The Department of Veterans Affairs has made a change this month to education benefits that will expand the opportunities for veterans, Military.com reported.
The change has to do with the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program – referred to as Chapter 31 – which allows veterans with a service-connected disability and at least a 10% rating to access resources to find employment.
“Effective April 1, 2021 VA will not count veteran entitlement used in the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program against the 48-month rule for education programs like the post-9/11 GI Bill,” a VA spokesperson said in a statement.
Previously, VR&E could not be used together with the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Those who used the 48 months of benefits in VR&E would be ineligible for the GI Bill.
“Now that VR&E doesn’t count against other GI Bill benefits, a veteran hypothetically could earn a CDL license, accounting certificate or traditional college degree, and then go back to school with the Post-9/11 GI Bill to earn another degree,” according to Military.com.
To note, although VR&E now does not count against the GI Bill, the reverse is not true. Use of the GI Bill counts against VR&E.
