Hey guys, wanted to just discuss a HUGE benefit that really should be required reading in my opinion in conjunction with all the medboard shenanigans.
Short synopsis on me: I medically retired on July 30th from the Marine Corps. My timelines are posted elsewhere on this forum.
* The following advice is geared towards active duty personnel facing a medboard. If you are a reservist this information may not apply to you.
** I also want to preface this with the fact that some VR&E counselors don't do a good job, and may neglect you in your process. Depending on the quality of your counselor, your experience with VR&E can be quite poor. I still strongly believe you can only ever gain from this program regardless of the quality of the counselor as it is a benefit that does not detract from your other benefits.
VR&E is a vocational benefit that is primarily meant to get you employed. What a lot of servicemembers don't realize is their lives are going to change forever after a medboard: their military chapter is coming to an end for better or for worse and likely the line of work you worked in service won't be an option anymore. That's where VR&E steps in. You choose a pathway that will not aggravate your disabilities and VR&E will pay, within reason, for schooling and supplies up to 50,000 dollars a year. Best part is: it doesn't touch your GI bill.
My medboard began in October of 2023, and I reached out to VR&E by applying in February after I learned about it in passing from a retired SgtMaj teaching a DoL class at Lejeune for TRS (TAPS equivalent for Marines).
VR&E is a VETERAN benefit, so why am I telling you it's so important to sign up for it while you're active in a medboard? Because there's an exception for active duty SM's: SM's participating in IDES are ENTITLED to the program! No results necessary, simply apply and get approved! Here's some pro tips to avoid some of the road bumps I ran into:
Apply for VR&E at the PEB stage. From the day you apply, a 6 month clock starts. Within that 6 month period you must begin taking your courses if you need to take courses for your chosen career path. If you apply at the PEB stage you'll likely get out within that 6 month period and you'll be able to take classes in person at your home of record.
Assuming you play your cards right and you apply in service and go to school post service, you can get paid VA disability AND a monthly housing allowance at the post 9/11 rate. If you have less than 4 years in service, a medboard (separated honorably under IDES) will enable you to receive the GI bill at the 100% rate regardless of time in service. All you have to do to get the MHA at the post 9/11 rate is apply for the GI bill, then send your certificate of eligibility to your counselor.
The way you get the best bang for your buck is by taking as many online courses as possible (ideally 3 per semester) and ONE in person course. If you take an entirely online semester, you'll get monthly housing allowance at the online rate (it's around 1,000 and likely lower than your local housing allowance).
When you apply, you'll get assigned a counselor and they will work with you to get a career path on the books to get you into college. They can facilitate trades as well, but trades are typically harder on the body and are more prone to denial.
This counselor is your liaison to the VA for education through chapter 31 (VR&E). You articulate needs to them for supplies, books, etc. In my experience I was sent a 600 dollar chair, a tech package worth over 2000 dollars (laptop, keyboard, mouse, monitor), and an authorization code to buy any course required books from the bookstore with a 50 dollar per semester allowance for supplies like pencils and such.
While the supplies are nice and all, what's the big deal if you already have all that stuff: a chair, computer, etc? The money and training is where it really pays off.
At 100% and married I'm being paid around 4000 a month, which is very helpful in transitional life. Because I'm attending ONE in person class this semester, I'm being paid 2,300 dollars extra a month for living allowance. It's broken down into weekdays and holidays are removed, but every day the college is open I get paid nearly 80 dollars a day. Not to mention I'm working towards a degree I know I'll enjoy. This program is a life changer.
If you're on the fence about applying I really do suggest at least trying the program: there is no penalty if you don't want to go through with it. I'm loving the program and once I get my bachelor's with it I will likely get my master's with the GI bill.
If you have any questions about the program please ask. It's certainly turned my life around and maybe it can do the same for you.
Short synopsis on me: I medically retired on July 30th from the Marine Corps. My timelines are posted elsewhere on this forum.
* The following advice is geared towards active duty personnel facing a medboard. If you are a reservist this information may not apply to you.
** I also want to preface this with the fact that some VR&E counselors don't do a good job, and may neglect you in your process. Depending on the quality of your counselor, your experience with VR&E can be quite poor. I still strongly believe you can only ever gain from this program regardless of the quality of the counselor as it is a benefit that does not detract from your other benefits.
VR&E is a vocational benefit that is primarily meant to get you employed. What a lot of servicemembers don't realize is their lives are going to change forever after a medboard: their military chapter is coming to an end for better or for worse and likely the line of work you worked in service won't be an option anymore. That's where VR&E steps in. You choose a pathway that will not aggravate your disabilities and VR&E will pay, within reason, for schooling and supplies up to 50,000 dollars a year. Best part is: it doesn't touch your GI bill.
My medboard began in October of 2023, and I reached out to VR&E by applying in February after I learned about it in passing from a retired SgtMaj teaching a DoL class at Lejeune for TRS (TAPS equivalent for Marines).
VR&E is a VETERAN benefit, so why am I telling you it's so important to sign up for it while you're active in a medboard? Because there's an exception for active duty SM's: SM's participating in IDES are ENTITLED to the program! No results necessary, simply apply and get approved! Here's some pro tips to avoid some of the road bumps I ran into:
Apply for VR&E at the PEB stage. From the day you apply, a 6 month clock starts. Within that 6 month period you must begin taking your courses if you need to take courses for your chosen career path. If you apply at the PEB stage you'll likely get out within that 6 month period and you'll be able to take classes in person at your home of record.
Assuming you play your cards right and you apply in service and go to school post service, you can get paid VA disability AND a monthly housing allowance at the post 9/11 rate. If you have less than 4 years in service, a medboard (separated honorably under IDES) will enable you to receive the GI bill at the 100% rate regardless of time in service. All you have to do to get the MHA at the post 9/11 rate is apply for the GI bill, then send your certificate of eligibility to your counselor.
The way you get the best bang for your buck is by taking as many online courses as possible (ideally 3 per semester) and ONE in person course. If you take an entirely online semester, you'll get monthly housing allowance at the online rate (it's around 1,000 and likely lower than your local housing allowance).
When you apply, you'll get assigned a counselor and they will work with you to get a career path on the books to get you into college. They can facilitate trades as well, but trades are typically harder on the body and are more prone to denial.
This counselor is your liaison to the VA for education through chapter 31 (VR&E). You articulate needs to them for supplies, books, etc. In my experience I was sent a 600 dollar chair, a tech package worth over 2000 dollars (laptop, keyboard, mouse, monitor), and an authorization code to buy any course required books from the bookstore with a 50 dollar per semester allowance for supplies like pencils and such.
While the supplies are nice and all, what's the big deal if you already have all that stuff: a chair, computer, etc? The money and training is where it really pays off.
At 100% and married I'm being paid around 4000 a month, which is very helpful in transitional life. Because I'm attending ONE in person class this semester, I'm being paid 2,300 dollars extra a month for living allowance. It's broken down into weekdays and holidays are removed, but every day the college is open I get paid nearly 80 dollars a day. Not to mention I'm working towards a degree I know I'll enjoy. This program is a life changer.
If you're on the fence about applying I really do suggest at least trying the program: there is no penalty if you don't want to go through with it. I'm loving the program and once I get my bachelor's with it I will likely get my master's with the GI bill.
If you have any questions about the program please ask. It's certainly turned my life around and maybe it can do the same for you.