A recipient shall serve for 1 year after completion of study as a volunteer or career firefighter or ambulance or rescue squad member, in a full-time or part-time capacity, of an organized fire department or ambulance or rescue squad in the State. Each applicant offered an award shall sign and return a promissory note agreeing to begin fulfillment of the service obligation within 1 year of completing the degree for which they received assistance. The service obligation begins after completion of the degree program and cannot be fulfilled prior to completion. If a recipient holds a Riley Scholarship along with any other State award requiring a service obligation, the service obligations shall be served in consecutive years.