The government shutdown is affecting student veterans. Here’s what they need to know. Credit: Christian Harsa | Lantern File Photo
The government has been in a shutdown for over 33 days. Funds for crucial federal programs such as SNAP and WIC are becoming exhausted, and widespread furloughs leave tens of thousands of federal workers without pay, according to reporting by NPR.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which provides essential services to veterans including disability compensation, education benefits and healthcare, is no exception.
Ohio State’s Director of Veteran Transition and Services, Michael Forrest, is a retired army major who has spent over 20 years working with veterans students and staff as part of the on-campus Military and Veterans Services Office.
The Lantern spoke with him to learn more about how the shutdown may affect the more-than 1,000 military-connected students at Ohio State, and the steps impacted students should take.
In summary, though existing veterans benefits and healthcare service remain in-place, military-connected students should be aware of potential delays in the processing and approval of benefits.
Incoming and returning students should continue to enroll in classes and apply for FAFSA. Students encountering issues should immediately contact the on–campus Military Veteran Services Office to ensure they are not penalized and can continue to attend classes.
Students who need assistance with non-education related claims should reach out to their county Veterans Service Commission for help. These offices can also provide need-based funds to veterans experiencing financial emergencies.
Here are more details on each of these issues.
Education
As of 2023, over half a million veterans utilize education benefits offered by the VA. This includes a variety of programs that help eligible vets and family members afford education, cover living costs and access academic resources, according to the VA website.
The GI Bill is a comprehensive education benefit which covers tuition and provides a living-allowance to eligible veterans which allows the opportunity to pursue college degrees or vocational training.
Forrest said the GI Bill is used by over 1,300 students at Ohio State.
The children and spouses of service members who were killed in the line of duty or permanently disabled are also eligible to receive education benefits under the Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance program, according to the VA office.
Due to the government shutdown, some students have been unable to get their education benefits certified by the VA, leaving them unexpectedly without tuition and short on living costs leading up to the spring semester, Forrest said.
DEA benefits are experiencing additional delays due to software issues, according to Stars and Stripes.
The GI Bill assistance hotline, which helps students resolve education related benefit issues, has closed during shutdown, which can leave many without solutions, Forrest said.
Forrest said students should still enroll for classes and apply for FAFSA, even if their education benefits have not been approved. He also recommended for students to contact the MVS office as soon as possible.
“There’s some things we can do administratively with the school where they don’t suffer, as far as finance charges and late fees,” Forrest said. “We’re not going to penalize a student for something that’s not their fault.”
Healthcare
The Veteran’s Health Administration, known as the VHA, operates the country’s largest healthcare system, providing care to over 6 million veterans at 1,380 medical facilities across the nation, according to the VA office.
VHA medical facilities offer a wide range of routine and urgent care services to veterans, often at no cost or a low rate.
Per the VA’s Contingency Plan, 100 percent of VHA employees are fully funded through multi-year appropriations and exempt from furlough by “necessary implication” and “for protection of life and property.”
During the shutdown, the VA office’s medical centers, outpatient clinics and vet centers remain open due to some advance appropriations from Congress, according to a press release from the VA.
Compensation and pension
The Veteran Benefits Administration manages and funds disability compensation and pension funds for over 5.8 million veterans, according to the VA office.
Veterans can expect to receive their compensation and pension payments to continue without change, according to the VA office.
However, nearly half of Veteran Benefits Administration employees have been furloughed, with all 56 regional benefits offices currently closed, according to the Federal News Network.
Veterans currently in the process of filing or appealing compensation claims should expect delays in processing.
Forrest said veterans experiencing delays in claims processing can contact the State Department of Veteran Services, which remains open despite the shutdown.
“They are also there to help veterans file claims, whether that be for disability, pension, getting a veteran’s home loan certificate [or] burial benefits,” Forrest said.
Veterans in need of assistance in navigating VA claims should reach out to their county Veteran Service Commission.
Transition
The Department of Veteran Affairs offers the Transition Assistance Program, also known as TAP, to service members transitioning to civilian employment or schooling, according to the VA office.
TAP provides in-person education to separating service members on family support, disability compensation, education and healthcare benefits.
TAP has ceased under the government shutdown.
However, TAP course materials can still be found at the VA Transition Services website to help service members navigate the transition process and understand their VA benefits.
Students can also utilize transition support on-campus through MVS, and they “offer services from pre-admission through career after graduation,” Forrest said.
MVS offers academic advisement, mentorship programs and hosts events such as FAFSA workshops and concealed carry classes, Forrest said.
Forest also recommends that veterans get involved with the Campus Chapter of Student Veterans of America, which hosts social events to help veterans connect on campus and keeps students informed of upcoming veteran-related events.
Readiness and employment
The Veteran Readiness and Employment, commonly referred to as VR&E, program helps disabled veterans establish career paths by providing rehabilitation services, career counseling and education benefits, according to the VA office.
The shutdown has furloughed all VR&E employees, meaning veterans waiting for entitlement decisions or seeking approval for VR&E benefits will have to continue to wait.
Students already approved for funding from VR&E can expect their benefits to be delivered as normal, but Forrest said to expect delays.
Forrest advises students to attend orientation and schedule classes.
“There’s no financial penalty until the end of that first week of class,” Forrest said. “That gives Congress another two months to figure this out.”
During normal government operations, Forrest said that MVS staffs a full-time VR&E counselor provided by the VA who can help disabled veterans receive accommodations and utilize VR&E program benefits to pursue professional degrees.
Forrest said that until regular operations resume, students using VR&E should immediately contact MVS if there is a lapse in payment or if they are unable to get approval due to the shutdown in order to avoid late fees.
The veteran advocacy group also recommends affected students to keep receipts for out-of-pocket expenses as they may be reimbursed later.
Support offered for financial hardship
Veterans seeing delays in their benefits processing may lose financial support that they depend on. Forest said the MVS can help get military-affiliated students connected with resources.
Forrest said each county in Ohio has a Veteran Service Commission that can provide temporary, need-based emergency funds to veterans.
“They have emergency services for anything from rent, utility payments [to] emergency car repairs,” Forrest said. “They’ve been instructed with this shutdown to try to make those processes quicker.”
Forest also encouraged students in need to utilize the student food pantry, known as the Buckeye Food Alliance, located at the Monda Student Resource Center on campus.
The Buckeye Food Alliance is open to any Ohio State student with a valid BuckID and offers a variety of personal care items and nutritious foods, according to their website. There is no requirement for proof of financial need.
Forest said that incoming students should be prepared to temporarily sustain themselves without benefits, if able.
“My recommendation for those who are getting discharged now, is to bring at least three to four months of living expenses and savings,” Forrest said.
