Who is Eligible for VR&E Assistance?

 

Veterans meeting the following criteria are eligible for VR&E assistance.​

• Have a service-connected disability rating of at least 10% from the VA.

• Have a discharge status other than dishonorable.

• Were discharged from activity duty after January 1st, 2013

​

Active duty servicemembers may be eligible for VR&E if they meet one of the following conditions.

• Have a 20% or higher pre-discharge disability rating and will soon leave the military, or

• Are waiting to be discharged because of a service illness or injury that occurred while on activity duty.

Five Steps to Enroll in VR&E Program

 

Step #1 - Apply for VR&E Benefit:  Apply for VR&E benefits by completing the VA Form 28-1900.

• Apply Online:  Veteran Readiness and Employment, or

• Apply by Mial:  Download VA Form 28-1900

​​

Step #2 - Attend VR&E Online Orientation: After you apply, the VA will contact you to schedule an online orientation class.  During the orientation, you will be assigned a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC). It can take four months or more from the initial application to be invited to the orientation class.

​

Step #3 - Schedule a Meeting with a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC): After orientation, you can reach out directly to your VRC to schedule your initial meeting.  These are typically online and happen within a few days or weeks.

​

Step #4 - Prepare for Your Initial VRC Meeting:  This is perhaps the most important step!  While you may be eligible, this is the meeting where the VRC determines if you are entitled.  It is very important that you come to this meeting prepared.

• Complete the VR&E Questionnaire:  Take your time and thoughtfully complete VA Form 28-1902W.  There are many resources online (Google, YouTube, etc.) to help you complete this form.

• Match Your Disability to Your New Vocation:  Clearly describe how the disability associated with your service-connected rating is a barrier to your current line of work and why the vocation you are pursuing would overcome that barrier.  For example, if your service-connected rating is associated with back issues that kept you from working at a desk for long periods of time, it wouldn't make sense to pursue another vocation that would require much sitting.

• Labor Market Information (LMI):  The VA will want to make sure you're pursuing a career in a viable field.  Again, do your due diligence and search online.  Current job postings are a great indicator of future labor markets. Make sure you check out our blog about the "Benefits of Joining a Service Provider."  

• Be Familiar with the Form the VRC will Use to Evaluate your Entitlement: After you meet with the VRC, they will complete the VA Form 28-1902B to justify their decision.  Be familiar with the criteria they are evaluating you on so that you can prepare your responses to their questions.

• Practice Communicating Your Idea:  Your meeting with the VRC is a screening meeting.  Your job is to clearly communicate the feasibility of your plan and how it meets the objective of the VR&E program.  Practice explaining your plan to a friend or family member.  The more effectively you communicate your plan, the greater your chance of receiving support.

 

Step #5 - Meet with VRC and Develop a Vocational Plan:  The initial VRC meeting is the most critical; however, you will need to meet with them several times to develop a plan.  Follow their guidance and complete the steps they lay out for you.

​