Questions On Vocrehab

[mcKempt]

I got some questions about vocational rehabilitation.

How long did it take you guys after applying to get seen by a VocRehab coucelor? I was originally told over the phone that it would take 10 days for something in the mail to show up but it's day 14 now and today when I called I got a very short "they need more time to process your application" response. I'm drowning in debt and cant afford to wait forever.

Does the same rules apply for VocRebah about taking online courses as the GI Bill? By what I mean about how they limit your monthly allowance to half-time if your taking only online classes.

Thanks!

[JR Reihs]

You are asking for the moon here........Voc Rehab is not going to happen in 14 days and it may not happen in 60-90 days. There are several steps that you will need to take just to get a game plan together, let alone get your classes started so the money flows.

I am not sure about the online classes being counted in a full time or part time situation, but when they call you in, you will get the opportunity to go over all of this.

[K9MAL]

The Indoc process for Voc Rehab is a full day affair. Lots of testing, watching videos, listening to lectures, etc. Then you have to be accepted to the program and move forward from there.

It's not an easy process but it is worth it, in my opinion.

[8up4life]

Full time is 12 Hours.

You get paid full time Online.

This is the reg they are supposed to live by. http://www.benefits.va.gov/WARMS/M28R.asp

Before you go meet with the counselor, know what your goal is.

Have interviews with potential employers.

Get the job market data from the dept of labor for your area..

If the market is not good in your area for the career, make sure moving to where it is in in your plan.

Drop this on your counselors desk at the first appointment.

You will need your counselors email address as well as her supervisors.

Do not let them drag you along, pressure them through email to do their job.

Save these emails for your senator.

[ej5277]

I recently got approved for Voc Rehab after the third time. I caught my counselor in a lot of lies because I brought my wife with me this time so she could comprehend some things for me. Well it turns out I am supposed to get back paid from when I got denied my attempt for the second time and when I asked her about it she told me I was lucky that they were covering this past semester. Is there anyone I can speak to get this handled so I wont lose out on anything? I think she is trying to get over on me

[Berta]

I found only one case at the BVA involving "retro active induction" per Voc Rehab:

VA lingo for what you mean.

"The veteran refused his rehabilitation plan on the basis that

it did not include retroactive payment to August 1993. The

veteran also filed a VA Form 21-4138 dated December 1, 1994

"to clarify my position on my current appeal for

educational/Voc Rehab benefits" in which he stated that he

wanted to be reimbursed for his expenses from August 1993.

The June 1995 statement of the case indicates that this

statement was interpreted as a notice of disagreement to the

RO's December 1, 1994 decision. See 38 C.F.R. §§ 21.59,

21.6054(e) (2003).

The June 1995 statement of the case indicates that the RO had

denied the veteran's claim for retroactive induction prior to

December 1, 1994 for vocational rehabilitation training under

Chapter 15, in part, because an extended period of evaluation

had been required prior to grant of benefits, and vocational

training was not found to be reasonably feasible until

December 1, 1994.

In November 2001, the Board dismissed the appeal on the basis

that a timely substantive appeal had not been received. The

Board determined that the veteran did not file a notice of

disagreement within 60 days of the issuance of the June 1995

statement of the case, or within the remainder of the one-

year period following the date of notification of the October

1994 decision. "

http://www.va.gov/vetapp04/Files/0409384.txt

This decision, is not quite like your case at all, but it contains key citations you might need to look up and use for your appeal if they deny the formal claim you need to file..

By all means, appeal their decision if they deny the retroactive induction claim.

But based on what you stated here, you may not have to.

This is the Reg you need to go over very carefully:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCAQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.benefits.va.gov%2Fwarms%2Fdocs%2Fregs%2F38cfr%2Fbookg%2Fpart21%2Fs21_282.doc&ei=YPB5VNa5CYGfNuabgjA&usg=AFQjCNFtESuKDPyJ2JfOm8Rf8-n2ILvBZA&bvm=bv.80642063,d.eXY

That is what you need to read first and then consider the citations in the BVA decision...maybe you wont even need them because citing M21-1MR is as good as using 38 CFR in many cases.

I dont know if this will help, I am a DEA Chapter 35er.I had a delimiting date just like I think Chapter 31 vets do.

I only got Chap 35 payment up to that date...Then I had to spend about 6 thousand or more of my own money to finish my degree at AMU.

My delimiting date was based on my husband's EED for a posthumous 100% P & T award for PTSD.

I succeeded after that to obtain direct service connected death under AO DMII as well as AO IHD.

In both decisions my delimiting date was extended.(my daughter's as well, whose original DEA award included her 7 years Military service, extending her date.

When I won the AO DMII claim, the VA owed me a considerable amount of monetary benefits. Under the first award I was not eligible for all of them.

I immediately filed with VA Educational Department, the proof that I had paid additional tuitions at AMU that were now retro to my DMII Death award SC claim. I forget how much it was I think 6 thousand, maybe more and they paid me the retro amount because I had proven my delimiting date had to be changed.

In your case, you fall into a slightly different criteria but if I were you I would certainly not only file a claim for this retro using the regs and M21 above, but if they deny, you would have CUE potential too I am sure...but in any event...fight for this money because it sounds to me like someone at VA F---d up big time and, if so, VA owes you some cash.

(I found VA Educational Dept to be an oxymoron at times.

I assume you can prove any past tuitions you paid from your own pocket that VA might well have to reimburse you for.The school would have a record of that as well.

My VA counselor at AMU got in touch with their tuition office and verified my out of pocket amounts I paid.

Also we have online access to our financial and grade stuff at AMU and they had the evidence right there in my student ID acccount.

The VA didnt want to accept my copy of it, but it took an email or two to have my VA AMU counselor send that info directly to the VA from their finance office.

"Is there anyone I can speak to get this handled so I wont lose out on anything?"

You need to formally file the claim for Voc Rehab retro.

Try to have a vet rep support that.

And you could write to the Director of Voc Rehab as well.

I think that counselor should be chastised.

Edited November 29, 2014 by Berta