Vets at WSSU suffering financially due to incorrect online catalog information

The veterans attending Winston-Salem State have yet to be awarded their government stipends.

Students — vets —who fall under Chapters 30, 31 and 33 (Montgomery GI, Vocational Rehabilitation and Post 9/11 Veterans) are entitled to receive financial  compensation as long as they are enrolled in school.

Their funds are usually dispensed at the beginning of each month. However, the students did not get their money because of "errors included in the WSSU online course catalog." University officials say they are working on the corrections.

But, how did this mistake happen in the first place?

As a student, I appreciate my school and have an understanding for administrative woes under a massive early fall semester workload; even upperclassmen need time to re-adjust following a three-month hiatus from school.

As a veteran, I cannot fathom how my school would allow us to go this far into the semester without formally ensuring us that they are making a concerted effort to rectify the problem.

The fundamental legal principles passed down to us by our nation's founders was written at a time of both turmoil and trepidation, yet the delegates that gathered in Philadelphia possessed unparalleled optimism. They seemed to not only depend on God, but also on the strength of the country's newly formed armed forces.

That's how much the Navy, Army, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard mean to America; they are entities placed at a level scantly beneath divinity. Time and again, we have celebrated the military for the defense of this country and all that it stands for. Their presence is constant and uncompromising, hence the appreciation shown for their service is continual.

America is indebted to the sacrifices made by those who gave up life and limb.

That is why it's so hard for me to understand why it seems that WSSU has not made a stalwart attempt to help keep its veteran student population financially secure.

We have altered our lives, oftentimes putting personal, family, and career affairs aside so that the many unsung liberties can continue to be enjoyed by all Americans.

There are many aberrations that can be made while processing paperwork; however, the errors that were made, whether it directly or indirectly affected our veterans, came at a great cost. The stipends that are awarded each month are the source of many veterans' livelihood.

The stress of making the grade in school — in addition to making sure that rent or mortgage is paid, power stays on, the children are fed, and the car tank is filled — can often prove to be overwhelming for any student.

These financial conditions are unfair and inadequate for any student-veteran at any school. I love Winston-Salem State, but in the words of Chancellor Donald Reaves, "We can do better; we will do better."

It is my sincerest desire that this issue is resolved with urgency and immediacy.