WASHINGTON – 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
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.