SENTINELS OF FREEDOM SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION

Sentinels of Freedom Scholarship Foundation (SOF) helps severely wounded post 9/11 veterans successfully transition into stable, self-sufficient civilian lives. These heroes have lost their good health in the service of our nation, and it is our responsibility to assist them and to honor their sacrifice. Severely disabled veterans apply for the program and those who are accepted receive financial assistance while they pursue post-secondary education.
Alumni have made it clear that housing assistance is the most important and practical means of helping them. One graduate stated: “Being a Sentinel has provided me an extraordinary opportunity to pursue my educational goals after my military career came to an unexpected end. Sentinels of Freedom provides housing assistance so that I can focus on my education and not stress about how I am going to provide for my wife and newborn son while in school full-time.”
SOF’s model is based on the recognition that each Sentinel is a unique individual with unique needs; our services are personalized and focused on understanding and addressing those specific issues. Typically, suitable employment is the greatest need, with higher education being the key to obtaining a good job that brings with it financial self-sufficiency. Physically accessible housing is the most costly and complex of day-to-day needs, so SOF financial assistance is primarily allocated for housing assistance. Sentinels may also receive financial support for relocation, adaptive furniture and other special needs.
Sentinels also have access to non-financial support including assistance with financial planning, mentoring, job networking, educational counseling, military/VA liaison, peer connection, goal setting, legal aid and opportunities for community engagement, provided by community volunteers. At market rate, these services would cost tens of thousands of dollars; the volunteer assistance of community individuals and teams helps to make our service model possible.

Sentinels of Freedom measures success in terms of the accomplishments of our participants, relative to our programmatic objectives of:
• COMPLETION OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION: Participants are required to enroll in higher education. This can include a two-year or four-year degree granting institution, graduate school, or a career-focused vocational program. Sentinels are required to deliver each semester’s course schedules and grades to the main SOF office, where we review and assess their educational and personal goals. Sentinels’ access to SOF program mentors is helpful in guiding these veterans on an education path that utilizes their strengths, skills, and talents.
• CAREER-TRACK EMPLOYMENT: Working with SOF staff and with our teams of community mentors, Sentinels are provided with personalized employment-related guidance, networking, and internship possibilities. When appropriate, considering their study loads and other requirements, SOF assists participants in finding internships and paid employment. Alumni today are employed in a wide array of occupations, ranging from Nurse Practitioner to Intelligence Analyst for the Marine Corps to Founder & CEO of Anvil Builders, Inc.
• FINANCIAL SELF-SUFFICIENCY: Mentors help their respective Sentinels with financial education and planning. In addition, SOF program staff receive regular reports regarding each veteran’s progress, by means of biannual budget reports. Financial independence increases steadily over time for the Sentinels. Among participants entering the program, 50% state that daily expenses are a problem. By the time they graduate from the program, 95% state that they are financially independent.

With support from industry leaders, SOF has developed formal data collection and evaluation tools to assess our program’s impact on participants’ quality of life, physical and mental health, educational achievements, employment status, and overall self-sufficiency. The survey was first administered at the end of 2013, and will be repeated annually. Results have proven very positive. Key findings include:
• 92% report that being a Sentinel has helped in recovering from physical and/or emotional injuries, improving physical and mental health, and aiding in the transitioning from military experience into civilian life.
• 84% report that their ability to perform daily activities in the house, community, and workplace has improved because of SOF support.
• 100% state that SOF assistance increases their earning potential.
• 100% expressed satisfaction with the Sentinels of Freedom program, and would refer other disabled veterans to SOF.
The survey also generated qualitative feedback. The following quotes are representative:
• “The service that SOF provided me and my family was extraordinary…I completed a rigorous education track that culminated in a master’s degree and licensure. My family and community look at me with respect and admiration.”
• "Simply one of the very best programs of support at a most sensitive time in my life, I have ever received! My wife and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts!"
• "Supportive team from the start. Addressed my specific needs - did not try a cookie cutter solution - very specialized support mechanism. Able to develop a strong network from the start within the community. Provided emotional support through these relationships during an awkward transition period."
Feedback from military leaders provides additional endorsement of SOF’s service model. Retired Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen called SOF the “gold standard” of organizations providing services to wounded veterans.