Tonights news led off with the saving of Jessica Lynch, and at the end of the story, a collage was mentioned that planned to give her a 4 year scholarship, as her reason for joining the Army was to get cash for collage. My question then, is, from the military or the government at large, are former P.O.W.'s given perks (for want of a better word) when they return home? Are they given the choice of remaining in the military if they want out?
Source: http://www.co.genesee.mi.us/veterans/benefits/former-pow.htm
Se also American Ex-Prisoners of War organization web site.
More info here at http://www.va.gov/visns/visn03/powmia.asp
Presumably when she does get a college place, she will have somewhere to display her collage 
Russell
Thanx Russell. I forgot that the spell checker presumes.
This 19 year old girl has two broken legs, a broken arm, and was possibly raped. She earned that Montgomery GI Bill.
I hope she has a normal life when she gets home to West Virginia. Becomes a teacher, gets married and has a nice quiet life.
SP
shep: Are you speculating about the rape or was that reported in the news?
That’s the first I’ve heard about rape; can you provide us with a link to that report?
An article in the local paper today claims that WV Governor Bob Wise is going to have the state finance her college education. Sorry, no cites. The paper is the Wheeling News Register.
When I did my training in the VA system some years ago, I routinly saw paperwork that denoted POW (usually Korean war). I was told by my preceptor that former POW’s get lifetime medical benifits from the VA, regardless of injury.
Second part of my question, anybody? Is a discharge in the works if she wants one, or must she serve out her enlistment obligation.
Other than a medical discharge (which is quite possible, given the reported injuries - I understand she was just operated on for spinal injuries) I don’t believe that any special discharge option exists for POWs.
I was under the impression that people must serve out their terms in the military before any kind of discharge is granted. That being said, she could wind up in a less stressful, closer to home, non-combat, kind of position in the military.
This is, of course, my opinion only. I am thinking that the military is not that crazy. I could be wrong. If I am wrong, in the spirit of Monty and Fear Itself, I want sites as to how crazy the military is.
{Wiping a stray tear from my eye} I thank you and I wouldn’t doubt it if Fear Itself thanks you also. May I also say how cool that looks: “Monty and Fear Itself.” It has a certain, shall we say, oomph to it. (For a moment there, I forgot that “Fear Itself” is someone’s UserID!)
Daughter of a POW checking in. (WWII)
Dad gets license plates from the state that are POW plates, each of his children is (was) eligible for four years of university in any state run university in Illinois (that’s how I got my degree) and if he chooses, he can always go to the VA for medical treatment.
When he was released and got back to the states, he was give a check for appx $120.00. $1.00 for every day he was a POW. He and my mom used the money to buy a TV. I love to hear him tell that story! 