College has started for most students, but the ones who are able to attend college because they served their country in the military this fall are having a hard time getting the Department of Veterans Affairs to issue their deserved G.I. Bill checks.

These soldiers-turned-students seek the benefits available under the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill to pay their tuition, books and housing.

The Post-9/11 G.I. Bill went into effect Aug. 1 and is structured differently than the Montgomery G.I. Bill. The VA is having bureaucratic delays getting the new system going.

According to the Washington Post, as of Friday, there were 6,619 students who indeed received their checks Friday.

It noted: “As of last week, fewer than 10 percent of the 251,000 veterans who had applied for GI Bill benefits had actually received checks, forcing thousands to use savings or take out personal loans to make ends meet.”

Our federal government needs to treat its veterans better. We are tired of hearing stories of failure, such as the problems with the VA hospitals. Not paying benefits on time is unacceptable.

Often, G.I. Bill students — no matter Post-9/11 or Montgomery — don’t take out the full availability of student loans like so many traditional students. They often take a small student loan or none at all. Because they are accustomed to working, they also have side jobs. They let the G.I. Bill and the side jobs do the heavy lifting of paying for college.

These are not trust-fund babies. These are people trying to lift themselves up in society by the bootstrap after risking their lives for the country’s needs.

Let’s hope this week is a good week for getting those benefits to the veterans.