Buying Equipment?

[socomsam]

I've been enrolled in Voc Rehab for almost a year with very little progress. I recently expressed interest to my counselor about becoming a voc rehab counselor as I would like to serve my fellow disabled vets. My original goal was to go to luthier school to learn how to repair and set-up guitars as I do it as a hobby, but my counselor doesn't think it is a viable career.

To become a voc rehab counselor, I need a Masters in Psychology. Long road for sure and I am not guaranteed a job with the VA, so I could face unemployment so I am having doubts.

I was a video production specialist in the Army and did it as a profession for over 20 years since separating from the Army, but haven't been in the industry in several years.

So..this leads to my question..

I can easily get back into the industry if I had some equipment (camera and editing gear). Will the VA pay for equipment without me going to school?

[USNDW]

If you are taking classes right now, enroll for elctives that cover these areas and then ask for the products because they will be necessary to complete the class.

If you are not, I would recommend getting in touch with any entity that provides classes or training for that field. Ask to be enrolled into them and do the same thing. Discuss your wish to be self employed, or have the ability to be hired in the field and write up a request letter why you need the products. I know they purchased a very nice camera for a friend of mine in order to take a photography class, as well as a guitar, and I also know they bought equipment for a Veteran who wanted to be a locksmith. He was already trained in the field and just needed the equipment.

There is a lot VR&E can do, it is just getting the counselors to recognize they do it and support the Veteran. Unfortunately some of those very well educated counselors are some of the dumbest people you will ever talk to. I have sit and listened to one tell me how smart he was and how much education he had and his qualifications and then about his career as an Officer and blah blah blah.

So I asked super intelligent being how circumstances played a role in a Veterans life to create needs? I guess that was way over his head. Then the smart guy tells me that VR&E counsleing isn't authorized for travel reimbursement. I asked where the instruction was stating this? I am also still waiting for an answer to that question 2 years later, and after being reimbursed several times.

I find it absolutely amazing the VA requires the education level for these positions when most people with that much education have no ability to relate to a real life situation and the Veterans end up getting into the VR&E and becoming confused, lost, and unable to get any assistance from the counselors, other than "if you stop going to school we wil stop your stipend". That's really helpful. I am sure there are a few good ones out there, hust don't know where.