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Veterans Experience GI Bill Aid Delay, Can't Pay Tuition

Tens of thousands of veterans who headed to college this fall under a new GI Bill that promises to cover most, if not all, of their expenses are scrambling to pay bills because of delays in benefit checks, say students, colleges, and veterans groups.

“The GI Bill is a mess,” said Rutgers University-Camden freshman Robeen Billings, 24, a former naval electronics technician. “I’m struggling because my first semester is not paid. I’m commuting from Newark to Camden, living off my credit card.”

On Friday, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki said that the veterans had a right to complain, and that his department would try to set things right by issuing emergency checks of up to $3,000 to veterans whose payments have been delayed.

“It’s clear to me that we have to do something, just to be on the safe side to alleviate any stress that students are facing,” Shinseki told the Associated Press.

The checks will be distributed at 57 regional VA offices starting Friday. The VA said it expected to send representatives to schools with large veteran populations and work with veterans’ service organizations to help students with transportation needs.

Since Aug. 1, when the Post-9/11 GI Bill went into effect, the VA has approved nearly 200,000 of 277,000 applications but issued just 61,000 payments totaling more than $50 million, according to figures released last week.

Shinseki said the process would be automated and more efficient next year.

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