US DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA) Mary Beard is a national employment coordinator for VA’s Veteran Readiness and Employment office
"Are you interested in returning to school or jumpstarting a new career? Consider applying to one of several VA education or career programs for Veterans, including Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E), Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC) or the Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program (VRRAP).”
______________________________________________________________________________
“Veterans with a service-connected disability of at least 10% that limits their ability to work or prevents them from working may be eligible for VR&E – a program designed to help Veterans explore employment options and address education or training deficiencies. You can apply online or contact a local VBA Regional Office. Once the application is received, a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor will schedule an initial evaluation with you and determine formal entitlement to the program.
The VET TEC program assists Veterans looking to re-skill (or upskill) for a career in the high-technology industry. Eligible Veterans and service members can receive educational assistance in such fields as computer programming, data processing and information science, and may receive a housing stipend while in training. Visit the VET TEC webpage to learn more about the program, eligibility requirements and the application process.
Veterans not entitled to the Post-9/11 GI Bill or without a service-connected disability may still qualify for VA education benefits for a limited time through VRRAP, which offers training and education to support employment in high-demand jobs for Veterans unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
To be eligible for the VRRAP program, you must:
Be at least 22 years old, but not older than 66.
Not be rated as totally disabled because you can’t work.
Not be enrolled in a federal or state jobs program.
Not currently be receiving unemployment benefits.
Veterans who meet all of the above qualifications can apply and may receive up to 12 months of tuition and fees, as well as a monthly housing allowance based on Post-9/11 GI Bill rates. VRRAP is a temporary benefit (enrollment deadline is December 11, 2022). Additional information is available on the VRRAP website.
For general questions about GI Bill benefits, call the Education Call Center at 888-GIBILL-1 (888-442-4551), or 001-918-781-5678, if calling from outside of the United States.”
Comments