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VA Reaching Out to Students and Schools to Speed
Benefit Payments
January 20, 2010
“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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posted by Larry Scott
Founder and Editor
VA Watchdog dot Org
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