Veterans Come First

CDO Workforce Career System is proud to offer Priority Service to veterans and their eligible spouses.

What does this mean? If you served in the military, you will be:

• Served first by the next available staff member.
• Given first priority for jobs and training referrals for which you are eligible and qualified.

Who is eligible

An "eligible veteran” means a person who:

• Served on active duty for other than training for a period of more than 180 days and was discharged or released with other than a dishonorable discharge; OR
• Was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability; OR
• As a member of a reserve component, served, under orders, on active duty during a period of war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge is authorized and was discharged or released from such duty with other than a dishonorable discharge.

An “eligible person” is:

• The spouse of any person who died of a service connected disability, OR
• The spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who has for more than ninety days been listed as missing in action or as a prisoner of war, OR
• The spouse of any person who has a total and permanent disability resulting from a service connected disability or the spouse of a veteran who died while such a disability was in existence.

Veterans Retraining Assistance Program

VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 Creates New Benefit for Unemployed Veterans

Congress passed, and the President has signed into law, the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. Included in this new law is the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) for unemployed Veterans. The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) and the Department of Labor (DoL) are working together to roll out this new program on July 1, 2012. The new program will provide retraining for Veterans hardest hit by current economic conditions.
The VRAP offers 12 months of training assistance to unemployed Veterans. To qualify, a Veteran must:
*       Be at least 35 but no more than 60 years old
*       Be unemployed (as determined by DOL) with special consideration given to Veterans who have been unemployed for more than 26 weeks
*       Have an other than dishonorable discharge
*       Not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g.: the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Assistance)
*       Not be in receipt of VA compensation due to unemployability
*       Not be enrolled in a federal or state job training program
The program is limited to 45,000 participants during fiscal year 2012, and to 54,000 participants from October 1, 2012, through March 31, 2014. Participants may receive up to 12 months of assistance at the full-time payment rate under the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty program (currently $1,473 per month). Applications will be submitted through DOL and benefits paid by VA. DOL will provide employment assistance to every Veteran who participates upon completion of their program.
Participants must be enrolled in a VA approved program of education offered by a community college or technical school. The program must lead to an Associate Degree, Non-College Degree, or a Certification, and train the Veteran for a high demand occupation.

The program begins July 1, 2012. Watch the GI Bill website and follow our GI Bill Facebook page for more details on when, where, and how to apply.

VOW to Hire Heros Act of 2012 Fact Sheet.