http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2315http:/
Joint VA/DOL Program Launches to Retrain 99,000 Unemployed Veterans
May 16, 2012
Online Site Opens May 15 for Veterans to Apply for Education Benefits
WASHINGTON – Starting May 15, 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 Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Labor (DOL) program that focuses on retraining 99,000 Veterans for high-demand jobs.
Veterans can apply on a first-come, first-serve basis for VRAP beginning on May 15, 2012, 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 DOL;
- 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% rate due to individual unemployability (IU).
