The Veterans Benefits Administration recently released the following statement:

As of September 28, 2018, there were over 193,000 veterans and their family members awaiting payments and decisions on their claims. This represents a 56.5% increase in pending workload as compared to this time last year.

In addition to the increase in workload, the VA is experiencing technical difficulties with pulling initial certification information from their enrollment certification system. In some instances, VA representatives are relaying to students that they were never certified, however this is not the case. All eligible Empire State University recipients of VA education benefits have been certified. Students with specific questions about pending VA payments should call the GI Bill Hotline at 1-888-442-4551.