Vets paid their dues, now Uncle Sam should too

As a U.S. Marine veteran, I’m currently using my Post-9/11 G.I. Bill to attend CSC, but lately I’ve been unable to receive my benefits that are owed to me. I have no grievances with how the school has handled my benefits in the past, and I have personally verified that the problems are not with the system here at CSC. The problems are at the Veterans Affairs system at the Federal level. I’m not the only one who is affected.

I have verified with at least 10 Marines with whom I have served who are in states ranging from Washington to Florida, and they too are experiencing delays in their housing allowances and book stipends. The Boston Fox News affiliate reports that the number of in Massachusetts is almost 10,000 delayed cases.

When I called the VA Education benefits hotline, I was informed that my claim was still “processing”, and that I would not be paid my stipend until the verification of my claim, whereupon I would receive my benefits.

I was not given any sort of accurate timeline as to when the claim would be approved, and therefore I can’t plan ahead. My hands and my pocketbook are still tied. Every other veteran who has not received their claim has relayed similar accounts to me.

Recently a staffer who works for Congressman Adrian Smith’s Grand Island office contacted me. He was all too cheerful in informing me that this isn’t the first time that the VA’s claims processing have had “hiccups”, which I find to be an oversimplified way of framing the dire straits that these delays cause.

These are not simply “hiccups.” These are very real delays that cost us greatly, and are detrimental to the credit that we strive to build as model citizens through responsible spending. We are not living in the lap of luxury on the entitlements we have earned; we are truly trying to scrape by.

I am living on that check from month to month, and managing to keep my student activities at the highest possible tempo. I am taking 15 credit hours, managing to serve three offices for the CSC Public Relations Club. I write for the newspaper, and I even offer my skills and experience in a mentor capacity to the CSC Army ROTC “War Eagles” program. Last semester, I made the Dean’s List. And on Friday night, while your average college student is studying or enjoying the night at a bar, I drive the 51 miles back up to Harrison, and help my father on our family’s cattle ranch.

Through the weekend I manage to do all these things on the tiny check that the VA affords to me. I don’t have enough time to go and get a fifth job.

I do not intend to have the outward appearance of coming to the government with a beggar’s bowl in my hands. If the VA system worked with the same diligence that our Veterans gave, I’d be happy.

I earned my check, and when it doesn’t come, I have to swallow my pride and ask my parents, who are already on a fixed income budget as it is, to somehow scrape together to support me.

There is uncertainty and anxiety being felt by the soon to be separating service members, that upon their return they too will not receive the dues that reflect their sacrifices. Those who are being sent out as the “first to fight” are being left “last in line” upon returning home.