Vocational Rehab, Veteran’s Readiness and Employment, or VR&E (Ch.31)

This program requires at least 10% service connected disability.

What is Voc Rehab / VR&E?

Think of it this way: The GI Bill is a scholarship you've earned that pays for school. VR&E is a complete career-building program designed to help you get a job that works with your service-connected disabilities.

Its primary goal is not just to give you a degree, but to make you employable in a career that won't make your injuries or conditions worse. This is a crucial difference.

VR&E is built to help you find a career path that works with your disabilities, not against them.
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How Does it Actually Work?

This is not a benefit where you just fill out a form and get money. It's a partnership between you and a counselor.

  1. You Apply: You apply on VA.gov, and if you meet the basic criteria, you'll be scheduled for a meeting.
  2. You Attend: You will need to attend a breifing on what VR&E is about.
  3. You Meet Your Counselor: You will be assigned a VR&E Counselor. This person is your guide through the entire process. Be nice.
  4. Create a Plan: You and your counselor will talk about your interests, your skills, and most importantly, your disabilities.
  5. Execute the Plan: Once the plan is approved, VR&E provides the resources to make it happen.
Your plan could include going to a 4-year university, a 2-year community college, attending a vocational or trade school, getting help starting your own business, or receiving assistance to find a job directly.

Who is it for?

At least 10% disability Service-connected Employment handicap

To be eligible, you generally need:

  • An honorable or other than dishonorable discharge.
  • A service-connected disability rating of at least 10%.
  • An “employment handicap.”

This is a key term. It simply means that your service-connected disability creates a barrier to you getting or keeping a job using your old or previous skills.

A VR&E counselor will work with you to determine if you have an employment handicap.

What Does VR&E Pay For?

If your plan includes going to school or training, VR&E is incredibly powerful. It can cover:

  • 100% of Tuition and Fees: Paid directly to the school.
  • All Required Books and Supplies: This is a major advantage.
  • A Monthly Stipend: You receive a monthly payment to help with living expenses, called a subsistence allowance.

If a specific laptop, a set of tools, or special software is required for your classes, VR&E can cover it. This goes far beyond the GI Bill's book stipend.

One of the biggest strengths of VR&E is that it can cover the real-world tools you actually need to complete your plan.

Where can you check which schools or training this program will pay for?

This is where it may get confusing. The online tool called the GI Bill Comparison Tool is also used for checking what the VR&E program supports. This is not a catch-all but will allow you to gather more information.

Go to the GI Bill Comparison Tool

How to use the tool:

  1. You will see three choices: Schools and employers, Licenses, certifications, and prep courses, and National Exams.
  2. In this instance, go to Schools and employers then select Search by Location.
  3. Put in your desired location and mile range. Click Search.
  4. A map will appear and show you all the options available.
  5. Narrow down your search. Click the plus sign in Update tuition, housing, and monthly benefit estimates.
  6. The first drop down, Which GI Bill benefit do you want to use?, will have the options of what benefits are available.
  7. Choose Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)(Ch 31). Follow the rest of the prompt with your information. Click Update Estimates.
  8. Once you choose your school or employer, a new sheet will appear. This will explain your estimated costs, housing allowance, book stipend, and timeframe.
More information can be found here.