By Peter Granato, VA VR&E Services     July 2025

Since you’re reading Change of Mission, it’s safe to assume that you are getting ready to make some big career decisions in the not-so-distant future. It is never too early to start thinking about your next career move, whether it will involve staying on active duty or transitioning to civilian life.

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) program as one of the options you may have if you choose to transition to civilian life.

VR&E is first and foremost an employment program. Our mission is to help transitioning service members and veterans with service-connected disabilities and an employment barrier, prepare for, find, and maintain a suitable career or live independently. VR&E is a separate and distinct program from the Post-9/11 GI Bill, although they can be used together. While it may generally make sense for most recipients to use VR&E first, this should be discussed with a counselor and may vary based on your specific plan and needs.

So, what does this mean for you? If you meet our eligibility criteria, then you can apply online for our services, or a member of your military transition team, such as a Transition Coordinator, can refer you to VR&E. If you are still on active duty, you can access VR&E through the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) program. You can also access VR&E if you are waiting to be discharged for a severe illness or injury that occurred while you were on active duty, or you have a 20% or higher pre-discharge disability rating and will soon leave the military. If eligible, using the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program can help speed up the claim decision process and allow you to access your benefits sooner.

Once the VR&E team has reviewed your application and you are deemed eligible, you will meet with a trained Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, commonly referred to as a VRC. Your VRC will determine your entitlement to the program.

A benefit to considering VR&E now is that if you are processing through a medical board or are in the IDES program, you may be automatically entitled to VR&E benefits. Once you are found entitled, your VRC will work closely with you in a one-on-one setting to discuss your future career goals and interests and tailor a personalized plan to get you on a path that you are interested in pursuing and is realistic given the nature of your current skills and level of disability.

Since the nature of VR&E is personalized to meet your needs, the level of services that we provide will vary by applicant. Some of the ways we work with our program participants include (but are not limited to):

• We can help you find a job that uses your current skills. VR&E’s Employment Coordinators (ECs) have relationships with employers all over the country who are looking for veterans to hire and can help place you. Our ECs are familiar with how military skills, training, and experience transfer to the civilian workforce.
• If you are interested in pursuing a new field, we can identify training opportunities to help launch you into a new career. VR&E will pay tuition, fees, books, and supplies for degree or certificate options and pay you a monthly subsistence allowance while you train.
• If you have the strong desire, skills, and drive to run a successful business, we may be able to help you train and find the resources to start your own business.
• In cases where your disabilities are too severe to return to traditional employment, we can help you with services to live as independently as possible. These services can include home adaptation grants to improve accessibility in a home and referrals to other support resources.

VR&E will continue to work with you each step of the way and will provide ongoing counseling, assistance, and coordination of services until your goals are met. Our VRCs and ECs are in the business of helping you obtain suitable and fulfilling employment.

Learn more about VR&E at www.va.gov/vre, and keep VR&E in mind throughout your transition journey!