Swamped by nearly 290,000 claims for the new GI Bill, the Department of Veterans Affairs has been unable to process paperwork, leaving some vets worried about paying bills for housing and books.
The VA last week began issuing emergency payments at 57 regional offices across the country.
By Wednesday, the regional office in Lakewood had issued checks to 593 students who applied for their educational benefits but had not yet received payments. The checks were for as much as $3,000.
Jason Andrade, a 35-year-old Iraq veteran who is now a senior at Metropolitan State College of Denver, was one of the first in line to receive that money.
He applied for the new benefits in May. Every time he called to check on the progress, he was told it would take six to eight weeks.
After eight weeks had passed, he was told the same thing.
“I was so frustrated,” said Andrade, a photojournalism student. “I said, ‘I was where I was supposed to be when I was serving my country over there, so why aren’t my benefits where they are supposed to be now?’ “
The new post- 9/11 GI Bill is the most comprehensive package of educational benefits since the original GI Bill in 1944. It covers full tuition for four years at a public college or university, and includes a housing stipend and up to $1,000 annually for books.
Under the old Montgomery GI Bill, a veteran received a flat rate each month from which to pay tuition and expenses.
The new bill pays tuition directly to the college, and a separate check goes to veterans for housing and books. The emergency checks are considered advance payments on the housing and books benefits.
The delayed payments have created big problems for people like Janet Maestas, who oversees the Veterans Services Office at Metro State.
“We’ve been overwhelmed,” Maestas said.
Metro State has 620 students who are veterans. Only 294 have received their GI Bill payments, she said. The others are struggling to get by.
“They may be evicted,” she said. “They need to eat and buy books.”
She has resorted to having the frustrated students sit in her office while she calls the VA to check on their claims, “so they don’t think I’m lying to get them out of here,” she said. “I want them to hear what I’m hearing.”
She has to hit redial five to 20 times before the phone is answered, then it’s another 15 minutes on hold.
“When the process is streamlined, it will be wonderful for veterans,” she said. “But right now, it’s a source of frustration.”
Colleen O’Connor: 303-954-1083 or coconnor@denverpost.com
