VetsFirst is committed to ensuring that disabled veterans have access to employment and education opportunities that will allow them to live meaningful, productive lives.
VetsFirst won a key battle in our fight to ensure that servicemembers with disabilities receive information about disability-related employment and education protections during their transition from military to civilian status. The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity recently voted to ensure that this information will be provided to these men and women during the transition process.
The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is undergoing a series of significant changes as part of the implementation of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. This legislation requires most separating servicemembers, including National Guard and Reserve Component members, to attend TAP. The redesigned TAP program provides information to transitioning servicemembers about VA benefits, and provides the employment skills and education information that servicemembers need to succeed in the current job market.
VetsFirst believes that information presented during TAP sessions regarding employment and education should include information about disability rights and protections. Those who have acquired disabilities as a result of their military service need a basic understanding of the protections available to them under the law as they return to the workforce or seek out education opportunities. To ensure that this information is received by all those servicemembers who need it, we believe that it should be integrated into TAP information about preparing for employment or education opportunities.
For our part, we have created an online guide, Disabled Veterans Employment and Education: Gearing Up for Your Future, that provides information to disabled veterans about employment and education related protections for people with disabilities. We believe that this type of information should be part of TAP.
On April 10, VetsFirst submitted testimony to the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity regarding the Servicemembers’ Choice in Transition Act of 2013 (H.R. 631). While we supported the legislation, we expressed our belief that the bill should require TAP to include information about disability-related education and employment protections. On April 25, the Subcommittee passed an amended H.R. 631 that includes this information.
We are proud to support this legislation and hope that it will mark a new era in helping servicemembers learn about disability-related education and employment protections.