This was in the Saturday Strib, I am surprised that I didn't catch this earlier!
It would appear as though Minnesota National Guard members are struggling with the VA now that they are back from Iraq. It would appear as though a dispute over how the VA is counting service time for these members has arisen, which is causing a lower benefit payment to soldiers enrolled in college. The difference being more than $500 per month.
Bureaucracy behind the GI Bill has been around since the implementation of the benefit. I waited 6 months at St Cloud State before my benefits kicked in, racking up some late charges and fun stuff like that...even though my paperwork was in months before I started.
Once again, Veterans across the state struggle for access to their benefits. It was a very common story last summer out on the campaign trail. It's a sad state of affairs when Veterans have to fight harder for their benefits than they did defending this nation!
1 comment:
"The National Guard has been deployed in Federal service extensively since 2003 to perform the same missions as the Active Military and Reserve, without the same benefits.
Congress should appropriate the same benefits, especially Tricare and Federal Education assistance, to Guard members. Tricare would be helpful to retain soldiers and make citizen-soldiers attractive to prospective employers who may have to accept the new fact that the employee-soldier is going to be deployed more often.
These benefits should have been appropriated in 2003, before the Guard was deployed overseas. I hope the 110th Congress can accomplish this ASAP in 2007. This recognition is way overdue to a militia that has provided for the common defense for 370 years, beginning in Colonial days in 1636, over 150 years before the Constitution was ratified."
This blog comment is from December 2006, the 370th anniversary of the National Guard. 110th Congress hasn't acted yet to correct the deficiencies.
'Always Ready, Always There,' is associated with the National Guard.
And how can we describe the government in similar terms?
Never grateful, never timely?
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