By Greg Lehman

Daily Titan Staff Writer

Veteran students guaranteed tuition, books and school supply stipends, and housing allowances were denied their benefits for nearly seven weeks in the 2009 fall semester when the money they were promised did not arrive in their bank accounts, said both veteran Marine Corps infantry sergeant Adam Brzezicki and coordinator for Veterans Student Services at Cal State Fullerton Joseph Chang.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill, originally proposed by Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) gives veterans significant assistance for higher education after they have served at least 90 days of active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, according to a fact sheet detailing the bill linked to Senator Webb’s personal website. The bill was passed by both houses and ensures that men and women who have served in the military would receive monetary assistance in their educational goals.

Brzezicki, who had served in two combat tours in Iraq as well as serving in Okinawa, Japan, said that some delay was expected, but that waiting more than two months had put him at a serious financial disadvantage.

“Two to four weeks is about normal,” said Brzezicki. “The problem is it’s been two and a half months since I first applied and it’s been about seven weeks since I finished the process of applying. I got my classes certified and everything. Everything also got delayed because of the budget crisis going on at Cal State Fullerton. Since the G.I. Bill pays for all tuition and fees at a school, when the school decided to raise tuition, the contract that we had to go through the school all of a sudden was out of whack because they weren’t paying enough to cover the costs. So, they had to renegotiate the contract and that got everything delayed even further. It’s another problem caused by the fiscal crisis in California and also at Cal State Fullerton.”

Carla Ruiz, data control and assistant supervisor of records at the Veterans Services Office at CSUF, said that the campus was not at fault for the extra time it took for veterans to receive their benefits.

“It is my understanding that the processing delay was a result of delays from the Veteran’s Administration and not campus related,” said Ruiz. “It is also my understanding that this was a ‘one time’ delay based on this being the first term of eligibility for these benefits.”

Chang agreed with the logic that the first time the new bill is put into action would be the most difficult. “This is the one, big-time trouble,” said Chang, “because it’s a brand new benefit, and implementation has been very difficult because of the bottle-neck effect. Everybody was waiting, almost everybody who qualified for this benefit waited, and then they all just jumped on the wagon together.”

Chang said that an emergency check distribution was enacted the week of Oct. 2 by retired General Eric Shinseki, who was placed as head of Veterans Affairs by President Obama at the beginning of his administration’s term this year. When Shinseki approved the emergency distribution, veterans began to get their checks.

“They were relieved with this anxiousness and stress,” said Chang. “Also, I found that people who were concerned about the late checks, they were getting their regular benefits beginning last week. So it starts to be resolved, slowly.”

Brzezicki was skeptical about why the old Montgomery GI Bill which had been in place since World War II could work so well while the new GI Bill could face so many difficulties. “I just think they had that one figured out,” said Brzezicki, “and they know how to disperse the payments in a timely manner. And why they can’t do that for this one, I have no clue.”

Chang agreed that the VA was to blame in the past, and that Shinseki represented a change for the better. “VA has been behind the curve, behind the trend,” said Chang. “They were not excellent as far as providing services to veterans, especially when the new generation of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan needed a whole lot more than what they used to give.”

Chang did say that he believes the future will be better for veterans. “Once this beginning period ends, maybe end of October or beginning of November, it will be smoother, because everything will be set as far as implementation and distribution.

“Starting from spring things will be better, quicker, and the benefit is great,” said Chang. “So, our veterans should enjoy the benefits starting from spring and they will see the routine go on.”