Veterans attending college in Colorado under the GI Bill haven’t been getting their benefits in a timely manner, so they turned to U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner for help.
Gardner said in a letter to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie that students who served our country are now being forced to make difficult choices between housing, food or tuition because the VA is backlogged.
This includes students attending CU, CSU, Regis and Colorado Mesa University, Gardner’s office said.
Gardner ordered the VA to take immediate actions to correct the problem, which the VA is now blaming on antiquated IT equipment.
The VA was supposed to make changes in the system to allow for increased benefits that were passed by Congress last year.
The VA had a year to get their act together but didn’t get started until July, and now the whole system is backed up with hundreds of thousands of veterans across the country not getting their monthly stipend.
Our veterans already made the ultimate choice between life or country, they shouldn’t have to choose between education or a meal.