As a service member, it’s never too early to learn about VA benefits and services. By discovering what is available to you before transitioning to civilian life, you can make a big difference in your military career and the direction you take after military service.
Military Life Cycle (MLC) modules provide service members (including members of the Guard and Reserve Components), Veterans, family members, caregivers, survivors and other loved ones with information on planning for the future. MLC modules can be taken at any time throughout your career and life but are especially valuable after major events – like permanent changes of station, marriage or post-deployment. They cover important topics, such as education benefits, home loans and life insurance, and offer connections to a lifelong support system – VA – from the first duty station to separation and beyond.
These 30-to-45-minute online courses, which are available at TAPevents.org/courses, are self-paced and can be accessed from anywhere, anytime, and on any web-enabled device. You also do not need a Common Access Card (CAC) to access or enroll in MLC modules.
“We often hear that service members wish they began learning about available benefits and services before their transition,” said Dr. Lawrencia Pierce, acting executive director of VA’s Office of Transition and Economic Development (OTED). “MLC modules offer our service members, Veterans and their loved ones a quick and easy way to learn about – and use – the resources they need, at a time that is right for them.”
Even if you have participated in other VA information sessions, MLC modules are designed to provide up-to-date information at times that meet your individual needs. Check out available course descriptions below:
MLC Modules:
- VA Education benefits: Learn about Department of Defense (DOD) and VA education benefits, including Post-9/11 GI Bill®, that may help you pay for or offset the cost of tuition, housing, books and supplies.
- VA Benefits 101: Understand more about what benefits you may be entitled to, including VA education, home loan guaranty, health care, insurance, and memorial benefits.
- Social and Emotional Health Resources: Walk through the DOD and VA services that help you deal with stressful life experiences.
- VA Life Insurance benefits: Learn about the different VA life insurance benefits and services, information on financial planning and will preparation services.
- VA Home Loan Guaranty program: Find out how VA can assist you to achieving your housing goals – even while in uniform – with an overview of the VA Home Loan Guaranty, including eligibility, processes, costs and other available resources.
- Vet Centers: Learn how Vet Centers can help eligible service members, Veterans and their families adjust after returning from combat, or any time when they need assistance.
- Reserve Component Dual Payments: Get information on the laws and requirements for dual payment situations for members of the reserve components, like activation, active training or inactive training at the same time as VA disability compensation or pension benefits.
- Survivor and Casualty Assistance resources: Understand the different casualty assistance benefits and resources available to caregivers and survivors.
To access MLC modules, visit TAPevents.org/courses. To learn more about MLC modules and get your copy of the online resource guides, visit: https://benefits.va.gov/transition/military-life-cycle.asp.
Bar Wilson is the chief of TAP Curriculum & Training for VBA’s Office of Transition and Economic Development.
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I just felt the need to put My thoughts in this Email in hopes that someone in the position to point out the VA organization (if there is one) or can see the special need for making one available.
In My search for information regarding how to put in for Disability Claims and or VA Benefits, I noticed that information has been given to Soldiers (pryor to E.T.S.) now days, that wasn’t to others. I found they are told to put on record (it’s not already,) things such as an incident/injuries that might have occurred during service, and even start a Claim prior to exiting, as well as leaving with copies of all Their Records.
None of these things were available to Soldiers who served (that I was made aware of when I exited from the Army in 1981) prior to the mid 1980’s that I can find or know Soldiers who ETS’ed by 1985.
Because of this, I feel that there should be a One Stop type advisory group made to help inform such Veterans of this time frame, of all the Benefits and or Disability Claims that are available to them that might have become available after they served.
I also see the need for a special group to be invented with the Cold War era and prior in mind. To include a special group of advocates or VSO’s that can assist these Veterans with providing the needed forms as well help filling them out and submitting them, especially when it comes to Disability Claims made by of a certain age who might not own a PC or how to navigate one, in order to obtain the current information unknown to them on these earned benefits or what it takes to submit the claims if needed, by the Veterans or the qualifying Dependant of one. (This area of info could be useful to Dependants of All era’s) to insure that information about Benefits earned because of Time of service or Duty Station, when a incident/injury occurred in service by said Veteran (or knowledge of this by the Veterans Dependants) and Equally available to ALL Branches who served. It might even help with lowering the number of Veteran Suicides due to not knowing of or getting help obtaining the Benefits They are in titled to.I just felt the need to put My thoughts in this Email in hopes that someone in the position to point out the VA organization (if there is one) or can see the special need for making one available.
I would like to receive information on Employment opportunities with the VA