On National Rehabilitation Counselors Appreciation Day, honor those who make a difference

For Veterans who have sustained injuries or illnesses while in service to our country, rehabilitation counselors are essential, expert navigators to help them overcome employment barriers and live independent lives. I began my career as a Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) counselor with the Veterans Benefits Administration, and I understand how essential these counselors–many of whom are Veterans themselves–are to America’s Veterans.

On March 22, National Rehabilitation Counselors Appreciation Day, we honor these men and women for their work in service to the American Veterans living with a service-connected disability. VR&E counselors assist Veterans every day with on-the-job training, employment accommodations, resume development, and more. But the core of their service to Veterans is their work to empower men and women with service-connected disabilities to achieve their own American dream.

When we honor the warrior spirit of our wounded Veterans, let’s also honor the rehabilitation counselors whose earnest belief in the resilience and adaptability of Veterans is critical to their success.

Here’s a personal thank you video that I shared today with VA’s VR&E counselors:

You can learn more about Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment services on the VA.gov website.

Margarita Devlin is the VA’s Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Benefits. Her biography is available at https://benefits.va.gov/benefits/bio_margarita_devlin.asp