New educational and training opportunities for unemployed veterans

Unemployed veterans between the ages of 35 and 60 can now apply for new benefits to cover education costs for up to one year through a joint Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Labor program that focuses on retraining 99,000 veterans for high-demand jobs. As part of a provision of the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, the Veteran Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) allows qualifying veterans to receive up to 12 months of assistance equal to the full-time Montgomery GI Bill—Active Duty rate, currently $1,473 per month. Veterans can apply now on a first-come, first-served basis for VRAP for programs that begin on or after July 1. Assistance under this benefit program ends on March 31, 2014. The application form is available on the GI Bill website at www.gibill.va.gov. Participants must be enrolled in a VA-approved educational program offered by a community college or technical school. The program must lead to an associate degree, non-college degree, or a certificate, and must train the veteran for a high-demand occupation. For more details, contact the Clark College Veterans Affairs office at 360-992-2112 or veterans@clark.edu.