Our Four Pillars of support expand across the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force, Active Duty, Retired, Veterans, and their immediate family members.
Pillars of Support
The EOD Warrior Foundation offers four pillars of support and handles each request on a case-by-case basis. The immediate and ongoing assistance and resources provided by the Foundation to those in the EOD community are intended to provide support above and beyond the budgetary constraints of the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Financial Relief
The EOD Warrior Foundation provides financial assistance to EOD warriors and families to help alleviate the financial burdens and stress during their most difficult times. The Foundation awards two types of grants: initial grants and follow-on grants
Education
As part of our commitment to providing educational assistance, the EOD Warrior Foundation annually awards academic scholarships to EOD dependents, with priority given to family members of fallen and wounded EOD warriors.
Hope & Wellness
The Foundation provides additional support and resources to assist our EOD warriors and families as they face challenges, changes and uncertainty in their lives. We help to create a network of connections to resources to assist them as they move through the recovery and grief process and adjust to a new life.
Memorial Care
The EOD Warrior Foundation is dedicated to honoring the legacy of our fallen EOD warriors by providing for the maintenance and care of the EOD Memorial at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The EOD Memorial honors EOD warriors who gave their lives in the performance of their duties.
FINANCIAL RELIEF
As we provide support for the EOD community, our mission is to share the stories of the brave warriors and their families.
This program is powered in part by Wounded Warrior Project to honor and empower post-9/11 injured service members, veterans, and their families, as well as the support of countless generous donors! Thank you!
EDUCATION
Undergraduates
2024-2025
The application period will open on November 7, 2023 . The deadline for submissions of application materials is February 22, 2024 (11:59 pm EST). Late materials and incomplete application packages will not be considered for an award. For an application to be deemed complete, each applicant must click “Submit” prior to February 23th. No extensions or exceptions will be made.
Undergraduates Application
Eligibility
– Applicants must be the child, stepchild, spouse, or grandchild, or other DoD recognized dependent of a graduate of NAVSCOLEOD.
– No applicant will be awarded more than 4 scholarships.
– Children or DOD recognized dependents must be 23 years or younger. There is no age limit for spouses.
– NAVSCOLEOD graduates are not eligible for scholarship awards. Active Duty service members are not eligible for scholarship awards, regardless of their relationship to NAVSCOLEOD graduates.
– Service Academy Cadets are not eligible to receive EODWF Scholarships as they are considered to be on active duty. Students may apply in case they are not accepted or decide not to attend a Service Academy.
– Applicants must be a high school senior or currently enrolled full-time in an accredited program at a college or university.
Award Amounts
– Scholarship awards are between $1,000-$4,000.
Award Payments
55– Applicants selected to receive awards will be notified via email April 2024.
– Scholarship awards are between $1,000-$4,000.
– One “Master Blaster” Award is given annually to an exceptional applicant. This award is a $5,000 scholarship and an invitation to be recognized at the annual EOD Ball.
-Priority is given to the dependents of Purple Heart recipients and Gold Star children and spouses.
– Awards are dispersed directly to the school for the Fall 2024/Spring 2025 academic year. If an applicant chooses to use their scholarship for room and board, a signed lease agreement must be provided to the EOD Warrior Foundation. All other uses of the scholarship funds are handled on a case by case basis and must be approved by the Foundation.
– Once scholarship recipients are notified, they must complete and return the Financial Aid Form no later than May 27, 2024. This form provides the necessary information to send the funds to the school and acts as a formal acceptance of the scholarship. Failure to return this form to the EOD Warrior Foundation by the deadline will result in loss of scholarship funds.
Post- Graduates
2024-2025
The application period will open on March 1, 2024. The deadline for submissions of application materials is April 25, 2024 (11:59 pm EST). Late materials and incomplete application packages will not be considered for an award. For an application to be deemed complete, each applicant must click “Submit” prior to May 14th. No extensions or exceptions will be made.
Post Graduates Application
Eligibility
– Applicants must be the child, stepchild, spouse, or grandchild, or other DoD recognized dependent of a graduate of NAVSCOLEOD.
– No applicant will be awarded more than 4 scholarships, NOT including previously awarded scholarships at the Undergraduate level.
– There is no age limit.
– NAVSCOLEOD graduates are not eligible for scholarship awards. Active Duty service members are not eligible for scholarship awards, regardless of their relationship to NAVSCOLEOD graduates.
– Service Academy Cadets are not eligible to receive EODWF Scholarships as they are considered to be on active duty. Students may apply in case they are not accepted or decide not to attend a Service Academy.
– Applicants must have completed their undergraduate studies and be currently enrolled in an accredited, post-graduate program at a college or university.
Award Amounts
– Scholarship awards are between $1,000-$4,000.
Award Payments
– Applicants selected to receive awards will be notified via email mid- June 2024.
-Priority is given to the dependents of Purple Heart recipients and Gold Star children and spouses.
– Awards are dispersed directly to the school for the Fall 2024/Spring 2025 academic year. All other uses of the scholarship funds are handled on a case by case basis and must be approved by the Foundation.
– Once scholarship recipients are notified, they must complete and return the Financial Aid Form. This form provides the necessary information to send the funds to the school and acts as a formal acceptance of the scholarship. Failure to return this form to the EOD Warrior Foundation by the deadline will result in loss of scholarship funds.
Scholarship Application Review Process
Each application will be reviewed by the EOD Warrior Foundation Scholarship Committee. The committee members are anonymous. The Executive Director is not a member of the committee and does not participate in the evaluation of the applications.
- GRADE POINT AVERAGE
- PERSONAL STATEMENT
- VOLUNTEERISM & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
- PAID EMPLOYMENT
- AWARDS
- OVERALL IMPRESSION
Each application will be reviewed by the EOD Warrior Foundation Scholarship Committee. The committee members are anonymous. The Executive Director is not a member of the committee and does not participate in the evaluation of the applications.
Hope & Wellness
The Foundation provides support and resources to assist our EOD Warriors and families as they face challenges, changes, and uncertainty in their lives. We help create a network of connection through various retreat opportunities and programs that are updated yearly. These retreats can be recreational, educational, have a focus on mental health, wellness, trauma, and are all holistic in nature.
This meaningful support and assistance through retreats and programs fosters hope and wellness and builds community. If you are a graduate from NAVSCOLEOD, no matter the era, you and your family qualify for these programs! We believe the EOD Family is for life; including EOD Warriors and their families, Gold Star and White Star families; caregivers, children, and siblings. Our goal each year is to provide unique opportunities no matter where you fit into the EOD Family.
Meaningful Support
Our Retreat Program fosters a sense of togetherness between participants, allowing for deep connections to form. Peer support, mentorship, guided discussions, and sustained outreach are just some of the ways our Retreats provide and promote healing, recovery, and wellness!
Immersive Experiences
Our Retreats provide a chance for participants to take a break from the demands of every day life and focus on their own wellbeing. Participants enjoy every Retreat at absolutely no cost to them.
Types of Retreats
Participant Testimonials
Thank you again for the opportunity to learn something new. I think we could all use a little Zen in our lives these days!
This weekend at the lake was a blast! I got better at things I was no good at. I even learned how to do a 360 on a wakeboard! I loved spending lots of time with my family and my military family. I would love to come back and have fun again!
This weekend was beyond anything we could have hoped… we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It gave us much needed rest and relaxation and a chance to reconnect. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity, we feel so blessed.
We offer a heartfelt thanks to the following organizations who have made these retreats possible:
Memorial
The EOD Memorial Wall at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida honors EOD technicians who gave their lives in the performance of their duties. The names on the wall date back to the formation of EOD in World War II. The basic structure consists of four cenotaphs; one for each branch of military service, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force. A bronze tablet with the names of fallen EOD warriors is inscribed and attached to each cenotaph.
Every year, on the first Saturday in May, the EOD Memorial Ceremony is held to commemorate fallen EOD technicians to recognize and preserve the legacy of the service and sacrifices of our fallen warriors and their families.
The ongoing care and maintenance of the EOD Memorial Wall is funded by private donations.
Virtual Memorial
Our volunteers are crucial to our mission.
Remembrance Garden
The EOD Remembrance Garden is complete and open to the public.
This area has several permanent benches surrounding our statues that represent an EOD warrior from each of the major military branches of service that serve as EOD technicians.
EOD Flag Program
Our volunteers are crucial to our mission.