‘1 Student
Veteran’ continues to triage student-veterans’ inquiries on
benefits
WASHINGTON
(October 11, 2013) – As a result of
the ongoing shutdown, the Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill hotline,
1-888-GIBILL-1, remains offline, meaning veterans have very few places to turn
for reliable information on accessing their earned GI Bill benefits. To counter
the lack of customer service, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States
(VFW) and Student Veterans of America (SVA) are once again informing veterans
that the “1 Student Veteran” program is fully open for the business. Those with
questions regarding GI Bill, or other benefits should email 1studentveteran@vfw.org, for timely
assistance.
“This
irresponsible government shutdown has already affected countless
student-veterans, which is why we have the obligation to ensure that ‘1 Student
Veteran’ helps fill the information void,” said VFW Commander-in-Chief Bill
Thien. “The shutdown has not only cut off the direct line to VA, but it has also
left veterans wondering whether or not their benefits will be delivered on time.
This is why the VFW and SVA stand ready to answer those difficult questions in a
timely manner.”
"This shutdown
has further complicated an already difficult process student veterans must
navigate when seeking to use their earned education benefits,” said SVA
executive director Wayne Robinson. “While veterans no longer have access to many
VA resources, the ‘1 Student Veteran’ program remains open to provide direct
assistance and answers to veterans in a timely manner. Together with the VFW,
SVA remains committed to working with student veterans and institutions
nationwide to address their concerns and find a suitable solution to this
problem.”
Since its
introduction in June, the team behind “1 Student Veteran” has answered hundreds
of inquiries on dozens of issues like benefits inaccuracies, available support
services, and even to clarify the VA benefits student-veterans are eligible to
receive. Veterans who send a message to 1studentveteran@vfw.org and receive a
reply within 24 hours or the next business day from a VFW staff member who
specializes in student-veteran issues.
“1 Student
Veteran” was the product of a recent memorandum of understanding between VFW and
SVA to offer mutual aid and assistance to the student-veteran community.
VA Secretary
Eric Shinseki confirmed this week that living stipends and other benefit
payments for nearly one million currently-enrolled student-veterans could be cut
off if Congress fails to resolve the government shutdown by Nov. 1. With the
deadline looming, the VFW and SVA stand ready to assist in any way possible to
ensure that student-veterans can continue in their programs of study.
In a recent
press statement, Thien called the continued shutdown “totally unacceptable and
disgraceful.” Veterans interested in contacting their members of Congress,
calling for an end to the shutdown can take action through the VFW by clicking
here: http://capwiz.com/vfw/issues/alert/?alertid=62963871
-vfw-
About the
Veterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of
Foreign Wars of the U.S. is a nonprofit veterans' service organization composed
of combat veterans and eligible military service members from the active, Guard
and Reserve forces. Founded in 1899 and chartered by Congress in 1936, the VFW
is the nation's largest organization of war veterans and its oldest major
veterans' organization. With nearly 2 million VFW and Auxiliary members located
in more than 7,000 Posts worldwide, "NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS." The VFW and
its Auxiliaries are dedicated to veterans' service, legislative advocacy, and
military and community service programs worldwide. For more information or to
join, visit our website at www.vfw.org.
About Student
Veterans of America
SVA is a
501(c)(3) non-profit coalition of over 850 student veteran organizations on
college campuses globally. SVA's mission is to provide military veterans with
the resources, support, and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education and
following graduation. For more information, visit us at www.studentveterans.org or visit our
YouTube channel.
Contact: VFW Deputy
Legislative Director Ryan Gallucci, 202-608-8341, rgallucci@vfw.org
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