Veterans returning to the workforce after military service face a variety of challenges. Translating military experience to a civilian resume is one of the most obvious of these, but even this is too easily taken for granted in terms of how easy it may or may not be to do so and what current trends in job hunting (and resume writing) might be at the time of separation from the U.S. military.
Fortunately there is help available for transitioning service members. The Department of Veterans Affairs offers career and employment help through a variety of programs including job counseling and transition advice, to support and training for self-employed veterans.
At the time of this writing, many of these services were previously linked with the government website called Vets.gov, but the pages of that website now redirect to the Department of Veterans Affairs official site, VA.gov. If you have previously researched your career counseling and transition assistance options, you may find your Vets.gov resources redirected to the VA.
CareerScope: A Helpful Tool To Use Before You Start Your Transition
Long before you accept your final military orders and begin outprocessing, you should review your job skills and think about how you want to transfer your abilities to the civilian workplace. The Department of Veterans Affairs offers a helpful tool to start your transition out of a life in uniform and into civilian life.
This tool is known as CareerScope and is offered only to qualified military members and qualified family members. What makes you eligible to use CareerScope?
The VA official site states those allowed access to this tool include:
- Veterans
- Currently serving military members
- Dependents who qualify for VA education benefits
- Dependents who are already using VA education benefits
How CareerScope Can Help You
CareerScope is an assessment tool. The VA official site states that using CareerScope will provide the user with an assessment of how interests, aptitude, and experience can translate into job or learning opportunities.
Once the assessment is complete you are provided with recommendations about post-military careers, education, and training that may help pursue the career options discussed in the assessment.
CareerScope breaks things down into a dozen “interest areas” that include a set of “work activity statements” from these areas. The assessment covers general learning abilities, manual dexterity, verbal and numerical skills, and more.
Once the assessment is completed you can apply for VA Education And Career Counseling (see below).
Technical Requirements To Use CareerScope
Use of the VA CareerScope tool requires the user to create an account. New users may register on the VA official site so they can begin using the assessment tool.
Chapter 36 Educational And Career Counseling
Those leaving military service may need help finding ways to transition into a civilian career. Some military career fields translate directly into the civilian job market, but others may not be so easily matched with jobs in the private sector. VA Chapter 36 Educational and Career Counseling is a free program for veterans with any discharge other than Dishonorable, offering the following services:
- Counseling to help veterans choose new jobs
- Educational and career counseling to locate training programs or job opportunities
- Academic and adjustment counseling
Eligibility For VA Educational And Career Counseling
The Department of Veterans Affairs official site publishes a list of those who are eligible for VA Educational and Career Counseling. They include, but may not be limited to, the following:
- Transitioning service members with six months or less remaining before discharge from active duty
- Veterans within one year after discharge from active duty
- Any service member currently eligible for a VA education benefit
- Any veteran currently eligible for a VA education benefit
- All other current VA education beneficiaries
Services offered by the VA include:
- Career Choice – VA counseling designed to help you understand civilian career options based on the user’s interests, experience, etc.
- Benefits Coaching – learn how to make the most of your VA benefits and resources
- Personalized Support – Counseling and personalized support for both academic and military transition issues
How To Apply For VA Educational and Career Counseling
- Log in to your eBenefits account
Select “Apply” - Select “Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Benefits”
- Apply for Educational and Career Counseling
- After your eligibility is confirmed you will receive an invitation to an orientation session at the VA Regional Office nearest you
How To Apply Without Access To eBenefits
- Print and complete VA Form 28-8832
- Mail VA Form 28-8832 to the nearest VA Regional Office, addressed attention to Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
- After your eligibility is confirmed you will receive an invitation to an orientation session at the VA Regional Office nearest you
The VA Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation And Employment Program (VR&E)
Veterans and currently serving military members with disabilities can find assistance from the VA under the Chapter 31 VR&E program. This is for those with service-connected disabilities that affects the ability to work. There are a group of five “tracks” designed to help, including:
- Reemployment Track – created to help service members and veterans know their rights when returning to civilian employment after military service.
- Rapid Access to Employment Track – made to assist veterans in finding jobs that match their military skills.
- Self-Employment Track – made to help veterans with a service-connected disability start and maintain a business, freelance career, etc.
- Employment Through Long-Term Services Track – This track is intended to help those eligible for vocational training to help you develop new job skills.
- Independent Living Track – created to match veterans with resources to help them live “as independently as possible if you can’t return to work right away” according to the official site.
Eligibility Requirements For VA Chapter 31 VR&E Benefits
Veterans may be eligible for VR&E benefits and services if all of the following apply:
- The veteran did not receive a dishonorable discharge, and;
- Has a service-connected disability rating of at least 10% from VA, and;
- Applies for VR&E services.
There is a basic maximum eligibility time frame of 12 years from the day the veteran receives her date of separation from military service OR the date of receipt of the first VA disability rating.
Chapter 31 VR&E Benefits For Those Still Serving In The Military
Qualifying active duty service members may be eligible for VR&E benefits when the following conditions apply:
- The service member has a 20% or higher pre-discharge disability rating (also known as a “memorandum rating”) and is departing military service soon OR;
- The service member is participating in the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) process OR;
- The service member is waiting for a military discharge due to a medical condition resulting from a condition that occurred in the line of duty.
Basic Services Available Through The VA Chapter 31 VR&E Program
- Evaluations to determine your job abilities, skills, and interests
- Vocational counseling
- Rehabilitation planning for employment services
- Job training, apprenticeships, and non-paid work experiences
- Resume development
- Training/learning at a college, vocational, technical, or business school
- Case management
- Counseling
- Medical referrals
- Independent living services for those unable to work due to disabilities
Applying For VA Chapter 31 VR&E Benefits
At the time of this writing, the Department of Veterans Affairs accepts Chapter 31 applications through the eBenefits portal. Those who do not have eBenefits accounts will need to create them or contact the nearest VA office to get assistance.
Servicemembers should know that it is not required to wait until final outprocessing and discharge to apply for VR&E benefits. You can fill out VA Form 28-0588, VA Vocational Rehabilitation – Getting Ahead After You Get Out and submit it to the Department of Veterans affairs. Eligibility in such cases is possible if one of the following is true:
- The applicant is in the process of being reviewed by a Physical Evaluation Board OR;
- The veteran expects an other than dishonorable discharge and has a VA memorandum rating of 20% or more OR;
- The veteran is in the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES).
After a veteran or service member has applied, the VA will arrange a meeting with a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor to determine whether there is a current or potential employment handicap and discuss eligibility for VR&E benefits and services.
The VA official site says, “You have an employment handicap if your service-connected disability limits your ability to prepare for, obtain, and maintain suitable employment (a job that doesn’t make your disability worse, is stable, and matches your abilities, aptitudes, and interests).”
The Department of Veterans Affairs will make what they call an “entitlement decision” and begin working with the veteran to develop a rehabilitation plan and schedule the use of services, etc.
Contact the nearest VA office in your area to learn more about Chapter 31 VR&E benefits and how they apply to you.
Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter for Air Force Television News