VA Set for Start of Post-9/11 GI Bill on August 1

Herseth Sandlin Commends VA’s Progress with Setting and Meeting Key Milestones Necessary for Administering New Educational Benefit

Washington D.C. – On Thursday, June 25th, 2009, Chairwoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) held the second Economic Opportunity Subcommittee hearing of the 111th Congress on the long term and short term implementation strategies employed by the Department of Veterans’

Affairs (VA) for the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Post-9/11 G.I. Bill). The hearing provided the VA an opportunity to update the Subcommittee on the development of the information technology (IT) components for the success of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill and the progress that has been made towards its implementation.

Chairwoman Herseth Sandlin provided the following statement: "While there was tremendous Congressional support for the passage of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, Congress has an ongoing responsibility to ensure timely and effective implementation. However, since the passage of the bill, concerns have been raised about this very complicated program. I am committed to working with the Administration to ensure that our veterans receive their education benefit in a manner befitting their sacrifice."  

There are three phases the VA Office of Information and Technology is using to successfully implement the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. Phase 1 was completed on March 9, 2009. It included improving the capability to accept applications for educational benefits and manually store eligibility and entitlement information. Phase 2 will add specific data elements for processing claims and providing tuition payment calculations to veterans. This phase is scheduled to be completed on July 7, 2009. Lastly, Phase 3 will enhance the VA’s capability to determine entitlement amounts and benefit levels for veterans based on years of military service.

Since May 1, 2009, VA has received more than 75,000 applications from veterans for the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill education benefit. According to Keith Wilson, the Director of VA’s Office of Education Service, approximately 35,000 of those claims have already been processed by regional processing offices (RPO) located throughout the country. On July 6, 2009, the VA will begin accepting enrollment certifications from school officials and will begin processing claims for payment. The VA has hired and trained approximately 530 temporary claims examiners to help process the large amounts of claims received. In addition, the VA has authorized all RPOs to hire 230 additional claims examiners.

Several outreach methods have been employed to raise awareness about the educational benefits that are available through the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill among the veteran community. The VA mailed approximately 2 million letters to veterans and has also been working with the Department of Defense (DOD) to inform all service members. The most valuable outreach resource is the VA G.I. Bill website, which is currently being redesigned to improve its functionality, navigation, and content delivery. VA also created a G.I. Bill Facebook page and there are plans to conduct a national marketing campaign.

The Yellow Ribbon G.I. Bill Education Enhancement Program assists eligible veterans in covering tuition expenses that exceed the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition rate. As a part of the program, schools agree to cover up to 50 percent of the tuition that the

Post-9/11 G.I. Bill does not cover. As of June 15, 2009, the VA has approved approximately 2,229 Yellow Ribbon Program agreements. Tuition and fee rates have been posted on the VA G.I. Bill website by August 1,

2009.

Bob Filner, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs commented, "The Post 9/11 G.I. Bill will help make our veterans part of the economic recovery, much like the veterans of World War II. Now, in 2009, this country has come together to fully invest in the future of our heroes and support those who have borne the heaviest burdens of war.

Returning veterans have shown their commitment to our country by their service and our grateful nation is set to provide to our most dedicated citizens an opportunity to receive the education and training they missed while serving in the military."

Witness List

* Keith M. Wilson, Director, Office of Education Service, Veterans

Benefits Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Accompanied by

o Stephen W. Warren, Acting Assistant Secretary for Information

and Technology, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

o Mark Krause, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Department

of Veterans Affairs Program Manager

Prepared testimony and a link to the webcast of the hearing are available on the internet at this link:

http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/hearing.aspx?newsid=433