en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/775929 Comments by axisgrid http://military-education.military.com/2010/01/time-to-start-paying-va-back/#IDComment54362133 The press release is a little confusing in its wording (imagine that!) but here are the key phrases: As part of that process, a web portal was established to allow electronic submission for advance payment. Advance payments were also made on-site at VA offices around the country. ==> At that time student Veterans were told that advance payments would be deducted from future benefit payments. (Which we weren't.) <== In collaboration with the Department of Defense, VA will ==>ALSO (my emphasis added) <== notify active duty service members who may have mistakenly applied for the advance payment of their options for returning un-cashed checks or reimbursing deposited funds. Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:19:39 +0000 http://military-education.military.com/2010/01/time-to-start-paying-va-back/#IDComment54362133 http://military-education.military.com/2010/01/time-to-start-paying-va-back/#IDComment54360712 Of course this is a terrible idea! Repaying the benefit while you're still receiving (or needing but NOT receiving) it thoroughly defeats the purpose. Why not take the advance payment off the back end, or defer repayment until after benefits end? Do as hunter0325 says and write the White House, or better yet, write your Congressman. They stand to lose a lot more than the White House if they don't do right by their constituents! Here's what I wrote to mine (feel free to copy/paste): Dear Congressman: I am writing to ask for your assistance in taking action to stop the VA's recovery of the GI Bill advance payment. As noted in their January 23, 2010 press release, the VA is "recovering advance payments made available during the fall 2009 semester to Veterans and service members who applied for education benefits." There are two major problems with this plan of action. First and most importantly, deducting repayment of the advance from current benefits will adversely affect millions of veterans – including me – who rely on that monthly payment to live, commute and pay tuition. It would be far wiser to recover the advance on the back end or defer repayment until after benefits have ended than to compound the financial hardship the advance was intended to relieve. Second, many veterans have not yet received any benefits and in fact are struggling to even get a satisfactory explanation about why they've not been paid. I realize the VA is already beginning the process, but I strongly urge you to do what you can to protect the veterans in your constituency who are bettering their lives and futures through the educational benefits they earned defending this country. Thank you for your support. Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:59:06 +0000 http://military-education.military.com/2010/01/time-to-start-paying-va-back/#IDComment54360712