October 2, 2009, Washington, DC (CNN) — Millions of dollars in emergency checks were issued to veterans Friday in an effort to help them pay for school expenses while they await a backlog in processing of their education claims.

“This is Shinseki’s first true test under fire and it looks like he got the money into veterans’ hands and that is the most important thing,” said Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense.

More than 8,500 checks valued at nearly $26 million were issued by late afternoon to eligible veterans, according to statistics provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. An additional 7,880 requests for funds were submitted online with an additional $23.6 million being distributed.

The emergency funds were necessary because, as of last week, the VA had yet to process applications for as many as 75,000 veterans eligible for education funds under the various VA programs, including 25,000 under a new program for those who have served since September 11, 2001.

VA statistics from last week, the latest available, show more than 27,500 have already received benefits for housing or books under the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, and hundreds of thousands more have gotten benefits under its other programs. The lag is both because some schools have not filed for the tuition and because of backlog at the Veterans Affairs offices, department spokeswoman Katie Roberts said.

The demand for the funds was evident from the outset as lines formed at regional VA offices around the country in the early going, according to Ryan Galluci of AMVETS. But Galluci said the lines dissipated by the afternoon, and many veterans were able to walk in and apply for the money with little wait.

Offices in Waco, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; New York and Washington had the most traffic, according Roberts. A CNN producer went to the Washington office in the late morning and did not see any evidence of long lines.

“We are staying open until every veteran has been served,” she said.

The emergency funds program was a stark turnaround for the VA. The decision by Veterans Secretary Eric Shinseki to issue the funds as a stop-gap measure came after several weeks of vocal complaints by veterans that the administration and schools were not processing the applications fast enough. The delay forced veterans to borrow money or potentially drop out of school to work because they didn’t have the appropriate funds.

“The VA has to be lauded for doing what’s right to help student veterans through this difficult transition period,” said Veterans of Foreign Wars spokesman Joe Davis. “Schools have the financial means to accommodate late payments. Landlords, grocers, pharmacists do not. Any help is appreciated.”

Any money given to eligible veterans will be deducted from their education benefits and can be used for housing and books. The VA has been speaking to schools to ensure that veterans do not get kicked out if their tuition has yet to be paid, said Roberts.

Veterans groups were complimentary of the decision to give out the emergency funds.

“This is Shinseki’s first true test under fire and it looks like he got the money into veterans’ hands and that is the most important thing,” said Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense.

Sullivan, a frequent critic of the VA, said that many veterans he spoke to were impressed that Shinseki admitted there was a problem and acted quickly to fix it, but noted it was only necessary because the program fell so far behind in its paperwork.

“Now over the next few months can he sustain this and get the correct amount of money in the correct time?” Sullivan asked.

Veterans who are eligible can apply for emergency funds this weekend or apply online.  http://www.gibill.va.gov/index.htm 

CNN