I just got put on TDRL, 90% VA, 70% DoD, for mental health. I want to go straight to seeking employment and furthering my education but am worried any success in these two areas will kill my chances of keeping my ratings and getting PDRL when I get to my reevaluation.
My question is, do I even have to inform the board about employment and school? What if I flat out lied? How would they even know?
Welcome to the PEB Forum!
In my opinion, not being totally honest with the reporting of your mental disorder(s) symptomology to both the military (via TDRL re-evaluation) and the DoVA VHA/VBA can potentially result in fraud allegations if proven; that's probably not a good course of action at any point in time.
As such, if you have aspirations of seeking employment and continuing your educational endeavors, that's great albeit I would suggest that you please pursue it within the limitations of your mental disorder(s). Unless, you are awarded a DoVA 100% official rating (e.g., Total occupational and social impairment) for a mental disorder or awarded a DoVA TDIU rating, seeking and maintaining employment shouldn't become a major issue.
To that extent, the DoVA VR&E program may be a viable option; the primary function of VR&E services, if eligible, is to assist the military veteran in the development of a vocational plan via one of the five services tracks. Then, continue to work with the veteran to implement the plan to achieve suitable employment and/or independent living.
Hence, military veterans are eligible for the DoVA VR&E program if they:
- Have received, or will receive, a discharge that is other than dishonorable
- Have a service-connected disability rating of at least 10% from the DoVA
- Apply for DoVA VR&E services
Depending on their circumstances, veterans will work with their Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) to select one of the following five tracks of services:
- Reemployment (with a former employer)
- Direct job placement services for new employment
- Self-employment
- Employment through long term services including OJT, college, and other training
- Independent living services
After a vocational plan is developed and signed, a VRC or case manager will continue to work with the veteran to implement the plan to achieve suitable employment and/or independent living.
Moreover, the VRC or case manager will provide ongoing counseling, assistance, and coordinate services such as tutorial assistance, training in job-seeking skills, medical and dental referrals, adjustment counseling, payment of training allowance, if applicable, and other services as required to help the veteran achieve rehabilitation.
With that all said, pursuing higher educational endeavors while seeking and maintaining employment may not necessarily affect your DoVA official rating(s) to include any final determination for placement onto the DoD military PDRL.
Nonetheless, be totally honest and upfront about your mental disorder(s) symptomology, consider enrolling into the DoVA VR&E program then work with a DoVA VRC for the best opportunities to parallel potentially maintain a DoVA disability rating and achieve maximum success with your higher educational aspirations + future employment endeavors. Take care!
Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer!"
Best Wishes!
