Anyone using VA VOC Rehab...

Nurses Disabilities

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I was wondering if anyone on this forum is currently or has used the VA Vocational Rehab program to go through nursing school? I am in school for my RN and looking at becoming an advanced practiced nurse (apn). I need help with making a plan for my initial meeting with my VRC.

Have your disabilities limited you, when it came to making the initial goal with your Voc Rehab Counselor (VRC)?? Any information that can be given would be helpful.

Specializes in Primary Care; Child Advocacy; Child Abuse; ED.

Thanks for the quick response and congrats on your award also!

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Hey Fellow Veterans,

I discharged in 09 and was accepted into nursing school in 2010. I used my Post 911 GI Bill (I still have 10 months left) to pay for my ADN. I graduated this past May and Im working full time as a nurses aid. Ive been actively applying for RN positions. At the advice of my VA rep I applied for Voc Rehab and was accepted to obtain my BSN. Ive started on my BSN this month and Im still working full time. My situation is my case manager. She is impossible to get into contact with. Do any of you that is already in the program have the same problem? Its my understanding that they are so impacted, but it is ridiculous.

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Specializes in Neuro.
Hey Fellow Veterans,

I discharged in 09 and was accepted into nursing school in 2010. I used my Post 911 GI Bill (I still have 10 months left) to pay for my ADN. I graduated this past May and Im working full time as a nurses aid. Ive been actively applying for RN positions. At the advice of my VA rep I applied for Voc Rehab and was accepted to obtain my BSN. Ive started on my BSN this month and Im still working full time. My situation is my case manager. She is impossible to get into contact with. Do any of you that is already in the program have the same problem? Its my understanding that they are so impacted, but it is ridiculous.

Hi K9LVNRN,

The counselors have a heavy case load and I do find at times that I am waiting days to get replies back in regards to my email or voice mail. So what did I do? I scheduled an appt with her to go see her in her office face to face with no interruptions. I'm bringing all my questions, concerns and plan to solve them before leaving her office. If she didn't schedule an appt with me I would have most likely went to her office and waited for her to see me. Am I a stalker?not at all I have better things to do, but you matter just as much as everyone on her case load especially since you're new and may have a lot of questions you deserve that time from her. Just do it respectfully. Good luck?

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I understand they are impacted. Who do you call to make an appointment? I have never spoken to my case manager on the phone and I have been in the program since November. I have left plenty of messages though. I work full time and go to school. Driving to her office when I don't know her schedule, because some days she is at the VA hospital, is not feasible. The VA Rep at my college has been emailing her too on my behalf. She mentioned at our last meeting (that took me 2.5 months to lockdown), that I would be assigned a new CM in the near future. I cant wait for that to happen.

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Specializes in Neuro.

Oh I am so sorry I have to remember not every state operates the same way. In NY the counselors are in one central office. I hope it all works out and that you get a replacement counselor sooner then later

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I contacted my VA rep at the University I am attending, and advised them that my 1905 has the incorrect info on it and I cant get in touch with my case manager. They emailed her and she responds the same day! I just don't get her.

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GoalSeeker,

My I ask how long it took you to get your 1904 when you first started Chap 31. My CM who it took 2.5 months to complete my 1904 listed the wrong University lol. Seriously, it was all spelled out for her on my forms I filled out. Ever since I have been trying to contact her. I finally reached out to the VA office at the University in Texas (Im in CA), and they were very responsive and helpful. They even issued me a refund for my tuition fees. BUT I still don't have a corrected 1904 and neither do they. They wrote her an email requesting it, and she responds with that she sent the corrected 1904 the week prior. Well if that is the case, then why wouldn't you just attach the corrected 1904 with your response. I mean, that would be the logical thing to do since they are asking you for it, right? That would have solved everything. So now I am taking your advice, driving my butt down to her office Monday morning, my only day off next week!

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Specializes in Neuro.
GoalSeeker,

My I ask how long it took you to get your 1904 when you first started Chap 31. My CM who it took 2.5 months to complete my 1904 listed the wrong University lol. Seriously, it was all spelled out for her on my forms I filled out. Ever since I have been trying to contact her. I finally reached out to the VA office at the University in Texas (Im in CA), and they were very responsive and helpful. They even issued me a refund for my tuition fees. BUT I still don't have a corrected 1904 and neither do they. They wrote her an email requesting it, and she responds with that she sent the corrected 1904 the week prior. Well if that is the case, then why wouldn't you just attach the corrected 1904 with your response. I mean, that would be the logical thing to do since they are asking you for it, right? That would have solved everything. So now I am taking your advice, driving my butt down to her office Monday morning, my only day off next week!

Hi, my first meeting with my CM she took care of everything that day. I was originally under post 9/11 and was able to transfer to chapter 31 with no problem. I was already attending school, so I just updated my billing info and was able to start right away.

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How nice for you. I still have 11 months left on my Post 9-11 GI when I graduated from nursing school. My counselor at the VA advised me to apply for Voc Rehab. She said you want to apply for this benefit before your Post 9-11 runs out.

Anyway I ended up driving to my case managers office this morning and picking up a hard copy of my corrected 1904 and scanning it and emailing it to the school myself. I had to wait 1.5 hrs but I brought my books to study in case I had to wait.

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Specializes in Neuro.
How nice for you. I still have 11 months left on my Post 9-11 GI when I graduated from nursing school. My counselor at the VA advised me to apply for Voc Rehab. She said you want to apply for this benefit before your Post 9-11 runs out.

Anyway I ended up driving to my case managers office this morning and picking up a hard copy of my corrected 1904 and scanning it and emailing it to the school myself. I had to wait 1.5 hrs but I brought my books to study in case I had to wait.

It's unfortunate that you had to go to that extreme, but if you want something done right sometimes you have to do it yourself lol. Hopefully she starts doing her job.

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Hello my fellow veterans!

I have been online countless of hours researching this one topic I have.

How can I use Voc Rehab towards a graduate nursing degree?

Does and anyone have experience on this particular subject?

A little information about about me: I currently a pre-nursing student awaiting my acceptance/rejection letter. I am currently using my Post 9/11 GI Bill, and by the time I finish the nursing program (which I hope I can get in!) I would still have a few months left over on my Post 9/11 GI Bill. I have a 60% service connected rating.

My main concern is that I came to realize that Voc Rehab will only help you get benefits for entry level work, and not for job advancement. I final career goal is to become a Nurse Anesthetist or NP. After receiving a BSN I should be able to get a job with a pretty good salary, but not I what I want my final goal to be. I have heard stories floating around the web that, Voc rehab payed for medical, law, and dental school.

Does anyone with the knowledge or experience on this subject that can help me out? Or what steps I can step I can take to have the VA pay for most if not all of my educational goals? I know I am asking this well in advance, but I just like to know my options and not worry about them later.

Any response will be greatly appreciated!

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I know this is kind of old but YES you can still get Voc Rehab while working fulltime.

Not being able to get it is incorrect. I am a full time government employee who is also a vet and on Voc Rehab. In my Last class for my Bachelors right now and hoping to go further into Nursing Case Management. I have graduated with my Bachelors of Science in Human Service.

YES you can work full time and receive Voc Rehab through the VA! I am One of many!

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