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Helping Heroes Grant — For Campaign Medal Holders, and Capped at 375 a Year

A grant for Tennessee veterans who hold the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, or the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. Service alone does not qualify — the medal is the test. It is available to up to 375 eligible veterans a year, awarded first-come, first-served, so applying early matters more than it does for most awards.

Verified August 27, 2026

What this benefit is

A grant for Tennessee veterans who hold the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, or the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. Service alone does not qualify — the medal is the test. It is available to up to 375 eligible veterans a year, awarded first-come, first-served, so applying early matters more than it does for most awards.

What it's worth: $1,000 a semester at 12 or more hours; $500 at six to eleven hours

  • Eligibility turns on receipt of the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, or the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal — not on service, and not on a disability rating.
  • A veteran whose service predates those medals does not qualify, however long they served.
  • The grant is available annually to up to 375 eligible veterans, on a first-come, first-served basis. Reaching the cap ends awards for that year regardless of eligibility.

Who is entitled to it

  • You served in the U.S. armed forces.
  • You hold one of the qualifying campaign medals.
  • You are enrolled at an eligible Tennessee programme of study.
  • Your home is in Tennessee.

Not sure whether that describes you?

Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.

How to claim it

  1. 1Check the eligibility gate that actually decides this one — it is rarely the disability rating alone.
  2. 2Apply through the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation before the academic year begins.
Form
Helping Heroes application
File with
the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation
Documents you will need
dd214 · va benefit summary letter
Each term
Claimed per academic term.
Worth knowingMost state education money in this corpus goes to dependants. This one goes to the veteran, which makes it unusual and easy to miss for someone who has learned to skip anything headed "survivors" or "war orphans".
Known gapThe grant is funded from a limited appropriation and has historically been awarded on a first-come basis. We publish the award bands and not the odds of getting one.

Sources

This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.