Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRC) and Employment Coordinators (EC) are ready to help Veterans and Servicemembers who have service-connected disabilities and an employment barrier/handicap find suitable careers. Your VRC will provide vocational counseling, refer you to appropriate opportunities and services specific to your needs, and help you reach your employment goals. If you are entitled to Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) benefits and services, you will work with a VRC to develop a personalized rehabilitation plan following one of five tracks:
When possible, VR&E helps Veterans and Servicemembers return to work with a former employer by supporting the employer’s efforts to provide accommodations that enable the Veteran to continue along the same or similar career path.
VR&E helps Veterans and Servicemembers who are ready to enter the workforce, find, apply for, and secure suitable jobs. VA may provide professional job placement assistance, job accommodations, and other specialized support.
Self-employment can be fulfilling and may offer the flexibility a Veteran with service-connected disabilities needs. VR&E may aid Veterans, who have limited access to traditional employment and have the skill and interest to start a business, by helping to analyze the proposed business plan and providing training on how to market and operate a small business.
For Veterans and Servicemembers who require additional skills or training to find competitive, suitable employment, VR&E will provide assistance, which may include education benefits, on-the-job training, work study, apprenticeships, or other job preparation programs to help them to obtain appropriate employment.
Some Veterans and Servicemembers may be unable to currently return to work, but with assistance from VR&E, they can lead a more independent life. VA helps them with access to community-based support services, the use of assistive technologies and accommodations, and independent living skills training.
If you are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, visit VeteransCrisisLine.net for more resources.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs | 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington DC 20420
Last updated June 10, 2020