What Continues:

• Tuition and fee payments to schools (covered courses and programs)
• Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA & BHA) for students already certified and enrolled
• Access to VA.gov and online self-service tools
• Processing of claims and payments (but slower than usual)
• Back pay issued for any delayed payments once shutdown ends

Delayed or Suspended:

• GI Bill Education Call Center (1-888-GIBILL-1) is closed
• Regional VA benefits offices are closed to walk-ins
• New applications or certification changes may take longer to process
• Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and career outreach suspended
• Limited or no ability to escalate payment issues until operations resume

*Tip - Stay in close contact with your SCO (School Certifying Official) - your enrollment certification is key to receiving payments on time or retroactively. 

What Continues: 

• Subsistence allowance payments for students already in approved programs
• Tuition, fees, and required supplies already authorized and funded
• VA.gov and online benefit management access
• Back pay for any delayed subsistence payments after the shutdown

Delayed or Suspended:

• New VR&E plan development and approvals
• Career counseling, outreach, and case management services
• In-person services at regional VA offices
• Changes to training plans or requests for additional funding
• GI Bill Hotline and VR&E counselor access

*If your program is already approved, payments should continue. If you were in the middle of setting up or modifying a plan, expect delays until your counselor is back on duty.

What Continues:

• DEA montly stipends for students with current eligibility and certification
• VA.gov access for checking status and managing benefits
• Retroactive (back) payments once shutfown ends for delayed students

Delayed or Suspended:

• New applications and eligibility processing
• Adjustment of enrollments or changes in benefit usage
• GI Bill Hotline and in-person services
• DEA is historically more prone to processing delays during shutdowns

*Make sure your enrollment certification is submitted on time. DEA students may experience longer payment delays than other chapters - be prepared and document everything.

• If you’re eligible and enrolled, you will receive back pay for missed or delayed payments once VA operations resume.
• Back pay typically covers tuition/fees, stipends, and housing allowances for the shutdown period.
• Processing time may be 1–4 weeks after the shutdown ends, depending on backlog.
• Keep your school certifications and VA enrollment status current.

What Continues:

• All VA medical centers, community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), and Vet Centers remain open.
• Health care services are fully funded through advance appropriations and will not shut down.
• Pharmacy services and prescription refills continue as normal.
• Emergency mental health care (including the VA Crisis Line) remains available 24/7.

What May Be Affected:

• Non-urgent or administrative functions (e.g., some billing offices or appointment scheduling lines) may have reduced staffing.
• Some non-medical outreach or wellness programs could be delayed.
• Call wait times could be longer than usual.

What Continues:

• VA disability compensation and pension payments continue without interruption.
• Burial and memorial benefits remain operational.
• Appeals and claims processing largely continue (though some parts may slow).

What May Be Affected:

• In-person services at VA Regional Offices are suspended.
• Some claim processing timelines could be extended if backlogs grow.
• Outreach and non-essential programs are paused during the shutdown.

Always Available:

• VA Crisis Line: Dial 988, then Press 1
• Vet Centers remain open and continue to offer counseling.
• VA health care mental health services continue without interruption.

If you need urgent mental health support, the VA Crisis Line and Vet Centers are considered essential services and will remain staffed throughout the shutdown.