VA to Send out Living Stipend Make-up Checks

by: Richard Allen Smith

Wed Jul 21, 2010 at 14:13:28 PM EDT


I have two things to say about this:

Underpayments of living stipends to veterans using the Post-9/11 GI Bill will be corrected in August when the Veterans Affairs Department issues one-time catch-up checks to anyone who has received the stipend since Jan. 1.

The checks represent a fix to a problem caused when VA did not update living stipends in January after military housing allowances, on which the stipends are based, increased.

First, the good: Every time there has been a hiccup in the process of administering the post-9/11 G.I. Bill, this Department of Veterans Affairs has been really great about seeing to it that the problem is resolved fairly and in as timely a manner as possible. VA deserves to be commended for that.

Now, the bad: We're coming up on the post-9/11 G.I. Bill's first birthday. Shouldn't the kinks be worked out by now? It's seems to me that we are passed the point where hiccups are acceptable.

Hopefully, VA has it's act together now and we won't see any more problems like this.
Richard Allen Smith :: VA to Send out Living Stipend Make-up Checks
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VA to Send out Living Stipend Make-up Checks | 6 comments
Senate did a Hearing On This Today (0.00 / 0)
Hearing: Improvements to the Post-9/11 GI Bill

United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Hearing:  Improvements to the Post-9/11 GI Bill July 21, 2010 9:30 a.m.


Table of Contents
1-Committee Leadership

* Chairman Daniel K. Akaka

2-Committee Leadership

* Ranking Member Richard Burr

Panel I

* Robert E. Clark, Assistant Director for Accession Policy, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness, Department of Defense
* KEITH M. WILSON, DIRECTOR, EDUCATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Panel II

* Captain Gerard M. Farrell, USN (Ret.), Executive Director, Commissioned Officers' Association of the U.S. Public Health Service
* ERIC HILLEMAN, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE SERVICE, VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS
* TERRY W. HARTLE, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION
* TIM EMBREE, LEGISLATIVE ASSOCIATE, IAVA
* Judith Flink, Executive Director, University Student Financial Services, University of Illinois Visit Link for Backlinks on Participants as well as the Video Archived

I didn't watch it as they didn't have it up at the site, nor did they have the information on the Participants finally got that this afternoon as well as they've got the Archived Video at the page, wasn't working about an hour ago, but this may give some more info on the question you asked.

Don't forget, the Country short cuts the funding, especially while at war, and the repubs always obstruct and slow down the process of playing catch up, remember they didn't do squat when they controlled, never do. Will say though Shinseki has been using some stimulus funds to help them in the IT needs.

'Hearts and Minds, "The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live there." -- President Lyndon Johnson

Don't be such a rooty poo candy ass Staro (0.00 / 0)
The Dems were in power during the implementation of the New GI Bill.

Regardless of what the prior Administration did, the fact that the bill was supposed to go into effect on August 1 2009 means that the buck stops with the Obama administration.

Your constant whining and blaming EVERYTHING on the prior administration makes you sound like a little girl.

[ Parent ]
Well son (0.00 / 0)
You can Always post up All the Good Things you imagine as to your 'amours' at anytime. You've got a wealth of public records, Congressional especially but even Media all archived.

At least you show you can hit the keys, so have at it, but be careful, facts are facts, fantasies make you look as childish as you just did above!

'Hearts and Minds, "The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live there." -- President Lyndon Johnson

[ Parent ]
As usual you miss the point. (0.00 / 0)
Do you ever get tired of being a complete moron and a chronic jabroni.
[ Parent ]
POST-9/11 GI BILL IMPROVEMENT ACT (0.00 / 0)
AKAKA TO MOVE FORWARD WITH POST-9/11 GI BILL IMPROVEMENT ACT

Chairman holds hearing on strengthening new education program

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following a favorable hearing on improving the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) is preparing to move forward with legislation to improve the new program.

"The original GI Bill changed my life and our country," said Akaka, one of three current U.S. Senators who went to college on the original GI Bill.  "I am committed to strengthening the new program for post-9/11 troops and veterans, and I look forward to moving this improvement bill to a vote."

Akaka is the author of a S. 3447, the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010, a bill to enhance the new education benefit for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.  The Committee on Veterans' Affairs is scheduled to hold a markup of pending legislation on August 5, 2010, at which point Akaka intends to bring the bill up for a vote.

At the hearing yesterday, witnesses testified in support of the legislation and offered suggestions.  Continued



'Hearts and Minds, "The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live there." -- President Lyndon Johnson
Post-9/11 Vet. Educ. Assist. Improvements Act of 2010 (S 3447) (0.00 / 0)
Looooooooong past time, and I could have added many more zero's, not only as to this but everything Veteran Related, that this Country pony up and Sacrifice for the Wars and Occupations Of Choice you send others to fight in so you can feel? patriotic? and tell everyone just how much, Looooooooooooong Past Time!!!!!!!

Obama administration's support for GI Bill reform conditional


July 27, 2010 Senior officials at the departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense have joined veterans' groups and representatives of academia to endorse a comprehensive bill from Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) to reform the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Still to be determined is how to pay for the many provisions in the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 (S 3447) with estimated costs seen as high but still to be calculated, and alarms sounding across government over soaring budget deficits.

One of the more costly provisions of S 3447 would expand the new GI Bill beyond covering college courses to any type of training that veterans might want, from vocational schools and apprenticeships to flight instruction. Post-9/11 vets who currently take non-degree courses must make an irreversible decision to use their less generous Montgomery GI Bill benefit.

Another Akaka provision would make National Guard members eligible for the new GI Bill based on time spent on active duty through Title 32 call-ups for domestic emergencies or homeland security missions, or to serve full-time under the Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) program. Continued

Guess who's gonna block this because of costs and guess who'll support that blocking!!

'Hearts and Minds, "The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live there." -- President Lyndon Johnson

VA to Send out Living Stipend Make-up Checks | 6 comments
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