AMVETS REACTS TO VA’S SOLICITATION FOR G.I. BILL CONTRACTOR

AMVETS calls it an unfortunate but necessary step to ensuring veterans receive benefits on time

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 2009—This morning, VA announced its solicitation for a private contractor to assist the department in filing Post-9/11 G.I. Bill (Chapter 33) claims. AMVETS, which helped call attention to the daunting payment delays, applauded VA for taking necessary action to fix the G.I. Bill issues, but labeled the move as unfortunate step to ensuring timely delivery of the new benefit.

“Chapter 33 delays are at a point where something drastic must be done to ensure that veterans receive their entitlements on time,” said AMVETS National Commander Duane J. Miskulin. “Though AMVETS would prefer that VA handle anything related to veterans’ claims in-house, it has become clear that the complexity of this benefit calls for drastic measures, so we’re happy to see that VA is taking the necessary steps to ensure timely delivery of benefits this spring.”

In recent Congressional testimony, VA officials admitted skepticism that the Chapter 33 claims backlog would be adjudicated by the end of the fall semester and also hinted that similar problems could plague the system until the digital filing system can be implemented in winter 2010.

AMVETS, which first learned of the potential delays in late August, questioned why it took VA so long to acknowledge that it needed additional help.

“Leading up to Chapter 33 implementation, VA assured the veterans’ community and the public that it had all the resources to process up to 400,000 Chapter 33 claims,” said AMVETS National Legislative Director Ray Kelley. “Today, we have only seen about 82,000 enrolled veterans seeking benefits, yet VA now claims this exceeds their capacity.”

Kelley went on to say that VA’s real hurdle comes in the physical processing of the benefit, which can take up to an hour and a half for each claim. Even with hundreds of new claims processors trained and deployed for the roll-out, Kelley says VA was set up for failure from the beginning with an ambitious one-year implementation deadline.

AMVETS leaders have heard from dozens of student-veterans around the country who say they would have rather waited another year for the digital verification system to be online than deal with the current delays.

AMVETS will continue to monitor Post-9/11 G.I. Bill implementation, as details of the VA’s contracting solution become available. Check back with www.amvets.org and American Veteran Online for details.

About AMVETS:    
A leader since 1944 in preserving the freedoms secured by America’s armed forces, AMVETS provides support for veterans and the active military in procuring their earned entitlements, as well as community service and legislative reform that enhances the quality of life for this nation’s citizens and veterans alike. AMVETS is one of the largest congressionally-chartered veterans’ service organizations in the United States, and includes members from each branch of the military, including the National Guard and Reserves. To learn more visit www.amvets.org.