VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment service signals transformation through readiness

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) service announced today it’s changing its name to Veteran Readiness and Employment Service to better reflect the needs of Veterans.

The new name, which includes readiness, is more in line with what service members and Veterans already understand from their military service.

“The new name puts an emphasis on the Veteran and the department’s mission to help them reach their employment goals,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “The service will also maintain the VR&E abbreviation allowing it to remain identifiable.”

The process of renaming the program began with a comprehensive Human-Centered Design (HCD) research effort to better understand the program’s strengths, pain points and opportunities to increase program awareness and enhance the delivery of VR&E services. Data collection activities and information sessions were held with Veterans, service members, VR&E employees and Veterans service officers at the various stages of the HCD research process. VR&E learned that confusion and stigma around the former program name deterred some potential program participants from seeking services.

VR&E provides benefits and services that enable transitioning service members and Veterans with service-connected disabilities and an employment barrier, to prepare for, obtain and maintain suitable employment, and to the maximum extent possible, achieve independence in daily living.

Visit careers-employment and vocational-readiness for more information.