VRE Journey

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Stillhere	VRE Journey		Lead	[-]
Posts: 293 04/08/08 10:48:12	Hello all, I just started my case with the VA for VRE I am sill working but slowing down quite a bit and may have to be looking for something a little less demanding because of my disabilities. I am in sales so not much as far as physical but very stress full and lot of driving. Anyhow I went to the VA after making an appointment to see what they might be able to help with. First I was shown a nice video with a group of other vets, then I was appointed a case manager. All this took place last Dec. 07 the case manager said I needed to have a full evaluation by another individual who gave me a slew of aptitude tests. That took place in early Feb. this year, I sent my case manager an email and asked her in the email well what do I do now. Had not heard a word from her since then until yesterday I get a phone call out of the blue from my case manager saying she needs to see me right away. I am going tomorrow for our meeting, she says she has the report from the tester and needs to go over the results with me. Does this sound familiar to any of you guys? What should I expect tomorrow? Thank you for any comments, Stillhere
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fenderstrat72		#1	[url]	[-]
Posts: 24 04/09/08 14:39:39	Let us know how it goes. I have my first VocRehab appointment next Tuesday and I too am wondering how this will unfold?
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Stillhere		#2	[url]	[-]
Posts: 303 04/09/08 15:27:45	Well got to my meeting actually found a meter on the street (great! did not have to pay $16 to park!) passed through security go up stairs sign in and sit down. 10 minutes later lady comes up to me and says who are you here to meet? Then do you have an appointment? YES! Another lady comes back and says my counselor had an emergency and had to leave $%^$%$!! Anyhow something told me things were just going to smooth. Now I will have to reschedule my scheduel and reschedule but hey I guess emergencies happen^^^%$%. Stillhere
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Stillhere		#3	[url]	[-]
Posts: 473 05/07/08 20:22:43	Finally had my follow up meeting and not sure if I like what is going on or not. 1 thing good I have been approved and accepted into the VRE program but they are going to be processing me thru the ILP I think because of my age and disabilities. I am scheduled for an in house evaluation to see what I might need to help me continue working and maybe help me be better at what I do. I will post how that goes later. She also said something about a monetary payment from VA for something but not sure about that. I have to go back in June and meet with her after the "in house evaluation" but she did mention they would look at all my living conditions to help improve them and not just my work. She made it sound very rosy but I guess I will have to wait and see.
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kelly457		#4	[url]	[-]
Posts: 28 05/08/08 20:11:40	Stillhere, I was also recently accepted in the ILP. It will be interesting to see how this goes for us. Thanks for the insight. Kelly
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KP4VCC		#5	[url]	[-]
Posts: 122 05/11/08 08:51:42	Be prepare to welcome to your home an individual with not specific knowledge of your condition/s, he/she will ask you queations that to you shoul be basic. However, be knowledgeable about the need you are encounter depending on your disabilities, like your main problem is your back, do you need a ramp to enter your house because the steps are not frindly to you? Do your bathdroom need safety rail for you when takin a shower, Do you cook, and the item on your kitchen are to far away for you to reach? Can you may get better if they help you with a hobby, etc, etc, etc. Be specific, must of the time depending where are you located, the person who visit you may not belong to VA instead to a private company. Only you can prove your needs to VA, if you can record the meating and safe the recording, if necessary for future use. If by any chance you get dinied metsure you appeal, appeal appeal. Only with veteran insist on theire earned benefit then they will getted. Good luck. "LIFE IS A SERIES OF ENCOUNTERS AND FAREWELLS" evw and true them we grow and became more mature.
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fenderstrat72		#6	[url]	[-]
Posts: 30 05/13/08 21:37:35	I had my second appointment with the VR&E folks yesterday. The first appointment was Apr 15th. I was shown the same video and given the same aptitude tests. Follow appointment was yesterday to go over the tests results and determine IF I was eligible for VR&E. I am 80% service connected so I knew that wasn't a problem, or at least I thought. After nearly 3 1/2 hours of discussion I was found to be eligible for VR&E benefits. Now comes the tricky part and I am wondering if anyone else has had this happen to them? The counselor, once she told me I qualified, told me she didn't like my choice of college. I am already enrolled and have completed 12 hrs on my own at this particular college. I have attended other schools but happen to like this one a great deal. She didn't like my choice of major, Human Resources. I also mentioned possibly majoring in Business Admin and was once again discouraged although she didn't say no. What she did do is give me homework of sorts. One thing I have to do for her is research entry level job opportunities in those two fields in the areas I am willing to move to or currently live. Fair enough, but she also wants me to call up 3 HR directors and 3 additional people with Business degrees and beg an interview. Not interview for a job but to ask them about their chosen careers, how do they like it, can you expect to move up, etc. I also have to give her a complete financial statement because in her words, "those that are struggling financially tend to skip class and get poor grades or fail." So, I can see the point in researching job openings. That makes good sense in my book. Asking someone for an interview, well I am not sure how well that is going to go over? The last one really gets me though. I have an associates degree already and 3.47 GPA, so what business is it of hers if I am poor or not? I mean, are poor vets not entitled to the same benefits as those more fortunate? Doesn't every VR&E qualifying vet deserve a shot at a better education if he/she is willing to work for it? BTW, more than one time the rep tried to talk me into seeking a degree in fields I had not expressed an interest in, nor aptitude for. I think she may have a hidden agenda? Grant the benefit but make is so hard to receive it or be so negative about the chosen career that the vet will just give up trying. Last Edited By: fenderstrat72 05/13/08 21:39:52. Edited 1 time.
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keepingitfake		#7	[url]	[-]
Rookie VBNer Posts: 5 05/14/08 00:25:11	fenderstrat72 Hello, Congrats on making it so far into VR&E. Trust your instincts with this counselor. Not sure why she needs to see your financials and I can't believe she intimated that your socio-economic state will dictate your academic performance. You can ask why. Saying things like "What can I tell you about myself that will help us to work better together". or "I understand you might think you need this information, but I need to know why." You will have to sign off on a plan. The plan needs to be something you both agree to; don't agree with anything you aren't comfortable with. And, don't be bullied by the Voc rehab people. They are government workers for god sakes!! and, they don't have to "like" you or like what you do. This is business, personal preferences on the part of government servants need be put aside.
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fenderstrat72		#8	[url]	[-]
Posts: 31 05/20/08 23:09:42	Thanks for the reply. I have an appointment to go back and see her on the 10th of June.
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Stillhere		#9	[url]	[-]
Posts: 591 05/22/08 17:18:18	Well, I had not heard anything since May 7th so send her and email and she first said she had to get a hold of the assessment contract people. Then she said the VAMC needed to do a FCE (functional capacity evaluation) any one ever heard of that. She also said she did not know when they would get around to doing that. Is this for real or what?? Take Care
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piusmilitis		#10	[url]	[-]
Rookie VBNer Posts: 4 05/27/08 08:12:43	this sound like a headache....
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ptbgearhd	VRE Proposal	#11	[url]	[-]
Rookie VBNer Posts: 1 05/28/08 10:30:13	I have just started this process as well. I went through an agency contracted with the VA to conduct the tests and evaluation. That was the easy part. The contracted agency told me to put together a proposal for the VRE counselor. The proposal is to have a list of schools, tuition, book, and activity fees, locations of schools, programs offered - then - jobs available when program is complete - complete with job descriptions & salaries. As the career counselor stated "What will be the end result of your education?" Also required in the proposal is personal finances - as I was told by this counselor that the VRE counselor needs to know what your rent or mortgage payment is, spouse's income, utilities, etc. Everything. Supposedly they pay a stipend for living expenses. Seeing is believing. It has been a long road getting this far, so I am not yet a believer. I haven't seen what a proposal should look like, but I figure if I put it together like a business plan, maybe it will get it approved. Has anyone put together one of these proposals? They sure don't make it easy. Did WWII vets get their educations this way?
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kelly457		#12	[url]	[-]
Posts: 42 05/28/08 14:33:27	Accepted into vocrehab - extended evaluation - chose school everything - no tests, no specific questions on financials - couldn't do it, referred to independent living, vocrehab chouselor driving herself to my place in two weeks. Easy process so far - maybe luck of the draw-dunno.
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Stillhere		#13	[url]	[-]
Posts: 647 06/02/08 13:11:05	It is June now and just received an email from counselor and she says she asked them to do it immediately. I was supposed to have another meeting with her tomorrow but we cancelled that since nothing is going on yet. Hey Kelly, let us know how it goes.
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Stillhere		#14	[url]	[-]
Posts: 744 06/11/08 10:12:33	Well just got off the phone with the evac assessment person. She is coming to the house tomorrow at 3:00 Any observations or knowledge on what and how this goes? I work mostly out of my house but do go into an office about every 2 weeks. Thanks,
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kelly457		#15	[url]	[-]
Posts: 48 06/11/08 12:35:42	Well the Independent Living Voc Rehab counselor came to my house today. She asked a series of questions on how my disabilities bother me - asked for updated medical records - asked about my interests and hobbies and if there was anything I needed. She came up with a list of items to make things easier for me and I added one item myself. She had my file with her and she had already read it. She said she would get these items for me to include a 1 year medically supervised gym membership upon approval from my doctor, computer set up with voice recognition, step stool and a supply of depends. She said there is a backlog and I would start getting paperwork from her in two months, the plan, doctors form for approval for gym ext..... overall, it is a very easy process and so far they really helped so no complaints from me. In fact, they really are wonderful! Hope all goes well for Stillhere and everyone else. Does anyone know if we are suppose to get a stipand though? I forgot to ask. Thanks.
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kelly457		#16	[url]	[-]
Posts: 49 06/11/08 12:41:30	p.s. In answer to Stillhere question - some of the questions are on the letter they send prior to coming out your interest and current hobbies your past education and training disabilities and how they affect your life other questions I had a list of my disabilities and how they affect me so i didn't forget anything and it came in handy. I had all of medications out and she asked about me taking them. I had a copy of my updated medical records for her - she asked if I had any new problems. she asked if I applied for social security and told me I should apply. she wanted to know the doctors i was currently seeing. hope this helps.
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Stillhere		#17	[url]	[-]
Posts: 745 06/11/08 14:37:21	Kelly, Thank you that is perfect, just what the doctor ordered. I have a mine set of my problems and where there could be some help applied. But as you know a lot of it is ourselves and one of my biggest problems is enough stamina to finish things. I mean I have a half dozen of little projects around the house that I have started and have not gotten back to that need my attention but... Oh well thanks I will post how mine goes so it may help someone else.
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Stillhere		#18	[url]	[-]
Posts: 780 06/13/08 14:00:40	Well had my meeting with assessor some kind of person who does ergonomics or something. Not sure what good this did but I guess is another test in the process. Where this is going to lead I am not sure. All she did was come in my house and sit at the kitchen table and ask me questions for about half and hour and then left. Said her report would be ready in about 5 days and typed up and sent to my counselor and to give her a call in about three weeks. The journey continues I guess.
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kelly457		#19	[url]	[-]
Posts: 51 06/13/08 20:25:26	time to start those projects again - yep - and the journey continues.... where we end up nobody knows hahahhahaha
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kelly457		#20	[url]	[-]
Posts: 58 07/10/08 16:38:40	fyi - update - got a letter in the mail today requesting my doctor fill out VA Form 28-1902 counseling record -medical information and related findings... the journey continues...
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