 Vocational Rehabilitation counselors are assisting veterans everyday. Learn more about a few of these veterans who have benefited from the program.
Note: These case studies are anonymous to protect the privacy of the veterans who shared their stories.
53-year-old female Army Veteran
This 53-year-old Army veteran has a spinal cord disability involving paraplegia with injury at the T-12 level. She was injured in 1999 and her disability is service-connected. The veteran uses a manual wheelchair and requires some assistance in performing activities of daily living. The veteran was referred to our PVA vocational rehabilitation counselor in March 2008 by her doctor at the VA Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Center.
At the time of the referral, the veteran was employed as a store clerk at 7-11. Due to her low wages, the only housing she could secure was in a dangerous, crime-ridden apartment building where illegal drug transactions were a common, daily occurrence. The veteran had received threats of bodily harm from other tenants, and she constantly worried about her apartment being broken into and feared for her own safety.
The PVA vocational counselor worked with the veteran and provided vocational services that included: benefit awareness, career exploration and counseling, job development, and job placement. In April 2008, the veteran with assistance from her counselor obtained a job as an investigative assistant at Fort Lee Army Base in Petersburg, Virginia. The veteran’s job primarily involves investigating logistic problems on military bases throughout the United States. She reports directly to the Inspector General and earns an annual salary of $44,500. She works full-time.
The veteran’s increased salary will allow her to relocate where she can be closer to her job and live in a much safer environment.
67-year-old married Air Force veterans with a heart transplant
This gentleman is a married 67-year-old Air Force veteran. He has paraplegia with a T-12 level of injury and has had a heart transplant. The veteran had been told that he probably would not be able to work because of his health issues. The veteran had limited vocational options as he requires extra time in his morning routine to address his health needs, he must engage in extensive medication monitoring, and he requires frequent respiratory treatments. The veteran makes use of a manual wheelchair for mobility purposes. His pre-injury occupation was that of a mechanical engineer.
The veteran was referred to our PVA vocational rehabilitation counselor by a physician’s assistant at the VA SCI Center. Our counselor provided the veteran with a variety of vocational rehabilitation services to include:
- Assistance in understanding benefit entitlements
- Career counseling
- Exploration of vocational Interests
- Job development
- Job referrals
- Job placement
In June (the same month the veteran was referred to us) our PVA vocational rehabilitation counselor assisted the veteran in securing employment with S&T International. The veteran is working as an acquisition engineer and he develops and evaluates government contracts for this DOD contractor.
The veteran was anxious about returning to work. Our counselor helped him transition back to the workforce by arranging for the veteran to work part-time at 20 hours per week. In a very short period of time, the veteran developed more confidence in his ability to work. Today, the veteran is working an average of 40 hours a week and earns an annual salary of $105,000.
The veteran stated his pleasure with returning to work by saying, “I never dreamed that at 67 years of age, with my health concerns, I would be able to return to work as an engineer.”
37-year-old married Army veteran with three children and PTSD
This 37 year old Army veteran has a spinal cord disability involving paraplegia with a C-5 level of injury. He also suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). With these types of disabilities, the veteran is limited in his vocational choices. He must have a job which is flexible in that it allows him to vary his schedule, is not stressful, and allows him extra time to get ready in the morning.
The veteran is married and supports three children. He uses a manual wheelchair for mobility. His pre-injury occupation was that of a retail store manager.
The veteran was referred to our PVA Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor by the Department of Veterans Affairs in March 2008. Our counselor provided the veteran with a variety of vocational rehabilitation services to include:
- Benefit Awareness
- Career Counseling
- Exploration of Vocational Interests
- Job Development
- Job Referral to Sealy Construction Company
- Job Placement
- Procurement of a Laptop Computer (donated from partner organization)
In May 2008, our vocational rehabilitation counselor referred this veteran to Sealy Construction Company for employment. The veteran is working as a Marketing Representative. His job duties included giving presentations to various veteran organizations and helping veterans secure funding for building accessible homes.
This veteran is working 15 hours per week. He is earning $20,000 per year.
While he is working, the veteran is also participating in a distance learning program through Tech Access. The veteran will complete the program in October 2008. Upon completion of the program, he will obtain a C+ Certification. This will allow him to compete for more advanced IT employment opportunities.
62-year-old formerly homeless Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam
When our PVA Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor first met him, this Vietnam-Era Air Force veteran was 62-years-old, unemployed, homeless, and was sleeping in a park. The veteran was injured in 1989 and has a significant spinal cord disability involving quadriplegia with the level of injury at the T-11 level. The veteran also has Muscular Sclerosis (MS). With this disability, this veteran has great difficulty grasping objects, dressing himself, and requires assistance in performing most activities of daily living. This veteran’s morning preparation time is approximately two hours. The veteran also experiences periods of fatigue which require multiple breaks at work. The veteran relies on a manual wheelchair for mobility. Prior to his injury, the veteran worked as an airplane mechanic.
A medical doctor at the VA SCI Center referred the veteran to one of our Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors in late November 2007. Our counselor provided an array of vocational rehabilitation services to include:
- Career exploration and career counseling
- Evaluation of vocational interests
- Job development
- Participation in weekly job club activities
- Job referrals
- Job Placement and follow-up
- Procurement of a computer laptop
In a short period of time, our vocational rehabilitation counselor helped this veteran get a job at the Governor’s Office in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is working as a Data Entry Clerk. The veteran’s employment tasks include entering data and filing court papers.
Our counselor worked with several other organizations (e.g., State of Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Service and the Armed Forces Foundation) to secure the funding necessary for the veteran to rent his own apartment. Our counselor also helped the veteran to work with the New Horizons Program so that he could qualify for a low-interest loan to purchase a wheelchair accessible vehicle.
At the present time, the veteran works 40 hours a week and earns an annual salary of $24,500. He continues to improve his vocational future by engaging in IT training at Tech Access. The veteran will complete his training in December 2008 and will receive a C +Certification. This training and certification will allow the veteran to pursue more advanced employment opportunities.
To find out more about the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, contact our Veterans Benefits Department:
Voice: 800-424-8200
TTY: 800-795-4327
info@pva.org
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Paralyzed Veterans of America
801 Eighteenth Street, NW Washington, DC 20006-3517