#vr&e

[aneekebeth]

VR&E Finally Helping, Somewhat

“Beggars can’t be choosers” is what my husband said when I told him about all the problems I was having with Voc Rehab. The program is designed (supposedly) to assist veterans become better prepared to rejoin society after the military through education and/or job search. One of my friends wants take the VR&E Small Business route.  I took the school option, which is supposed to provide me with the necessary training, materials, education, and assistance in achieving my goals. In theory, the program is a great opportunity for veterans to start a new life. So why should I be a beggar? I filled out all the necessary paperwork, went to the mandatory briefings, jumped through all the hoops and read all the regulations just to make sure I wasn’t misunderstanding the program. Nope. Begging, groveling, and “requesting” is still a really big part. January 12, 2016 when Ms. Gail Steele-Blount submitted my request for equipment for school, I specifically requested a desktop due to my eyesight.  I’m going to school for a BA in Graphic Design and at my internship, I had no issues since both screens I worked on were 27”. I know most students today would rather have a lap top so they can pick it up and go work anywhere, like at a coffee shop. That’s great. Me? I’d rather stay in one place, get my work done and be able to see what I’m doing. When I’m working, the world around me might as well not even exist. March 2, 2016 I finally received a lap top. Yes, a lap top. It’s a MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015) 2.2 GHz Intel Core i716 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 Intel Iris Pro 1536 MB. Very nice and all… but not a desktop. I’m thankful because after all, it’s free. Problem is, Dreamweaver has crashed on me many, many, times as I tried to catch up on homework. I’m pretty sure I’ll have to retake the class anyway, which VR&E won’t pay for because they don’t pay for repeat classes, like Tuition Assistance for Active Duty. The class started February 8 and I didn’t get the laptop until March 2. Anyway… besides the equipment, VR&E is supposed to assist the Veteran with a monthly stipend to help with expenses while going to school. The amount depends on your location’s BAH rates & number of dependents. That’s nice too, but with anything military related, it takes a while to kick in so be prepared to wait. School for me began in February and the first payment is scheduled for April 1st. It’s once a month. I have to make the best out the situation so maybe later on I can buy myself a nice desktop and a Wacom Cintiq that will allow me to work with a second screen. At least I can look at the laptop as more of an art piece with this cool cover from skinit.com and the small Wacom tablet I got at Best Buy that lets me work better than the crappy mouse pad on the Mac. For now, I hope my VR&E experience can enlighten your own path through the process. It works, I guess, but be prepared to fight for what you want.

[aneekebeth]

VR&E Update

So... I had no idea that this process was so difficult. It’s a promising program BUT they need to stop treating Veterans like criminals. Seriously. Most of us truly need the help. I understand there’s the few that do take advantage, but how is that my fault?! My VRC (Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor) said to ask my school to back-up the need for the items I  requested, which are not “required”. Of course, since I’m taking online classes, I didn’t think it would be this much of a hassle to get a computer approved. Anyone, regardless of how they attend college (online or on-campus) will require a computer... ESPECIALLY in a degree for graphic design. Anyway, my school counselor was super helpful and did what he could. My VRC still refuses to answer any of my emails. Today, over a month of working with her, she calls to tell me she got my email. Is it really that difficult? Apparently her “Admin.” day is Monday so I’m guessing only reads emails on Monday. Is that appropriate? I would think that a counselor, who needs to be up to date on a student’s situation, would need to check her email more than once a week. Keep in mind, all my other emails and those of my school counselor have been ignored for over a month. My first meeting with her was December 18, 2015 with a follow up on January 12, 2016. During the follow up meeting, she “officially” submitted my paperwork... supposedly. It’s impossible to get that woman to email me. So much so that her supervisor had to get involved. On February 12, 2016, a month after my VRC assured me everything was good to go, we had to have another meeting. She was so upset that her supervisor had to get involved. I signed a form to request the required items that my school counselor approved. The VRC says I should receive everything in 5 days and to let her know if there’s anything else she can do. As a matter of fact, Yes! How can I request items NOT required? According to Voc. Rehab regulations, it’s up to the VRC to use her best judgement to approve these items. According to the VRC, I have to submit a letter of justification. Really?! Ok, so I did. No word on that yet. Today, February 22, 2016 I receive 2 of the 4 items from the list she submitted. Class began February 8, 2016 and still have to keep begging for the supplies I need. To make matters worse, I get a confirmation email on February 19, 2016 that my paperwork had just been submitted. A week after she got in trouble AND a month after she assured me everything was turned in. She seems to ignore that when paperwork is involved, there is always a paper trail, and paper trails always have dates. I don’t even know who to turn for help since her supervisor considered it “unnecessary” for me to be assigned a different VRC. 

[aneekebeth]

Ms. Blount, my VRC (Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor) FINALLY called me yesterday.... only after her boss got involved.*sheesh*

[aneekebeth]

Waaaaay ahead of time, filled out all the required paperwork, went to all the briefings, and followed directions.... Just like a good little soldier, I followed the rules on my way out. As much as most veterans complain about the VA System, I actually thought things had changed. 

My experience with the VA was positive, at least at first. Leaving the military due to a med board, made me feel like the entire system had just used me up and spit me out. The VA (Veteran Affairs) was there to assure me the time was right to focus on healing and self-improvement. Therefore, when I heard about Vocational Rehabilitation Education Program (Chapter 31), I knew it was perfect to help me get back on my feet!

 Instead, I was sent on my way after completing my  Individualized Written Rehabilitation Plan, with the promise that the program would assist me with “tuition, approved books, and UP TO $25 in supplies.” First of all, my degree is in Graphic Design. There is NO way $25 a month will cover supplies.--Many veterans (and non-veteran) students require a computer throughout college--There are other materials needed for my particular degree, but I did my research to figure out what I had misunderstood about the program.

After all, in their own regulation, M28R, Part V, Section A, Chapter 4, Revised July 2, 2014, regarding Supplies and Equipment it clearly specifies the student’s need for supplies. The policy dictates that

“The VRC [Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor] is solely responsible for determining the need for supplies. A facility may not require an item for a particular subject but the VRC may still determine that the Veteran needs the item to achieve a rehabilitation goal. The VRC may authorize the item if both of the following conditions apply: • The item is generally owned and used by all students pursuing the course. • Students who do not have the item would be placed at a distinct disadvantage in pursuing the course.”

It even has a scenario to better illustrate this point:

“Example: a Veteran is competing in training or in an employment search with non-Veteran job candidates who are younger and have no disabilities. Many of these other candidates own and use computers to succeed in training and demonstrate job-related computer skills. This Veteran may well need a computer package to remain competitive. The VRC should decide to buy a computer package only after carefully analyzing the Veteran’s situation and need for the computer package (e.g., the training facility does not have sufficient computer equipment on campus or the Veteran’s situation does not allow adequate access to the facility’s equipment).”

When I asked my counselor about this, she said the school would need to identify the need for required supplies before she could consider any requests. She asked for the point of contact at my school and forwarded my paperwork for tuition. The school’s point of contact for the program e-mailed to inform me that my VRC is supposed to send HIM the list of supplies so he could sign it.

So.... Does this mean I have to wait for them to figure this out?? I’m not one to “wait and see what happens.” Especially when it comes to my education and my future.