DENVER (October 23, 2012)--Exasperated veterans who work part-time for the Veterans Administration while they attend college say their paychecks are sometimes weeks late, leaving hanging with bill collectors and landlords.

Some veterans say it can take a month or longer to get their checks.

It's difficult to pin down how widespread the paycheck delays are.

The VA said that on average, the U.S. Treasury issues checks less than a week after it receives time cards, but acknowledged paychecks have been delayed at a St. Louis processing center, one of four nationwide, because of a heavy workload and the loss of three workers.

It said it hired more workers in St. Louis last month and has cut the processing time to five days.