This week, SFR takes a look at the obstacles New Mexico veterans face in receiving VA benefits. For some veterans, it's just knowing what's available—but others, like Pedro Martinez, say they're reluctant to contact an agency that's already too busy to handle its existing claims. Today, a report from the US Government Accountability Office bears that out—and offers some insight into why it's so hard for veterans to get the benefits to which they're entitled.

Across the country, news about veterans' benefits has tended to focus on backlogs—a widespread and, according to the GAO, endemic aspect of the VA's labyrinthine claims process.

Presumably, better training could help streamline that system—but according to the GAO report, claims processors are dubious about the efficacy of their training—and there's little training oversight from the Veterans Benefits Administration. Perhaps most concerning is that many claims processors reported that their workload doesn't even allow them enough time to complete required training.

For more, check out SFR's highlighted notes in the full report, below.