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What is going on at VA- The Inside Scoop
Tue at 8:03am

Is Your Claim Being Processed?:The Comments section for our “Notes” has received several questions and concerns about processing and paying claims under the new Post-9/11 GI Bill. Unfortunately, some recent articles news published on this have been inaccurate or misleading. We would like to explain in a little more detail what goes into processing Post-9/11 GI Bill claims.

The Process: Since the bill was signed in July 2008, we’ve been hard at work writing regulations, policies, and procedures, while at the same time creating a brand new system to process these claims. We had to develop all new computer software to calculate and pay your entitlement. We hired and trained hundreds of new employees to help process the massive amounts of new claims we expected to receive. Like any new system, we know it is not perfect, but we are working very hard to ensure that you are able to go to school this fall.

Current Status: As of the end of August we have received about 236,000 claims for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and have completely processed 169,000 of them. That leaves around 70,000 claims that have not been processed. 70% of those were received in the last 30 days.

Receiving so many claims in a short period of time is not uncommon for us. In fact, our claims processing time generally increases during the Fall and Spring enrollment periods for students going to school. In August, it took us an average of 28 days to process a Post-9/11 GI Bill claim.

We cannot begin paying you under any benefit program — including the Post-9/11 GI Bill — until your school certifying official verifies your enrollment information and reports that to VA. While we began accepting enrollment certifications from certifying officials on July 6, 2008, some states or schools did not finalize their tuition and fee rates until August. This impacts the ability of the certifying official verify your enrollment information to VA, since your official must report your tuition and fee cost to us. Also, some schools might not verify your enrollment until after the drop/add period is completed and your schedule is finalized. This also will delay the certifying official from verifying your enrollment to VA.

Finally, those individuals receiving payments under the Post-9/11 GI Bill who began school in August will receive their first full housing allowance payment around October 1, 2009. Housing allowance payments sent on or around September 1, 2009, are pro-rated for the days of attendance in August, in the same manner as is done for other VA education programs.

Also, If you have received notice from your school that payment delay will jeopardize your enrollment, please contact your school's VA certifying official and request that they address this issue with their VA point of contact.

comments by people:

Bruce Lee Brinkman
As the Post Adjutant/Service Officer, I am doing my best...
Tue at 8:07am · Report

Debbie Grzywinski Anderson
Can't blame it on the school when the school is still waiting on the Certificate of Eligibility... which is taking 8-12 weeks! And comments on that??

Christine Kessler
I havent seen ANY BAH yet and i started school in Aug. and Certified Aug 2nd

Manny Kung
HURRAY!!! It's not easy to make a quick transition program-wise in a short among of time but you guys did it and deserve the honor of helping out so many veterans to better ourself!!! Thanks a lot for letting us know how things go. God Bless!

Ruth Harris
Going on 11 weeks and I'm still patiently awaiting the arrival of my COE...much encouragement and thanks to all the hard workers at the Ed Dept of the VA!

Cheyenne Forsythe
I submitted everything a long time ago, submitted enrollment verification Aug 3rd. My tuition is paid, but if I weren't living with my parents, I'd be homeless and without books right now.

Dale Secco
I am in the Western Region, certified enrollment July 28th and I still have not seen anything from the VA. I am completely understanding of their situation, however, people are relying on this money to buy books and sadly, to live. Lets just hope that this delay is a one time thing and once the claims are processed, the money comes as it should.

Tony Medina
Certified enrollment 4 weeks (1month ago) still not paid.

Thomas M. Toker
At least they sent you , your certification , put it in MAY said they didnt recieve it till August, still have to wait on that to certify enrollment

J Butch White
this really does not motivate vets to enroll in school. i understand that these things take time as it is a new system but to what extent? what of those who have children and have quit their jobs in attempts to excel their education? the system is great in theory but how long is too long and should people be excited to "hurry up and wait"?

La'Trena Barrett
still not paid either and certified enrollment 4 weeks ago...i ended up having to get financial aid because mine only pays 90%.

Brian Hawthorne
Student Veterans of America is available to help veterans work with their school administrators to ensure they are processing their claims properly, as well as help with other veteran programs. Visit us at www.studentveterans.org

Good luck in school!

Tony Poynter
its like this because there is no accountability there, who ever is in charge of the people that we talk to and handles our paper work have no fear of losing there job, its a joke, there is a better way to do it all but they all choose not to do it that way

Daniel Umberger
if they stepped into the 21st century and made everything online so we could input our info ourselves, it wouldnt take so long to get done. They could recieve our info, Joe Doesnt Care About His Duties could check it, click verify, and poof! Money!

Gavin West
Seems all we can do is wait. Sad as that is..
Tue at 8:57am · Report

Jin Kong
i must be in that last 1% of people who filed early (In july), did everything on time (all applications completed by AUG), school sent all verification letters on time (in teh first week of August), and is still waiting to hear what the VA has done... so far, i received one letter from them (last week), indicating that they finally processed my claim and is waiting on my school to submit the enrollment verification... well, the school sent it a month ago!!! where are you VA???

Tony Poynter
im just sayin, if i wanted to join the army or whatever, the paper work would be done in a day, but since i want the gi bill money, that paper work takes 4-8 weeks, twice,

Tony Poynter
and what about if you need a question answered, u can call, wait on hold for an hour, to either be treated like an idiot or just get disc, thats the system that no one is paying attention too, and no one ever has a reason wy things are they way they are, they just laugh hen u ask them whats taking so long,

Joseph Pennington
If you owe the VA Money, they are quick to write you a letter or report you to the credit company if you dont pay them back in a certain about of time. Wish we could report them or get some back pay.
Tue at 9:07am · Report

Michael Trudeau
I like that they have time to create a cute logo "a new g.i. bill for a new country" but cant process claims for those of us who are shaping this new country

Kristopher Craw
Why it's happening is simple.

1) The VA thought they could find an outside contractor to develop the computer systems for processing the claims. They failed to find a suitable bid.

2) They assured Congress that they could handle it themselves, even though they previously stated that an outside contractor was the only viable method.... Read More

3) Not unpredictably, they over-estimated their own ability and failed to roll everything out on schedule. They are now playing catch up.

My problem with the VA isn't that the weren't able to get everything in place on time. I really believe that they are doing the best they can. My problem is the poor planning and lack of honesty.

Michelle Robinson
took me to 10 weeks to get my MGIB active duty money, and that is supposed to be QUICKER than post 911. The rep said that to me. and also said its a good thing i didnt switch over right now. i am not making this up, they really said that. he was the only honest rep i have talked to. others made up all kinds of stories about why it was so late. in the end it was just sitting with a rep somewhere at the wrong school for a month. why couldnt they have been that transparent with me four weeks ago?

Cheyenne Forsythe
Like I said I'd be homeless if it wasn't for my parents right now.

Paul Williams
It took me 10 weeks to get my eligibility, 2 weeks to wait on my VA rep to get my claim sent off, and now 2 more weeks due to having to add and swap classes. . . You guys say you are on top of things? Funny, That's why the SVA is after you huh? For those that have not gotten your payment, the SVA is taking a survey to advocate on your behalf to make the process run faster.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=oDtSpL46ocpUF_2bgEZy_2f37g_3d_3d

There is the link... Read More