Unemployed veterans between the ages of 35 and 60 can now apply for new benefits to cover education costs for up to one year through a joint U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Labor program that focuses on retraining 99,000 veterans for high-demand jobs.
As part of a provision of the Veterans Opportunity to Work to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 (known as VOW), the Veteran Retraining Assistance Program allows qualifying veterans to receive up to 12 months of assistance equal to the full-time Montgomery GI Bill — Active Duty rate, currently $1,473 per month.
Veterans can apply on a first-come, first-serve basis for VRAP for programs that begin on or after July 1, 2012. Assistance under this benefit program ends on March 31, 2014.
To complete an application, a veteran will need to know his or her direct deposit information (bank routing number and account number), the name and location of his or her school, the program the veteran wishes to pursue and the applicable high-demand occupation.
To qualify, veterans must:
- Be 35-60 years old, unemployed on the day of application and not dishonorably discharged.
- Start education or training after July 1, 2012, in a VA-approved program of education offered by a community college or technical school leading to an associate degree, non-college degree or a certificate for a high-demand occupation as defined by the Department of Labor.
- Not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g., Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment).
- Not be enrolled in a federal or state job training program within the last 180 days.
- Not receive VA compensation at the 100 percent rate due to individual unemployability.
Read the full News Release
This information is intended to be educational and should not be considered legal advice on any specific matter.
