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I have mixed feelings on VRAP. Anything I say past this point is my opinion only - I'm in the VR&E program, so not eligible for VRAP anyway.

VRAP was envisioned with the best of intentions. The intent was to give older, unemployed vets (35 - 60 years old) who don't qualify for any other type of educational assistance (state, federal or VA) the ability to get some additional education - maybe a computer certification, or completion of a two year degree, etc. Here's the deal. VRAP directly pays a veteran accepted into the program (remember, this vet is older, and unemployed) the equivalent of 1 year worth of post-9/11 GI bill payments. The program doesn't make payments to a college or tech school. Therein lies the rub.

Most colleges and tech schools will not enroll a vet without either a written commitment from the VA for tuition payment directly to the institution, or a lump sum payment from the vet (from savings or a loan) upfront for the education / training. VRAP is committing funds to the veteran, not the institution. Here's the problem - how many long term unemployed vets do you know who have either the savings or the ability to qualify for a loan to pay upfront for a multi-thousand dollar educational path? Not many. That's why (IMO) VRAP is not being terribly successful at enrolling veterans (12,000 out of 45,000 possible seats to date in 2012).

Educational institutions are frustrated with this benefit being so restrictive; veterans are frustrated with the benefit being so restrictive. A simple change to the enabling legislation (that payments would be committed to the educational institution, not the qualifying vet) would make all the difference in the world in the success of this program. As it is right now, VRAP is no more than useless, pretty window dressing that enables politicians to say, "hey, we're doing something for unemployed veterans!", when in a vast majority of cases, that just isn't true.

There are many vets who could have taken advantage of the VRAP program if it was properly legislated. I've sent a letter to Jeff Miller (chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee) and Patty Murray (chairwoman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee) asking them to tweak the funding conditions just a bit so that unemployed, older vets could actually, you know, use the program.

In theory, VRAP is a great idea. In practical application, even 'for profit' schools want nothing to do with it - and many schools don't qualify anyway. As I understand it, the school has to be a community college or approved technical school, and yes, the benefit only lasts for 12 months.

So basically, if an older unemployed vet is already going to one of these institutions on his/her own dime to pursue a DOL "high demand" occupation, then yes, the program is beneficial. But again, there aren't that many veterans who fit the intended age demographic, are unemployed, currently in a 2 year (or technical school program) for a high demand occupation, and paying for it themselves. Those are some very significant program barriers. The fact that VRAP doesn't pay directly to the schools makes the schools really ambivalent about outreach to veterans who might otherwise get some value out of the program.