WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), in partnership with Student Veterans of America (SVA), will provide two Army student veterans $10,000 each in scholarships under a new program making its debut at the 2014 AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition.

Named the Raytheon Patriot Scholarship for the company's Patriot Air and Missile Defense System, the program offers returning soldiers an opportunity to achieve educational goals and position themselves for success in civilian professions. The scholarships will be awarded to soldiers who pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree at an accredited university and demonstrate leadership in their local community.

Applications for the scholarship grants will be accepted on the SVA website beginning on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2014.

"The Raytheon Patriot Scholarship honors and aids military heroes who have selflessly served their country," said Ralph Acaba, vice president of Integrated Air and Missile Defense for Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. "Our goal is to provide Army student veterans with the resources they need to succeed academically and ultimately, in civilian life."

Raytheon and SVA joined forces in November 2012 with a shared mission to provide military veterans the resources, support and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education. Such empowerment helps our nation's warfighters find success in their civilian lives, developing a generation of professionals who already understand the importance of leadership, discipline and perseverance.

The Raytheon Patriot Scholarship is the latest in a series of scholarship initiatives launched by Raytheon and SVA.

About Patriot
Patriot is the world's most modern and capable air and missile defense system, providing protection against a full range of advanced threats, including aircraft, tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. Continually upgraded and enhanced to reflect the latest technology, Patriot is the system of choice for 12 nations around the globe. Raytheon is the prime contractor for both domestic and international Patriot Air and Missile Defense Systems and system integrator for Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles.

About Student Veterans of America
Student Veterans of America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit coalition of over 1,100 student veteran organizations on college campuses globally. Founded in 2008, the SVA's mission is to provide military veterans with the resources, support and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education and following graduation.

About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2013 sales of $24 billion and 63,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security and civil markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 92 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as cyber security and a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @Raytheon.

Media Contact
Josephine Finn
+1.978.858.5328
idspr@raytheon.com

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SOURCE Raytheon Company