Getting Dea Started... Should Be Simple, Right?

[hedgey]

When I got my decision papers for my 100%, they said that my college student kid was eligible for DEA going back to the date I was given as my retro date, which was back in 2009. Yay, this will help her pay off her student loans!!

So my kid fills out the DEA application, sends it in. Gets back a letter from DEA saying she must fill out a very short form, choosing the date from which to begin receiving DEA benefits. The letter clearly states that the choices are between the 2009 date and the date I was notified of my 100% rating (December 2010). Naturally, she chooses the 2009 date to get the retro. She also has taken the letter to her college VA representative, to have them fill out & send in the VA form 1999 (certification of attendance or whatever).

So far so good, right?

Yesterday she gets a letter from the VA saying (italics mine):

"By law, VA can't pay for training you received before you became eligible for benefits. Since you became eligible for benefits on November 22, 2010 (where did this date come from???) we can pay you starting on that date. However, we can pay for the remainder of your training if you return the election sent February 28, 2011. Based on the VA Form 1999 you submitted, we recommend that you choose August 30, 2010 as your begin dated since this was the date you began training."

WTH? Okay, I can see that maybe the college didn't fill out the 1999 right, that they left out her previous year of attendance (she started at this college in fall 2008). So I'm going to call or have her visit the VA rep this week and clarify that. But what the heck is the deal with saying she became eligible on November 2010???

The really funny thing is that the letter she got stating her eligibility began in 2009 and this letter saying Nov 2010 is "signed" by the same person....

Along with this new letter was the VA Form 4107, telling her about her right to appeal. Why the heck should she have to go through the appeal process when this is such a clear bungle?

I'm so mad I could spit nails. I really feel like this is almost intentional, because her first reaction was "Rats, that stinks... oh well..." She doesn't know any better, and would just let it drop.

[hedgey]

Update!

DD got a letter last Friday from the VA stating that they had received her response choosing the earliest eligibility date. The WHAT YOU SHOULD DO instruction was the same as before: Take this letter to your college's Veteran Rep and have them submit a 22-1999 with the dates of attendance during the period you have chosen.

So this afternoon DD took the letter to the FAO Director. Surprise! She had received a call from the VA telling her to get this correction submitted.

Although FAO woman seems to have all she needs to git-r-done, DD said she "acted like it wasn't going to be on the top of her list". So this coming Friday DD will call VA again to see if the task has been completed.

This time, folks, the VA did what they were supposed to do, it was not their fault this became an anxiety trip. It was the school rep dragging her high heels...

Thanks for all the advice & support, Haditites!

[Pete53]

If anyone is interested a married veteran with 1 child got 224 a month to go back to school under the GI bill in 1970. I know cause I was looking at my award letter

[hedgey]

Pete, how was that to make do on? I don't imagine it was anywhere near enough.