COLLEGE DREAMS for a Mother and Daughter
AFAS HELPED AN AIRMAN’S WIFE AND DAUGHTER ATTEND COLLEGE
Eventually, Daniella’s mother applied for the General Henry “Hap” Arnold Education Grant, the centerpiece of AFAS education support. The grant eased the burden of the expensive commute and helped to offset her tuition costs. When it was Daniella’s turn to attend college 12 years later, AFAS again supported the Hernandez family. Danielle applied for and received the Hap Arnold Education Grant for three years in addition to a recent interest-free loan to help Air Force families impacted by COVID-19. Daniella says the loan allowed her to attend “the university of my dreams,” Texas A&M, College Station, TX. She also was able to reduce the hours she worked at a part-time job and increase her hours focusing on her studies. The support from AFAS “has been a blessing to my mother and now to me,” Daniella says. Daniella’s mother went on to have a successful career in both the Air Force and the Army in the healthcare profession. Now, Daniella can see herself finishing her degree and maybe even following in her mother’s footsteps, work- ing in the Air Force as a civilian health professional. On behalf of her family, Daniella sincerely thanks everyone who donates to AFAS. According to Daniella, “It’s because of these generous individuals that so many people can overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams.”
Retired Master Sergeant Robert Hernandez joined the Air Force when he was 17. He left for Basic Military Training just nine days after graduating high school “to see the world outside of a small Texas town,” his daughter Daniella recalls. MSgt Hernandez hoped that the Air Force would let him see the world and allow him the opportunity to have a great career. The Air Force not only provided MSgt Hernandez with a long career, it also helped his wife and daughter achieve their higher education dreams with assistance from the AFAS. When Daniella was seven, her mother attended Boise State University to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing. The family lived at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, and her mother commuted to the university to attend class, over an hour each way.
“IT’S BECAUSE OF THESE GENEROUS INDIVIDUALS THAT SO MANY PEOPLE CAN OVERCOME OBSTACLES AND ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS.”
AFAS.ORG / 2020 Annual Report
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