Evening star., 1946-03-08
vACatching Up
On Applications
To Enter College
81 Subsistence Checks
Log, With Outlook
For Delay Of Month
By Miriom Ottenbero


Washington veterans, who are ap-
plying for GI education at the rate
Of $50 to 400 a day, now will be de-
clared eligible for schooling within
a week, but they still have to wait
more than a month for their first
".bread-and-butter" checks, 1t was
learned today.
Chester F. Naumowicz, acting
manager of the Washington regional
Office of the Veterans Administra-
tion, told press conference today
that the office has eliminated its
backlog Of applications for eligibility
certificates determining how much
training q veteran is entitled to by
his length of service in the armed
forces.
The Office, however, he added, is
still 1929 cases behind in issuing
subsistence checks. These checks
are due one month after the veteran
enters training.
Some Waiting Two Months.
Some veterans, he conceded, have
been waiting since January for the
$65 or $50 a month the Govern
ment pays them while they 90 to
school or take on-the-job training.
He added, however, that checks will
go out to the 1929 waiting veterans
before the end of this month and
they Will be retroactive to the date
the veteran entered training.
He blamed much OF the backlog
on the shortage of typists and
stenographers. VA officers, he said.
get the applications processed and
then the papers pile up waiting for
somebody to type them. The re-
gional office, he said, needs 100
typists and stenographers imme-
diately, but is having trouble COM
peting for help with the Federal
Government.
At the end Of February. Mr.
Naumowicz reported, the regional
office had backlog of 1925 appli-
cations for certificates of eligibility.
AS OF today, he said, the entire back
log has been cleared and all veter-
ans who had their applications in
before the end of February should
have the certificates now or they
should be in the mail.
Delays in getting certificates and
substance checks have drawn re-
peated protests from Washington
Area veterans. particularly those at
George Washington University.
6,362 Certificates Issued. )
Mr.. Naumowicz reported that dur
ing February, approximately as
many certificates of eligibility were
issued for CT schooling as had been
issued in the previous 16 months of
the programs operation. He said
6,362 certificates were issued last
month";. -
To Illustrate the crush of business
at the undermanned office. Mr.
Naumowicz said that in three days.
1,6lo veterans visited the regional
ONCE.
The regional Office, he reported, Is
also behind In its medical examina-
tions Tor pensions. A total of 1867
veterans were waiting examinations
at the end Of February, of whom 355
had to be examined before they
could receive their first pension
check. The others were waiting
examinations to have their disabil-
tiles rerated for pension adjust
ments.
Disabled Also Must Wait.
Disabled veterans, who must be
given counseling before they start
vocational rehabilitation, are also
on the regional Offices waiting list
Although 624 disabled veterans were
advised in February as compared
with 378 in January, 467 of them
were still waiting at the months
end. Mr.. Naumowicz expects to
eliminate that backlog by the end
Of the month.
He also reported that:
Washington's fifth guidance center
will be opened next Monday at
Columbus University Law School.
The VA medical clinic for this
area, now split up between Mount
Alto Hospital and the Municipal
Center building, will be consolidated
in about month at the Municipal
Center. Since the Office is hoping
to move some time to 1925 HI
streat NV, however, the laboratory,
dental, physio-therapy, x-ray and
pharmacy work will continue to be
done at Mount Alto to avoid in
stalling heavy equipment on a
temporary basis.