Financial Aid Verification Process

Parent Killed in Line of Duty

If your parent or guardian died in the line of duty while (a) serving on active duty as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001, or (b) actively serving as and performing the duties of a public safety officer, then you may be eligible to receive a maximum Pell Grant for the award year based on full time enrollment for which the determination of eligibility is made.

We want to express our sympathy to you and your family regarding the loss of your parent or guardian, and recognize their service to protect others and our community.

To qualify, a student must meet the following criteria:

1. Have a valid FAFSA on file with Chattahoochee Tech indicating that your parent or guardian was killed in line of duty and all requested Federal Student Aid documents have been submitted. Documentation will only be requested if you answered “yes” to this question on the FAFSA.
2. Be the child of a parent or guardian who died in the line of duty while
   • Serving on active duty as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001; OR
   • Actively serving as and performing the duties of a public safety officer.
3. Be less than 33 years old as of the January 1 prior to the award year for which you are applying (e.g., for 2024-2025, you must be less than 33 years old as of January 1, 2024, to be eligible).

Acceptable documentation

The Department of Defense is unable to provide confirmation that a service member was killed in the line of duty and there is no comprehensive national data source of individuals who died in the line of duty while serving as a public safety officer; therefore, students must self-identify by indicating Yes to the Parent Killed in Line of Duty question on the FAFSA and provide supporting documentation to Chatt Tech’s Financial Aid Office to confirm eligibility.

Students must upload:

1. Parent/Guardian death certificate
2. Documentation confirming relationship such as birth certificate or guardianship paperwork
3. At least one supporting document attesting the parent or guardian’s date and cause of death occurred in the line of duty while serving as an active duty service member or public safety officer.

Acceptable document for an active duty service member

• Service member’s DD Form 1300 (Report of Casualty) which documents death in the line of duty.
• A signed and dated letter from a military commanding officer attesting the date and cause of death in the line of duty.
• Service member’s DD Form 214 documenting that the date and cause of death occurred during and as a result of active duty.
• Department of Veterans Affairs Death Narrative Document.

Acceptable document for a public safety officer

• A signed and dated letter from the public safety entity attesting the date and cause of death occurred in the line of duty while serving as a public safety officer.
• A determination letter acknowledging eligibility for certain federal benefits under the Public Safety Officers Benefit (PSOB) program administered by the Department of Justice.
• A written letter of attestation or determination made by a state or local government official with supervisory or other relevant oversight authority of an individual who died in the line of duty while serving as a public safety officer as defined below.
• Documentation of the student qualifying for a state tuition or other state benefit accorded to the children or other family members of a public safety officer consistent with the definition in 42 U.S.C. 3796b, or as a fire police officer as noted below.

Other documentation the school determines to be from a credible source that describes or reports the circumstances of the death and the occupation of the parent or guardian may be accepted.

Submit all supporting documents to the FA Parent Killed in the Line of Duty Submission Form.