Recent changes to the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which was signed in 2009, will now allow service members who take online classes to receive a housing allowance.

Before the new provisions, service members who attended online colleges were not eligible to receive this benefit because it was deemed unfair to those who were living on campus. However, all beneficiaries will receive $673.50 per month in 2011.

“The recent changes to the GI Bill, combined with our Veterans Scholarship program, will further ease the financial stress that some of our students face, especially those who are trying to meet the needs of a family, work full-time, and pursue a college degree," said Fredrick Snow, president of the school

Since the bill's inception, more than 425,000 service members and eligible family members have received a piece of the $7.2 billion in funding from the the Department of Veteran Affairs.

The Veterans Affairs Department officials promised that they will get these vets back in the classroom. Apparently the VA has processed tens of thousands of requests but 5,000 remain unprocessed.  Katie Roberts from the VA stated that "we continue to work on a daily basis with schools to make sure that no student is denied attending class as a result of delayed tuition payments."

But apparently last semester the delays and financial hardship left many veterans struggling to make rent payments and pay for textbooks. One student at Loyola Marymount University in L.A. said that he and his wife had $4,000 in credit card debt because the university wouldn't release the student loans he needed for living expenses until tuition was fully paid.

The problems with the new GI Bill apparently haven't been ironed out yet. One veteran graduated but hasn't been able to get his diploma because the tuition hasn't been paid. The GI Bill is intended to help veterans earn an education but the government isn't paying up, which is causing a lot of headaches for schools and especially veterans.

In order to try and fix the situation the VA has issued $3,000
emergency checks to more than 68,000 veterans. But the VA is now reporting the money has run out. So the problem continues. Apparently the new GI Bill is supposed to cover tuition, and provide a monthly stipend and up to $1,000 for books but so far the VA has only paid out $1 billion to 150,000 veterans of the $78 billion total.

The VA has acknowledged that there are problems and they are trying to work them out. They now have 1,200 staff members instead of 800 and there is a mandatory overtime policy. The VA expects that all claims received by January 15 will be paid by February 1. But as for right now the VA is thinking about doing another round of emergency payments and they are expected to have an automated system fully running by December 2010. But until that happens veterans are just trying to hold on until the money from their GI bill comes through.

“We do this not just to meet our moral obligation to those who sacrificed greatly on our behalf and on behalf of the country,” said Obama. “We do it because these men and women must now be prepared to lead our nation in the peaceful pursuit of economic leadership in the 21st century.”

The Post-9/11 GI Bill will cover up to 100 percent of student costs such as tuition, housing, books and supplies. The amount depends on the state in which individuals attend school. For instance, an individual enrolled in a Texas school could be eligible to receive $28,126 a semester. An individual enrolled in Colorado would be eligible to receive $43,035. The VA has determined that individuals in Florida are eligible for up to $62,000 per term.

With the Post-9/11 GI Bill, tuition and fees are paid directly to the school. The bill will pay up to 100 percent of veteran’s tuition.  Veterans also receive a monthly housing stipend and a $1,000 stipend a year for books and supplies. Individuals are also eligible for tutorial assistance adding up to a yearly total of $1200, or $100 a month. The costs for licensing and certification tests may also be reimbursed up to $2,000.

Students that want to attend school part-time, receive only a portion of the payment based on the number of credits they take. The bill is available to veterans up to 15 years after their date of discharge so it is recommended that veterans take advantage of these new benefits as soon as possible.

Are you ready to take advantage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill? Visit ClassesandCareers.com and fill out their form. An education counselor will show you how to use the bill to get the degree you want.