Veteran retraining help still available
By Staff Reports
Published in News on January 20, 2013 1:50 AM
The Veterans Retraining Assistance Program is still accepting applications. As of Thursday, there were 75,275 of the target of 99,000 VRAP applications approved. Veterans may apply for assistance until Oct. 1, with training concluding by March 31, 2014, and so now is the time for veterans to submit their VRAP applications in order to get approved in time for Spring II classes at community colleges.
The VRAP offers up to 12 months of training assistance to Veterans who:
* Are at least 35 but no more than 60 years old
* Are unemployed on the date of application
* Received an other than dishonorable discharge
* Are not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program
* Are not in receipt of VA compensation due to unemployability
* Are not enrolled in a federal or state job training program
Participants must attend full-time in order to receive up to 12 months of assistance equal to the monthly full-time payment rate under the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty program. The Department of Labor will offer employment assistance to every veteran who participates upon completion of the program.
Participants must be enrolled in a VA approved program of education offered by a community college or technical school. The program must lead to an associate degree, non-college degree, or a certificate, and train the veteran for a high demand occupation.
Interested veterans may apply online at http://benefits.va.gov/vow. As part of the Department of Treasury mandate to issue all Federal benefit payments electronically, veterans will be asked to provide direct deposit information during the application process. If a veteran does not have or is not eligible for a checking or savings account they may go to www.eta-find.gov to find out if they qualify for an electronic transfer account.
However, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Workforce Solutions, Employment Services/Wayne County Joblink has veteran representatives available to help veterans apply online and to provide more information. For more information call 919-731-7950 or stop by the office at 2006 Wayne Memorial Drive, Goldsboro, NC 27534 between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.