Campuses like Wichita State could see fewer soldiers enrolling next semester unless changes are made in Washington. Military moms like Tammy Cruz are fighting for their kids to go to college. Her son is Spc. Chris Schmidt. He joined the National Guard in high school, hoping the sacrifice would get him an education.
She and other moms started a White House petition to reinstate the tuition assistance. It now has more than 109,000 signatures. After the sequester, Chris, who is now working two jobs, volunteered for deployment.
"You come home and you don't have that education, then what are you going to do? That's where all these homeless vets that you see out there come in," Cruz said.
Kansas Republican Senator Jerry Moran spoke nationally on Fox News Friday morning about why he believes the Obama administration is playing politics.
"It seems to me that they picked the most popular and important programs to highlight how terrible sequestration would be," Moran said.
But the government says the benefit suspension saves the Department of Defense more than $500 million.
"It's just so important to me, and hundreds of other military moms, military families, military wives, that Congress and the White House look at other options," Cruz said.
Options she says would allow Chris and other service members a chance at a better future.
"I feel like the sacrifice that any and all of our military make for us can never be repaid to them. And for us to even think of taking anything away from them is just wrong," Cruz said. While Chris fights for the country, his mom will continue to fight for his education.
Senator Moran also sponsors a bill pushing to reinstate White House tours.
