Thread: Marine gets Tuition Break Following Nationwide Outcry

Marine gets tuition break Officials find way for Texan following nationwide outcry

© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

Carl Basham (Photo: Star-Telegram).

Following nationwide public outcry, a decorated U.S. Marine from Texas will be allowed in-state college tuition after a school turned him down because he didn't reside in the state when he began two tours of duty in Iraq.

As WorldNetDaily reported,Cpl. Carl Basham was told by admissions officials at Austin Community College he didn't qualify as a Texas resident "for tuition purposes, despite being a registered voter and holder of a state driver's license.

But today the college said Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, himself a former U.S. Marine, identified a state waiver provision for which Basham qualifies, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

"We are so delighted that he will be eligible for in-state tuition," said Veronica Obregon, spokeswoman for Austin Community College.

Patterson wrote a letter stating Basham qualified for a waiver that requires him to provide military documents showing Texas as his state of residence plus his voter and automobile registration.

Obregon said Basham has presented the proper documentation to meet the waiver requirements.

Previously, the school pointed to the Texas Coordinating Board Rules, which regulate public colleges in the state. The rules say members of the armed forces "are presumed to maintain the same domicile that was in effect at the time of entering the service during their entire period of active service."

Basham moved with his parents to Louisiana when he was a junior in high school, and he enlisted in the Marines right after graduating. Even though his parents moved back to Texas after he had been in the service for a year, the college argued he lived in Louisiana at the time of enlistment.

"Any time that a student leaves the state of Texas, moves into another state, resides in that state, enters into the military in that new state, and claims that new state as their permanent home, then they lose their Texas residency," Obregon explained.

Amazingly they will willingly give the discount to Illegal's in most states. Things are upsidedown, no? Why does this still go on!

Personally, I think people coming out of the military should be eligible for in-state tuition in any of the fifty states. That's how I feel about it.

"Any time that a student leaves the state of Texas, moves into another state, resides in that state, enters into the military in that new state, and claims that new state as their permanent home, then they lose their Texas residency," Obregon explained.

But illegals are Texas residents.
Ridiculous!
Our priorities are really screwed up.

I remember Tom McClintock tried to pass a bill helping people in the military with residency and tuition problems like this in California. It wasn't surprising to hear the state Democrats squashed it. If it were for illegals they would be falling all over themselves to pass the bill.

"Any time that a student leaves the state of Texas, moves into another state, resides in that state, enters into the military in that new state, and claims that new state as their permanent home, then they lose their Texas residency," Obregon explained.

he should have shown his "Matricular ID" ---

this is beyond ridiculous -- it's OUTRAGEOUS!!!