GI Benefit Delays Leave Vets Scrounging

Thousands of War Veterans Home from Battlefield, Enrolled in College, But Left Waiting for Federal Cash Help

(AP)  Brandon Thomas was hit by shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade and twice grazed by bullets fired by the Taliban during his final tour with the Army in Afghanistan.

After risking his life, the 27-year-old father and Purple Heart recipient is one of thousands of veterans who now say they are waiting weeks or months for education benefits under a newly fattened GI Bill, leaving many to scrape up money from family or take loans to cover college costs while the Department of Veterans Affairs pledges to speed up payments.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill is the most significant expansion of education benefits since the original GI Bill in 1944. Eligible veterans receive payments for tuition, housing and a book stipend. The VA says more than 50,000 veterans and their relatives have given notice that they're enrolled in college for the fall semester and hoping to be reimbursed under the program, which started making payments in August.

Thomas submitted his paperwork to the VA in July, but he's still waiting for the first check to arrive. When he bought nearly $1,000 in books this semester, Thomas billed it to a credit card.

"What was the alternative?" said Thomas, who is studying business.

In the military, there is a phrase often repeated among troops: "Hurry up and wait." Hurry up and get to the training field. Hurry up and get to the shooting range. And then, wait for what can seem like an eternity for anything to begin.

Veterans are now finding themselves repeating that phrase as they go to apply for their GI Bill benefits.

"We're a patient group of people," Thomas said. "Patience only goes so long."

According to the VA, 277,403 claims have been filed for benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Some 205,704 claims have been processed and the rest are pending. The average processing time is 34 days, up from 28 a month before.

"We're continuing to work hard and we're not going to stop until this process is smooth for everybody," Keith Wilson, director of the VA's Education Service division, said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Veterans must complete two steps to receive payment: First, the VA must confirm that they are eligible: 189,597 of these claims have been processed, and another 60,071 are pending.

Second, veterans must obtain a certificate of enrollment, which confirms their college attendance. This is done through their school and the VA. There are some 12,258 certifications still pending.

In all, about 51,000 veterans, their spouses or children - who are also eligible for payment under the new bill - have notified the VA of their enrollment for the fall semester. Some 24,186 have been paid and about 27,000 are awaiting payment.

A number of factors are behind the delays: Some schools did not set their tuition until mid to late summer, which meant forms needed for payment weren't received until shortly before the start of school.

The time it takes to process each claim is also lengthened because an automated system is still being developed and won't be fully in place until December 2010. Meanwhile, it can take more than an hour to process one claim by hand. The VA has hired 760 additional claims examiners to handle the increased workload.

U.S. Rep Harry Mitchell, the House of Representatives sponsor of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, released a statement Thursday saying his office has been pressing the VA for an explanation of the delays.

"The VA has had more than a year to prepare for implementation of this law, it should be ready," Mitchell said in the statement. "Any delay in getting our veterans the benefits they earned and deserved is of urgent concern. The education that our veterans have been promised must not be delayed, not by a single semester."

Most universities are working with students by granting deferrals and, in some cases, issuing vouchers to cover the cost of books. But many veterans have taken out loans, billed credit cards, asked their parents for money, or dipped into savings as they wait for their claims to be processed.

"Veterans have to operate on the assumption that they're not going to get their benefits, because you can't count on that money being there," said Jason Lindsay, 27, an Army veteran who is studying to earn his master's degree in global security at John Hopkins University. "You have to have a backup plan."

Lindsay, who served in Kuwait and Iraq, opted to take out a $10,000 loan with a 5.6 percent annual interest rate to cover his tuition, books and living expenses for the semester. By September, he still hadn't received any VA payments.

"We fought for our country," he said. "But then we get home and we have to fight for our benefits."

The VA has encouraged schools to be flexible, and many have made accommodations.

At the University of Maryland, veterans waiting for their GI benefits can place a hold on their tuition payment, which is typically due the same day they register for classes.

The school recently sent out a letter to veterans, many of whom were nervous about the delays.

"We want to be sure you understand that you may attend classes while we are waiting for payment to arrive," it read.

A similar arrangement was made at the University of South Florida in Tampa, where administrators allowed veterans to defer payment until the end of October, said Billie Joe Hamilton, the director of scholarship and financial aid.

The school has approximately 800 to 900 veterans, and tuition payments for just 40 or 50 have been received, she said. Hamilton said they will extend the deadline again if the payments haven't arrived.

Making veterans aware of their options is one of the challenges.

"In nearly every case, they're not aware that there's an opportunity for them to receive a deferment," said Jim Selbe, assistant vice president for lifelong learning at the American Council on Education.

"It's tough," he said of the situation universities are in. "They're facing incredible budgetary challenges and finding themselves feeling a sense of obligation to their veterans. And it's quite a challenge of how to figure out a way to defer their tuition while at the same time meet their own budgetary obligations.

"At the same time, it appears they're finding a way to do it," he said.

Brandon Krapf, an Iraq veteran and American University student, is among veterans turning to family for help. Krapf said he borrowed more than $500 from his father to pay for books after the stipend he was expecting didn't arrive.

"Dad, you want my grades to tumble?" he told his father.

"He does not support me in the same sense that most college kids out of high school get support," Krapf, 27, said. "He doesn't have the money himself. He's retired Coast Guard himself and drives trucks and works ridiculous hours just for survival. And on top of that, has me coming to him."

Thomas, the Broward College student, is at an advantage: Because he earned a Purple Heart, his tuition is already covered by the state of Florida. Nevertheless, the stipends were planned income he did not receive. His wife is picking up extra shifts at her job, and a planned vacation with his family to Sea World has been scratched.

He said he calls every Monday, hoping to find out when his claim will be processed.

[j_d_green]

Nothing has changed since I was discharged in 1990. I entered college that year. I had contributed to the GI Bill (the government and I signed a contract). But, after 3 months of not receiving the monthly dividend I began to dig. The campus liaison for veterans was new to the job. She made several attempts to get answers to no avail. I then began making calls. The last phone call I made was to a Denver office where the checks are sent from. The person on the distant end was rude and obnoxious and ended the call by saying I wasn't qualified and hung up. So, I took pen in hand and wrote to our then Congressman (Bill Paxon). I told him my story and sent him a copy of the contract I had signed. A few weeks later he sent me a letter stating he would see what he could do. About a month after that I received a letter from Congressman Paxon along with a copy of a letter he had sent to Major General Kelly in Washington D.C. Three weeks later I received a letter from Uncle Sam that my benefits had been approved and all back benefits would soon be there. It's not often a politician does good, but Congressman Paxon did that time. The government (regardless of which party is in the White House or in control of The House) does a lousy job at supporting veterans or running programs in general; FEMA (fraud and waste), Medicare (fraud and waste), ACORN (see YouTube), health care for veterans (Walter Reed), benefits for veterans (see above article).

[veteran71]

The Reich Wingnut Clown Party of Corporate Owned Criminals LOVES to pursue their main objective of endless Wars for Profit around the globe, (when they're not raking in tons of $cash$ from their pals in Big Oil, Big Pharma, and Wall Street, that is)....
Went and signed up to protect and defend mom and apple pie didja??....too bad, you've been punked....
Remember, the Regal God of the Wingnuts, Ronnie Raygun, decided veterans, who were PROMISED by the government before enlisting, that educational benefits would be available WHENEVER they decided to use them, even in 20 years, didn't REALLY need those benefits, so he put a 10 year time limit on them AFTER THE FACT, spitting in the faces of EVERY Vietnam veteran.
Remember these Scumbags at election time, and vote out EVERY LAST ONE of the GOP Criminal Clowns. (and those Bluedog DINOs too)

[amazedd]

Lesson Number One:
To be a sucksexfool bussinessman, never spend $1,000 on books, stationary or pencils. No matter what the sexy clerk tells you.
As Mrs Bush would say: Come to me, in the library!

[mav547166]

Just wait till they manage your health care.

[jsd330]

I wish these guy's luck, It took me almost two years to get any education money out of the VA (Viet Nam era).

[stuart-johns]

Part of the problem is that the increased influx of veterans claiming this benefit has sharply risen since we went into Iraq and Afghanistan.

[DSW358]

From what I'm hearing, with the infamous Spawar, Navy Dept in charge of getting the benefit software done, AND LOSING THEIR BEST PEOPLE TO OTHER COMPETITORS, the wait may grow longer. Spawar, a branch of the Navy, is notorious for finding work in DC because someone moved the organization's headquarters to Charleston, S.C. In order to stay in DC, these folks have to MAKE WORK--and HAVE GIGANTIC FINANCIAL MARKUPS in order to pay their reimbursed salaries...so a bunch of high priced contractors are involved in this project, and a bunch of USELESS federal employees, more interested in traveling for per diem than in ever getting the project done are involved. Worse, the brains of the outfit is walking out next month to a new job.... The Defense Department is so big that no one can keep track of it, all this (bogus)make-work business of reimbursed units trying to find work to keep people in jurisdictions that they work out of. I feel sorry for the GI's, the one guy I know of that is being lost is a genius software writer and he's been frustrated right out of the environment. What will be left? the do-nothing Spawar feds and their over-priced contractors, and No brains in the mix. Good luck GI's. Write to your Congressmen, get rid of Spawar, its obsolete.

[icjunior97]

This has always been happening. It is not a new thing. I applied for my first set of benefits in Jan.05 it took 13months to get those benefits. I covered my school out of my own pocket. The VA has always been undermanned.

[eferrell2]

Surprise! Surprise! The US government dissing veterans did NOT start with Obama's presidency. This kind of treatment has been going for years! Why anybody would volunteer to risk their life for this country is beyond me.

CarolttaMac, you are a racist AND an idiot! One of those morons out there who only believes what they want to believe with no idea of what is really going on.

[NancyLou9]

"U.S. Rep Harry Mitchell, the House of Representatives sponsor of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, released a statement Thursday saying his office has been pressing the VA for an explanation of the delays.

"The VA has had more than a year to prepare for implementation of this law, it should be ready," Mitchell said in the statement."
***************************************************************
If this new GI Bill is "Obama's Plan", how did the VA have a year to get ready for its implementation in May? Typical Obamanation - pass the buck. It's obvious Obama has some kind of mental defect. He can't even take responsibility for his actions.

I wonder how long it is before he accusing Bush of being on the grassy knoll in Dallas?

[hungry1968-16]

by gop_victory2 September 25, 2009 9:04 AM EDT
This just goes to prove that Obama hates the troops.






Obama hates the troops because he hasn't had a chance to fix THIS disaster caused by the previous administration?

[hungry1968-16]

by rightwingconspirocy September 25, 2009 8:32 AM EDT
GI Benefit Delays Leave Vets Scrounging
Thousands of War Veterans Home from Battlefield, Enrolled in College, But Left Waiting for Federal Cash Help

And the Government wants to run our health care. LOL! Obama and his followers could care less about these guys. They would rather give the money away for votes to people who dont deserve it.







Got slapped on the other thread, so you came here instead to spread your BS and smear?

[crispy-gmx]

The VA needs to get on the ball and process these applications! If whoever is in charge of this program is not doing their job, they should be fired and replaced.

Let's not forget however, the GOP, including Sen McCain, who claims to support our troops, were against the new G.I. benefits bill! I guess they think our men and women's sacrifices for our country are not worth the money!

[quapawsix]

Well I guess you see now The war mongers got the Gold mine and we the troupes got the shaft. Nothing has changed since Vietnam.

[dontknowitall]

What? You think this is a new issue. Get real. My grandfather went through this after WW1. My father after WW11 and my brother and I after the Vietnam War. Less than 7 percent of the US population are Veterans, so as minorities we end up with Squat.

[brianbwb-2009]

Some lessons are apparently just too difficult to learn.

[brianbwb-2009]

Some lessons are apparently just too difficult to learn.

[pubsrtoast]

Good point. The federal government says that 9% of the population are vets and that they make up 23% of all homeless people, 47% of those are Vietnam veterans.

[docpeter1953]

And there are people (Happ E. Citizen) and the government that want to ruin health care.

[quapawsix]

That's ok if the troupes have to wait as long as wall street gets their big payday. Not good at some point in this game the troupes are going to revolt. Why fight there is no benefits as Wall street likes to point out the bottom line is whats in it for me.

[proudmilvet]

Movie stars getting paid Twenty Million Dollars per Picture. TV stars getting paid One Million Dollars per episode. Professional Athletes signing Multi-Million Dollar contracts despite repeated violent behavior. A certain Hate Spewing, Right-Wing Radio Talk Host signs an 8 year contract for $400 Million Dollars. Wall St. Executives & CEO's still getting Lavish Bonuses,despite being bailed out by the Government. Yet these poor SOB's fighting in Iraq & Afghanistan have to Wait & Wait & Wait for their College Tuition Money. We are the Greatest Country on the face of the Earth, My ASS!!

[brianbwb-2009]

The movie stars get paid relatively little compared to how much is made from their work, otherwise they wouldn't be working.

Athletes put fans (or detractors) in seats, and again generate far more money than they get, otherwise they wouldn't be playing.

The 400 million dollar idiot has a bunch of idiot fans, because repugnance sells, which makes him attractive to advertisers otherwise he would be just another drug addict.

Wall St. scum take what their shareholders let them get away with, otherwise they wouldn't be there.

Those who fought in Iraq should not have gone in the first place, how many generations have to learn this same lesson, that was visited upon their parents upon their return from Vietnam?

They had to have known they were going to get jacked when they went in, but still they went.

Otherwise they would still be scrounging for money.

Where is their money? In the pockets of Bush, Cheney, and the other war profiteers.

[Heartlight]

To a certain extent, I agree with brianbwb-2009. My ex was a Viet Nam vet who got jerked around until the day he died, from cancer due to Agent Orange exposure. (MD opinion, not just mine). I often wondered if the young men signing up considered this, after the Gulf War vets got the same old song and dance? The government has no intention of honoring their part of the bargain. They are willing to jerk you around until he-double hockey sticks freezes over. Sad, and just plain wrong. If they need more troops in Afghanistan, let all the politicians go!