| When we think of war veterans, many people | | | | If veterans need career retraining, one option that |
| picture graying old men who fought in Europe during | | | | counselors and veterans can look at is online |
| World War II or in Korea. Yet nowadays we must | | | | vocational schools with vocational rehabilitation training |
| remember that there are thousands of young men | | | | programs. A veteran can enroll in an online program |
| and women in America who are veterans of the | | | | and train for a career as a real estate agent, medical |
| wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. | | | | coder or a pharmacy technician, for example, and all |
| These younger veterans often have service-related | | | | from the comfort of their home with 100% online |
| injuries that hamper their efforts to find and hold | | | | courses. |
| good-paying jobs. To help these men and women, | | | | This distance education option often solves a lot of |
| the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) offers | | | | problems for veterans like commuting to a campus, |
| veterans a vocational rehabilitation program known as | | | | securing reliable transportation, as well as finding |
| Chapter 31. | | | | babysitters or family friends who can help with |
| Who can take advantage of this program?The | | | | children. 100% online career training is a great way |
| veteran must have: | | | | for veterans to retrain and prepare themselves for a |
| An honorable discharge | | | | new career. Online schools normally offer student |
| A service-connected disability rating of at least 10% | | | | support representatives that veterans can call during |
| Completed an application for the program | | | | business hours if they have any questions about their |
| The DVA then sets up appointments with vocational | | | | course or are experiencing any technical difficulties. |
| rehabilitation counselors who will interview the | | | | When looking at online vocational rehabilitation |
| veteran and determine whether the veteran can | | | | schools, veterans and their counselors should make |
| receive services. The counselors will look at the | | | | sure that the school is nationally accredited by an |
| veteran's disabilities and consider how they will impact | | | | accrediting body such as the Distance Education and |
| the person's skill set. | | | | Training Council (DETC). Veterans should also speak |
| Once the DVA has a good handle on a veteran's | | | | with a school's admissions representative and ask |
| situation, they will set up a rehabilitation plan which will | | | | how long the school has been in business, and |
| lay out a strategy for getting that individual retrained, | | | | whether they accept state or federal vocational |
| if necessary, and ready to secure a new position. | | | | rehabilitation training vouchers. |