Applied For Vocation Rehab, Exhausted Gi Bill

[MrLogan13]

Hello everyone. I've posted a couple of times on Hadit since 2008. My diability claim was initially denied in 2009, but more than five years later, my appeal is complete and I was rated at 50% for both moderately severe pes planus and moderate asthma. During this time, I have completed a B.S. and will have completed an M.S. this May, both in the fields of biological science. I've used up my GI Bill benefits; I had 14 days of benefits remaining at the beginning of this semester (January) so I received full tuition as well as BAH for the remainder of the semester, which means I will have used 40 months of benefits total.

My appeal was only just completed last month, but as soon as I had my rating I applied for VRE. I have my orientation and first meeting coming up in just under 3 weeks. I'd like to use VRE toward medical education (I've been accepted to medical school). I'm currently trying to familiarze myself with the regulations for this benefit since I've read that some counselors can be adversarial. Does anyone have any tips for my first meeting to improve my chances of being approved for the program?

[Chuck75]

Medical School is quite expensive, so I don't blame you for looking into anything that helps!

Besides what you mentioned, there are other programs if you are willing to obligate yourself

to working in certain specialties and geographic areas for specific employers (usually the government)

Having said that - - -

You have obtained basic and advanced degrees using the GI Bill as it applies to you.

A devil's advocate view would be that is enough, already!

Congratulations on getting that done are also in order. Too many fail to accomplish the task, such that the

government actually pays the full benefits.

[MrLogan13]

Medical School is quite expensive, so I don't blame you for looking into anything that helps!

Besides what you mentioned, there are other programs if you are willing to obligate yourself

to working in certain specialties and geographic areas for specific employers (usually the government)

Having said that - - -

You have obtained basic and advanced degrees using the GI Bill as it applies to you.

A devil's advocate view would be that is enough, already!

Congratulations on getting that done are also in order. Too many fail to accomplish the task, such that the

government actually pays the full benefits.

Thanks, I appreciate the congratulations. When I left the Army back in 2004, I never imagined that I would earn a bachelor's degree, let alone pursue advanced degrees. I've certainly come a long way.

Whle it is true that I have obtained a graduate degree and that should be enough, the work I have been doing exacerbates my conditions. They were tolerable when I began my training, but my conditions have gotten worse over the years. I would imagine that this would hinder me from working in the fields I am currently trained in.

[Pete53]

Good for you and pursue this their job is to give you training that will help you get employment and as much as some of them resist they do have money to do this. A good friend got law school paid using this and now he works for the VA.

[Navy04]

I know how you feel bud. I have completed 2 Bachelors, a Double Masters and was working on my Doctorate when the health caught up to me. As you know while Active the Military only pays for so many classes, so I had to pay for some and get student loans for others. Thank God when I became 100% last year the Govt forgave my student loans, which was a big relief. Good luck and keep up the good work. Very Proud!!!

[MrLogan13]

Good for you and pursue this their job is to give you training that will help you get employment and as much as some of them resist they do have money to do this. A good friend got law school paid using this and now he works for the VA.

Thank you! I definitely plan on pursuing it. I'm glad your friend was able to use VRE for law school. I'm hoping that I will be able to use it for medical school as well.

I know how you feel bud. I have completed 2 Bachelors, a Double Masters and was working on my Doctorate when the health caught up to me. As you know while Active the Military only pays for so many classes, so I had to pay for some and get student loans for others. Thank God when I became 100% last year the Govt forgave my student loans, which was a big relief. Good luck and keep up the good work. Very Proud!!!

Thank you for your kind words! The thought of being hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt is a scary one, so I am trying to prepare for the first meeting as best as I can. I'm glad to hear you were able to have your loans forgiven. I can't believe your conditions are considered temporary!

[Navy04]

Sad thing with my Current Claim it looks like 5 or 6 more SC conditions at high %s, at it looks like I will continue to my Temporary as now my Benefits letter online says up for Review on Mar 2018, the SH**** never ends. Just tired of the Govt controlling me, I did not ask to be retired at 30. Sorry for the rambling, good luck bud and keep up the Good Grades. Years ago, a good friend of mine went to Medical School to be Pediatric Ortho Surgeon. He was never in the Military and had to money. So he had to take a lot of loans out and lived in Cars, Parks and friends couches for close to 10 years. Now he lives up north and is a Millionaire. You too will be there one day.