Politics

Law aids Gulf War victim's kids

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published June 23, 2007

JACKSONVILLE - The children of missing Navy pilot Scott Speicher will be eligible for state college tuition benefits under a bill signed into law Friday by Gov. Charlie Crist.

Megan and Michael Speicher, who were 2 and 3 when Capt. Speicher was shot down in the Gulf War in 1991, were at the bill signing at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Wall.

Florida provides college money for children whose parents are killed in military action, including the Korean and Vietnam wars, but the law was never updated to include the Gulf War.

Speicher, whose FA-18 fighter was shot down over Iraq, was at one time considered killed in action. But the Navy has since returned his status to "missing/captured, " in part because his remains are still missing. That made Megan and Michael ineligible for the state tuition waiver.

The bill (SB 412), was sponsored by Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis and Rep. Stan Jordan, R-Jacksonville.

[Last modified June 22, 2007, 23:42:01]