| VA BEGINS SPRING
SEMESTER OUTREACH TO VETS ON NEW G.I. BILL
Mike Walcoff: "We are making a
concerted effort to reach out to everyone to provide the timely
benefits that those who served our nation deserve."
NOTE from
Larry Scott, VA Watchdog dot Org
... Besides the press release below, the VA is reaching out with a
letter to state VA directors (available
for viewing or download here) and a printable hip-pocket guide
for veterans using the New G.I. Bill (available
for viewing or download here).
Use our search engine for more
about the old and new G.I. Bills ... here ...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/sessearch.php?q=g.i.+bill&op=ph
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VA Reaching Out to Students
and Schools to Speed Benefit Payments
“Shared Responsibilities” Among
Schools, Students and VA
WASHINGTON – In a coordinated effort to speed up the processing of
Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefits this spring, the Department
of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today that it has been reaching
out to student Veterans, servicemembers, university officials and
other partners to meet its commitment to an aggressive processing
goal by Feb. 1, 2010. Feb. 1 is the first date spring payments are
due and presently VA has processed over 72,000 of the
approximately 103,000 spring enrollments received. Since inception
of the historic new program last year, VA has paid over $1.3
billion in benefits to more than 170,000 students.
“Only by VA and all of our partners working together will students
be better served,” said VA's Acting Under Secretary for Benefits
Mike Walcoff. “We are making a concerted effort to reach out to
everyone to provide the timely benefits that those who served our
nation deserve.”
Walcoff said there are “shared responsibilities” between VA,
universities and the students to ensure the success of processing
the education benefits on time.”
 VA
has sent letters to university presidents and school certifying
officials, state Veterans affairs directors, and notified Veteran
service organizations, congressional members and other education
stakeholders highlighting VA’s emphasis on the importance of
timely submission of school enrollment information.
VA also released a "Hip Pocket" guide and checklist, with helpful
tips to assist Veterans in the application process. The guide and
checklist can be found on college campuses and VA’s GI Bill Web
site, www.gibill.va.gov .
VA is working to provide timely payments to all eligible Veterans
to ensure that students are spared the financial hardships which
some faced during the fall 2009 term.
To help address the high volume of claims received for the new
Post-9/11 GI Bill, VA hired 530 employees, bringing the total
number of education claims processors to 1,200. Employees have
been working mandatory overtime since August 2009. Additionally,
the department awarded a temporary contract to assist with
education claims processing.
Veterans, servicemembers, reservists, and members of the National
Guard who served on active duty since September 11, 2001 are
potentially eligible for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill. It provides
payments for tuition and fees, as well as a housing allowance and
stipend for books and supplies for many participants.
Under the new GI Bill, some members of the armed forces may
transfer benefits to a spouse or dependent children.
Information about the Post-9/11 GI Bill, as well as VA’s other
educational benefit programs, is available at VA’s Web site,
www.gibill.va.gov , or by
calling 1-888-GIBILL-1 (or 1-888-442-4551).
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