WASHINGTON – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki today announced further outreach to Veteran-students eligible for a special emergency payment of their education benefits. Veterans can now apply online beginning Oct. 2. Veteran-students can also request courtesy transportation to VA regional benefits offices.

“Our Veterans went the extra mile for their country,” Shinseki said. “One of our top priorities in transforming VA is to be, first and foremost, the advocate for Veterans.”

Last week Shinseki announced that on Friday, Oct. 2, VA’s 57 regional benefits offices will begin providing on-the-spot emergency payments up to $3,000 to students who have applied for their education benefits but who have not yet received a government payment.
Citing the distance many Veterans would have to travel to apply in person at a VA benefits office, Shinseki announced Veterans can also apply online at www.va.gov, starting Oct. 2. The online application will guide Veterans through the process to supply needed information. Shinseki noted that online applicants will receive their emergency payments through the mail after processing.

“VA is adapting to meet the financial needs of our Veteran-students who are on campus,” Shinseki said. “They should be focusing on their studies, not worrying about financial difficulties.”

Students without their own transportation can also request free van service, provided by volunteers, to carry them to the nearest benefits office. To obtain this service, Veterans would have to call their nearest VA medical center and ask for the “Volunteer Transportation Coordinator.” Transportation will be on a first-come, first-served, space-available basis. Veterans can find a map and list of medical centers at http://www2.va.gov/directory/guide/division_flsh.asp?dnum=1.

Whether traveling by personal vehicle or volunteer van, VA officials suggest students check their mail boxes and banking accounts before leaving home, since some Veterans will find their checks have already arrived. VA would like to recognize the volunteers and Veterans Service Organizations for partnering with the Department to ensure that Veterans’ needs are met.
The emergency checks are an advance on each student’s education benefits, and the amount will be deducted from future benefits payments. Checks will be written at the regional offices for Veterans who bring a photo ID and evidence of their enrollment. VA officials emphasize that $3,000 is the maximum payment, with many Veterans receiving smaller payments based upon their likely monthly education benefits.

A map and list of the participating VA regional benefits offices is available on the Internet at http://www2.va.gov/directory/guide/division_flsh.asp?dnum=3. The most updated information regarding VA issuing emergency checks will be available at VA’s web site www.va.gov starting Oct. 1.

Applications from approximately 25,000 Veterans are currently being processed for Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefit payments to students or schools.

Emergency GI Bill checks starting 02OCT09

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has authorized checks for up to $3,000 to be given to students who have applied for educational benefits and who have not yet received their government payment. The checks will be distributed to eligible students at VA regional benefits offices across the country starting Oct. 2, 2009.

“Students should be focusing on their studies, not worrying about financial difficulties,” Secretary Shinseki said. “Education creates life-expanding opportunities for our Veterans.”

Starting Friday, Oct. 2, 2009, students can go to one of VA’s 57 regional benefit offices with a photo ID and a course schedule to request advance payment of their education benefits. Because not all these offices are located near students, VA expects to send representatives to schools with large Veteran-student bodies and work with Veteran Service Organizations to help students with transportation needs.

A list of those VA regional offices is available at www.vba.va.gov/VBA/benefits/offices.asp.

“I’m asking our people to get out their road maps and determine how we can reach the largest number of college students who can’t reach us,” VA’s Under Secretary for Benefits Patrick Dunne said. “Not everyone has a car. Not everyone can walk to a VA benefits office.”

Although VA does not know how many students will request emergency funds, it has approximately 25,000 claims pending that may result in payments to students.

The funds VA will give to students now are advance payments of the earned benefits for education. This money will be deducted from future education payments.

VA officials said students should know that after this special payment, they can expect to receive education payments on the normal schedule -- the beginning of the month following the period for which they are reimbursed.

“This is an extraordinary action we’re taking,” said Shinseki. “But it’s necessary because we recognize the hardships some of our Veterans face.”

More than 27,500 students have already received benefits for housing or books under the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, or their schools received their tuition payments.

Sacramento Stand Down 2009

Six of us made it to the Stand Down this year. Kolin, Fred, Jessica, Johnny, Michelle and Christian. After we rolled up the flatware in napkins, we served the homeless vets, scrambled eggs and ham, pancakes and syrup. Jessica really heaped on the eggs and ham!

0700 is awfully early to be somewhere and think clearly. Someone tried to get a word about the website. . . oh well ; (

New GI Bill, same old bureaucratic delays -- latimes.com

New GI Bill, same old bureaucratic delays -- latimes.com

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BBQ News

The BBQ went well!

We made money!

Many more have discovered the ARC Vets Club is on campus!

Here are a few pictures.

The rest are on the Yahoo Group.

Upcoming Events

Things are happening now!

We had an incredibly productive meeting today. If you didn't attend you really missed it.

We are getting ready for the Veteran's Day event on Wednesday, November 9th. There will be numerous vendors there such as Vets4Vets, the Coming Home Project, possibly a Hummer blasting music, The Soldiers Project and many more participants are contributing to the event. Joe Chacon is doing a fantastic job of heading up the media coverage.

Other events coming up are the Stand Down this coming week end at BSA Camp Pollock, 1501 Northgate Blvd. Sacramento, CA.

Then the Returning Home event on Friday, September 25th will be held at Sacramento City College.

Those who missed the meeting - missed out on free River Cats tickets for the playoffs this Friday! And an application for a $500 scholarship was passed out too!!!

Should have been there!

Secretary Shinseki Moves to Simplify PTSD Compensation Rules

WASHINGTON (Aug. 24, 2009) - Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K.
Shinseki announced the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is taking steps to assist Veterans seeking compensation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

"The hidden wounds of war are being addressed vigorously and comprehensively by this administration as we move VA forward in its transformation to the 21st century," said Secretary Shinseki.

The VA is publishing a proposed regulation today in the Federal Register to make it easier for a Veteran to claim service connection for PTSD by reducing the evidence needed if the stressor claimed by a Veteran is related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity. Comments on the proposed rule will be accepted over the next 60 days. A final regulation will be published after consideration of all comments received.

Under the new rule, VA would not require corroboration of a stressor related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity if a VA psychiatrist or psychologist confirms that the stressful experience recalled by a Veteran adequately supports a diagnosis of PTSD and the Veteran's symptoms are related to the claimed stressor.

Previously, claims adjudicators were required to corroborate that a non-combat Veteran actually experienced a stressor related to hostile military activity. This rule would simplify the development that is required for these cases.

PTSD is a recognized anxiety disorder that can follow seeing or experiencing an event that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury to which a person responds with intense fear, helplessness or horror, and is not uncommon in war.

Feelings of fear, confusion or anger often subside, but if the feelings don't go away or get worse, a Veteran may have PTSD.

VA is bolstering its mental health capacity to serve combat Veterans, adding thousands of new professionals to its rolls in the last four years. The Department also has established a suicide prevention helpline
(1-800-273-TALK) and Web site available for online chat in the evenings at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/Veterans