I have a nightmare counselor that hates my guts. I think it really depends on your counselor. My previous one was awesome but this one seems to attack me at ever turn. Last year I got into a accident and dislocated my knee. My counselor immediately put me on probation, so I got a doctors note that said I was fine. My counselor than wanted another doctors note 3 months later to confirm I am still fine or she would not pay for school. I signed papers in her office for my goals and which classes are required for me to complete these goals. Well I go see an adviser and sign up for just one class and she gets really angry sends me a threatening letter that I am going off the program. I think she must have confused me with another veteran I ended up calling her supervisor. I called her and emailed her twice with my updated address 6 months later I still get mail from Voc Rehab forwarded from the old address. She claims I have not signed documents and when we recheck them shocking its signed. She says she will call me and she never does. My school veterans counselor has complained to me about her as well.
Apparently, regional VR&Es can vary greatly in the quality, quantity, and compentancy of staff members, how they explain the programs, whether or not they approve your training/employment-reemployment/independent living plans, and whether they even know the LAWS and regulations of the various VA VR&E programs that are at their/YOUR disposal for use.
Like the military IDES process you needed to know and manuever through, you will also need to know the VR&E basics, too.
This is why I recommended the e-book by Benjamin Krause (see my earlier posting on this thread). There are CFRs and other regulations, policy letters, etc., the VA has on the various types of services available for YOU to avail yourself with if you qualify for one - OR MORE - of the various VR&E programs.
The more accurate knowledge you have on this system, and what it is capable of doing for you, the more you'll be able to come up with a reachable goal and doable plan that will win a first time GO! with VR&E - one that won't get tied up into denials, appeals, and wasted time.
My first time experience with Regional VA Portland was terrible! I only went in to sign up for the VA VGLI life insurance, and pay the first premium. The clerk I was assigned to that was to assist me in this at REGIONAL, didn't know one little brown bean about it!
NO JOKE! I asked how long she had worked in her current position, and she said TWO YEARS!
She gave me wrong information, didn't know the basic rules, but did know how to use the telephone and the computer. So I did it myself - filled out the forms online - on her work computer.
When I was done, she then gave me a VA phamplet to read and then took it back from me so she could read the life insurance pages. She read the same information in the VA book that I had to tell her about about as if it was the first time she had even opened the darn thing to read it!
As you might imagine, I now have my doubts about their VR&E competency. That's why I'm reading up on it now, just in case I get another dim-bulb, career-squatting, VA long-timer who could care less about their job - or basic knowledge base - or the Veteran they serve.
HOLY COW!
V/r,
nwlivewire
