st Cavalry Division in any armed conflict. Additionally, children of members of the Association who die while serving with the 1st Cavalry Division in peacetime and active duty soldiers currently assigned or attached to the 1st Cavalry Division and their spouses and children are eligible to receive scholarship grants.

The Foundation also administers a separate program for descendants of soldiers who served in designated qualifying units that were involved in the battles of the Ia Drang valley during the period 3 through 19 November 1965.

The Foundation of the 1st Cavalry Division Association is a tax-exempt charitable organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and all donations are tax-deductible. The Foundation's tax identification number is 23-7016417.

BACKGROUND

The scholarship program was initiated by the Association in 1967 during the Vietnam War in response to requests from the Sergeants Major of the Division who committed their support to perpetuation of the program.

A trust agreement was signed on 16 August 1968 establishing the Foundation. Since that time, no child of a Trooper that has been killed or disabled has been turned away for lack of funds. Between the generous donations of Association members and scholarship drives within the Division, the Cavalry has taken care of its own. In the 1970s, in response to a perceived downtrend in applications from the aging children of the Division's Troopers that were killed in action from the Vietnam war, eligibility was expanded to children of Association members killed or disabled while on active duty with the Division. This extension produced an unexpected response from Vietnam veterans who were still producing children. In 1988, again at the behest of the Division Sergeants Major, the program was expanded further to include soldiers and spouses of soldiers while assigned or attached to the Division and in 1996 children of active duty soldiers assigned to the Division were added to the list of those eligible. The Foundation assumed responsibility for the Ia Drang program in early 1994 and awarded the first grant from this program in 1997.

Since its inception, the Foundation has provided over $1,019,500 in scholarship grants in the following categories:

Over $640,500 to 444 children of Troopers that were killed in action or totally and permanently disabled
Over $184,500 to 224 active duty Troopers and their family members
Over $194,500 to 130 descendents of the Ia Drang battles

Scholarships that began at $400 per year currently provide a maximum of $1,200 per year with a maximum of $4,800 for four years of schooling per student.

Funding for the program, less the Ia Drang element, derives primarily from the Foundation's primary investment portfolio, the annual Division fund drive and random donations from the membership and those interested in providing support for education. The Association annually provides $12,000 to satisfy projected shortfalls up to a predetermined maximum.

All eligible candidates for grants who are children of deceased members of the Division are funded. Active Duty soldiers and their spouses and children compete for grants and selection is made annually by a board comprised of Command Sergeants Major of the Division acting in their private capacity as members of the Association. All requests for grants in this category were satisfied through school year 1996/1997, however the large number of active duty applications for school year 1997/1998 necessitated that grants be awarded in order of priority.

Funding for the Ia Drang program comes from donations specifically earmarked for this category of grant. Ia Drang funds are separately invested in a fenced program to build up an investment corpus which will sustain additional grants from its proceeds.

Please mail your tax-deductible donations to the Foundation of the 1st Cavalry Division Association, 302 N. Main St., Copperas Cove, TX 76522-1703. Donations in the amount of $25 or more will be acknowledged in the SABER. Donations of $250 or more will receive a tax certificate as required by the IRS. Donations intended for the Ia Drang Fund should be made out to the Ia Drang Scholarship Fund.

APPLICATIONS

For more information or an application to register for benefits send a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE) to the Foundation of the 1st Cavalry Division Association, 302 N. Main St., Copperas Cove, TX 76522-1703 or e-mail us at firstcav@1cda.org. You may also print the on-line Registration Form, fill it out completely, and mail it with all of the required supporting documentation to the Foundation of the 1st Cavalry Division Association.

The application forms for Association members who are active duty Troopers currently serving with the First Team and their families are currently unavailable. The window for scholarships for active duty Troopers and their families is closed for the 2009-2010 school year. All scholarships for this program have been awarded for this school year. The window for the 2009-2010 school year will open on 25 March, 2010 and closes on 1 July 2010.

FUND RAISING EVENTS

The Dallas Chapter of the Finance Forum conducted its Annual Charity Golf Tournament on Thursday, 16 April 2009 to raise funds for the Foundation of the 1st Cavalry Division Association. This years tournament raised $12,000 to provide scholarships for the Troopers of the 1st Cavalry Division and their families. The tournament was held at the Golf Club of Castle Hills in Lewisville, Texas. We greatly appreciate the support of the Dallas Chapter of the Finance Forum which has donated a total of $63,668 to the Foundation from its past four Annual Charity Golf Tournaments.

Photos of the 2009 tournament may be viewed on the Finance Forum web page at: http://www.thefinanceforum.com/Chapter_Dallas/Past_Events/2009_Events/2009_Golf_Photos.htm.

Supporting the Foundation

Finance Forum Secretary, Bill Nay, and President Gen Merritt present a $12,000 check to the Foundation of the 1st Cavalry Division Association at the 16 April, 2009 golf tournament.