This time I was trying to get my benefits from the VA. My father recently received 150% disability status from the VA and because of this I became eligible for a large monthly stipend while I am a full time student. I am starting my prerequisites for the Nursing program at Westchester Community College this fall, so I tried to figure out how to start receiving my money as soon as possible so that we could start paying off some bills.
From the way my father described the process, it seemed simple. I simply went and talked to the VA liaison at the school and he would do the rest. Of course, nothing is that simple at WCC.
I searched the WCC website for any military information and found none. Lovely. I then called the financial aid office, thinking that they may be able to help me. I called, it went to an automatic messaging system, I pressed the button to talk to a real person, and instead of ringing it told me that everybody was busy and to call back later. I called back later and got the same thing. I called again. And again. So much for that.
I then decided to send an email to the financial aid office asking what course of action I should take. I figured that even if they didn't have enough people on hand to answer the phones during business hours that someone would probably be answering emails to cut down on the number of people waiting in line every day. I should mention now that each time I had ventured into the admissions building there had been at least fifty people waiting in line for financial aid. My email remains un-returned.
Finally, one of the times I called the office, I spoke to a real, live person. I was shocked, but very relieved. I really didn't want to wait in that huge line just to find out who I had to talk to to get my benefits. The woman told me that the school didn't handle these things and to visit the website of the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation. I thanked her kindly, glad for any real human response. Upon hanging up I realized that this ran opposite of what my father's VA liaison had told him. I gave it a shot anyway.
The NYS HESC website is a lovely little number that I hope never to have to return to. There seemed to be no organization and no real way to find what you are looking for. The search option was pathetic and got me nowhere. I did, however, find a link for military information. I followed the link and ended up on the VA website. I finally thought I had found some answers.
I filled out the forms I believed I had to complete, but I still wasn't sure I was on the right track. I convinced myself that this was the best I could do and marched myself down to the Financial Aid office. It was here that I met one of the two helpful people I would encounter at WCC, the security guard in charge of maintaining control of the mass of people waiting to talk to various administrators. He informed me that there was, in fact, a VA liaison that worked at the school, and that he would be in the office on Thursday between 3 and 5 PM. He also informed me that I would be able to skip the line and get right in to see him. I was elated.
I was pretty sure I knew what to do now. I showed up at the office today shortly after 3:00. I found a line of people waiting to see the VA guy, but it didn't seem very long so I wasn't terribly concerned. An hour later I finally got to see the man, only to meet a rude, disgusting little man who was completely unhelpful. He informed me that I had not filled out the right form, and that he could do nothing for me until I did and he got confirmation from the VA.
Of course, I understand that he couldn't do much for me at the moment, but I was still very frustrated that I had just wasted an hour of my life for something that took 15 seconds to convey to me. I asked him if, perhaps, this was something that could have been worth telling me over the phone. He got huffy, and sarcastically asked me if I expected anything to get done here in September.
Okay, so that's the bureaucratic hell I've been through in the past month on this issue alone. This was not the first, or, I suspect, the last time I have had to wait in a long line for something that took less than a minute to tell me. The source of all these problems, I believe, is their complete lack of useful information on their website.
So here it is, how to apply for VA Educational Assistance at WCC:
1. Go to the following website: vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/about_vonapp.asp
2. Create a login
3. After a few pages you will be asked to select the form you would like to fill out. Choose: Dependent Application for VA Education Benefits 22-5490. It is toward the bottom of the list.
4. Fill out the form and submit it. It will be sent to your local VA office.
5. Once the form has been processed, as far as I understand, you must go meet with your VA representative at the school. I wish I could tell you that you didn't have to, but I think you do.
Next time: financial aid.
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