Air Force scholarship paves way for future engineers Published April 15, 2009 By Staff Sgt. Chad Tanner WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- The U.S. Air Force is offering a college scholarship called the Technical Degree Sponsorship Program. TDSP is an opportunity for electrical, computer and environmental engineering students, who are within 24 months of completing their bachelors degree, to earn a salary. TDSP participants receive approximately $30,000 a year in salary and tax-free pay. In addition, TDSP participants and their dependents (if applicable) are issued ID cards and are entitled to full military benefits including health care, base exchange privileges, commissary privileges and enrollment in the military's 401K program, known as the Thrift Savings Plan. Those selected into the TDSP will enlist in the U.S. Air Force as an officer trainee. Their duty will be to complete their education and then serve four years as an engineer in the Air Force. The four-year commitment after graduation is guaranteed employment in the engineering career field. After completing their degree, they will attend officer training school and be commissioned as a second lieutenant. In addition, the Air Force will pay these officer trainees for up to 24 months to complete their degree. Program applicants must be in good academic standing with a minimum 3.0 grade point average on a 4-point scale for all college-level studies as well as their academic major. In addition, students must score a minimum of 25 on the verbal and 25 on the quantitative portions of the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test. Anyone interested in applying for the TDSP, should contact Staff Sgt. Matthew J. Foote, 338th Recruiting Squadron at (937) 902-0248.