Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, also known as VR&E or Chapter 31, helps veterans with service-connected disabilities prepare for, find, and maintain suitable employment. If your disability prevents you from returning to your previous occupation, VR&E can provide career counseling, training, education, resume building, job search assistance, and other support services. To be eligible for VR&E, you must have a service-connected disability rating of at least 10 percent with an employment handicap, or at least 20 percent with a serious employment handicap. An employment handicap means your disability contributes substantially to your difficulty in obtaining or maintaining employment consistent with your abilities, aptitudes, and interests. The VR&E program begins with a comprehensive evaluation where a vocational rehabilitation counselor assesses your abilities, interests, and the impact of your disability on your employment prospects. Together, you develop an individualized plan that might include college or vocational training, on-the-job training, resume development, or self-employment assistance. If your disabilities are so severe that employment is not feasible, VR&E offers an independent living track that provides services and assistive technology to help you live as independently as possible. VR&E services are provided at no cost to the veteran and can include payment of tuition, books, supplies, and a monthly subsistence allowance during training.
Note: This article references sections of the VA's M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual. The VA periodically reorganizes the M21-1 and section numbers may have changed since this article was written. For the most current section references, visit the VA's public M21-1 Web Automated Reference Material System (WARMS).