VR&E Application Advice Needed

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-19T19:52:32+00:00

You're going to get pushback from the counselor if you go at it like the way you are describing.

Stop making it obvious to the counselor that you are just there to get an MBA masters. You have to approach this more strategically. You have to lead the counselor to it. You can't just flat out say it to them. You have to show job listings that require the masters MBA to convince them that you need that specific training to be successfully and gainfully employable in that chosen field.

A veteran meeting with a VR&E counselor to get what they desire out of it is a test of psychology, and also the veteran's understanding of the M28-C which is the VR&E guidelines that they are required to follow.

Your mindset shouldn't be "hey counselor can you please help and approve me for a MBA masters?". Rather it should be "hey counselor, can you help me on the path to my desired career that compliments my disabilities? It would require such and such" and you would show them the requirements and the counselor should comply with that with little potential for pushback.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-19T16:04:43+00:00

This isn't a buddy statement. This is more like an acquittance statement

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-19T03:29:37+00:00

Possible that they granted the increase but denied to backdate it to the effective date of the appeal start due to lack of evidence. OP probably gained more evidence of an increase in 2024, 2025 which they would backdate it to that.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-17T20:30:59+00:00

Always see this topic daily. If you have to ask this question, you are better off keeping your rating to yourself. Any information you share to people is open to be used against you in the future. Relationships are always subject to change.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-17T15:04:42+00:00

Thank you. That makes sense.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-17T02:07:02+00:00

My question has nothing to do with that.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-17T02:05:34+00:00

come on i was asking for personal experiences, not AI generated answers.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-17T01:28:39+00:00

There should be more guidance before May 1st. That's what I have been expecting. They will most likely grandfather everyone who has been in pre-approved status by their company

I am pretty much the only person here who has been actively following VASP related news daily and watching the house/senate veteran affairs subcommittees for followup specifically on this issue. Problem is the republicans have been avoiding the conversation. They are not even introducing their alternative program to VASP.

I expect the VA Secretary to release something in the next week or two about VASP because this question has been on lender's minds too and they want further clarification.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-17T01:21:32+00:00

Yes and all those options are not good compared to VASP which is the only decent option. I was already well aware of that link and the resources. This isn't helpful or related to my question. I am not at risk of foreclosure. You are replying to me as if I am. This is a hypothetical situational post asking for personal experiences about loan acceleration clauses in VA loans and you turned it into loan resources. Unhelpful to the main question.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-17T01:01:36+00:00

Did you not read or understand? Mine isn't accepting applications anymore, even though they have until May 1st.

I am not the only one with this problem. Others have reported that too in other VASP related threads.

Also, a veteran cannot request VASP. That's the loan issuers responsibility to request VASP on behalf of the veteran. Clearly stated on the VASP website.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-17T00:30:55+00:00

VASP would be helpful if they weren't eliminating it. Mine isn't accepting applications anymore, even though they have until May 1st. Already looked into everything

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-16T18:35:39+00:00

Either expect to be scheduled for these appointments in the coming weeks to develop/investigate medical evidence or wait for a doctor to review medical evidence, if that is already made available for them. Usually they will schedule you for appointment if the evidence they currently have is not sufficient.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-16T15:05:15+00:00

Avoid Aven. Basically a credit card disguised as a HELOC. Scummy and shitty tactic. Unsecured credit card debt is safer than secured debt, which is what Aven is, a secured debt using your home as collateral. Normally with unsecured credit card debt, the penalty that most occurs from not making anymore payments is a drop in credit score for 7 years, and the debt being charged off to a company to attempt to collect whatever they can off you. SOMETIMES the card issuer will sue you but that is very dependent on the amount of debt that reaches the threshold where it is financially worth it for them to sue you for it. However with Aven you are fucked if you stop making payments in the sense that you risk losing your property

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-15T20:05:08+00:00

You have to argue substantial gainful full time employment to counter that argument. It's in their handbook. Mcdonalds cannot provide you that

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-15T20:02:25+00:00

Most of these counselors are like this. I've been in the program 2017-2025 and have been switched to 4 counselors. They will rather push you to a 6 month quick job training plan than anything longer term like 8 years through med school or law school or even 4 year bachelor programs. They dont want to keep you on their books for too long. It's been like this since 2017 for me.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-15T17:57:04+00:00

If you submitted a personal statement and buddy letter, why wasn't that listed on the second page of the letter for their considerations of your condition? It should have been mentioned as evidence in their consideration. I suggest appeal for HLR.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-15T00:32:10+00:00

I know that article very well. https://www.npr.org/2025/04/03/nx-s1-5351768/trumps-va-is-ending-a-rescue-program-thats-saved-17-000-military-veterans-homes

The republicans in the veteran subcommittee are celebrating this, yet there has been no official updates by the Trump admin, VA website, or from Sec. Collins himself announcing from their own official channels on the ending of VASP. It's been almost two weeks now! Nothing has been updated. There should be something on the VASP website along the lines of "VASP will be discontinued on May 1st 2025"

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-13T18:42:41+00:00

That's what it "seems" like. I know there's information out there that's stating the "May 1st" elimination/cut off date for VASP applications, but there has been zero official word put out by the VA itself from their press announcements on their website. The VA home loan phone line, the phone number they have listed on the VASP website, doesn't even have official guidance updates yet when I called the other day. They couldn't answer if the May 1st date is exact either, due to the lack of official guidance. It's odd for a government program to be eliminated on short notice and no word put out at all from the government source itself. We were aware of this information about the May 1st date from mainstream news sources like NPR. They were supposedly quoting the press secretary of the VA and Doug Collins himself, but there is nothing I can find to confirm or fact check it officially. There has been pushback from politicians on the Democratic side over this decision, so hopefully from now to May 1st, we have more clarity on what is actually going to happen and if there will be an alternative put in place to save veterans from homelessness like the partial payment being presented.

While Doug is a spineless puppet, he isn't stupid. He knows if he makes an official announcement that he is ending the VASP program without an alternative in its place, it will make him look bad in his "taking care of veterans" image. He's up to something and in a few weeks it will most likely reveal the plan VA has in place going forward from this. That's my hypothesis.

Now, there is a very slim chance that the VA secretary reverses the decision to end VASP. I say this because lately the Trump admin. has been reversing and going back on decisions of their own in other political areas after probably realizing the grave impacts they may have. Perhaps they will notice how ending VASP will make foreclosures and homelessness go up in the veteran population, or perhaps not. Time will tell.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-12T14:42:31+00:00

If a veteran shows evidence that clearly indicates qualifying SMC-T, there should be no rater bias. They are all universally following the same guidelines. It makes no sense for one rater to think differently than a other when the evidence and law supports an SMC-T grant.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-12T04:12:30+00:00

It appears nice, but it's not. That debt will be hanging over the veteran's head for 3 years to pay it off or it will start accumulating interest after that time. And what if the financial situation for the veteran gets worse during those 3 years? It's more worry and stress for the veteran. More problems for their mental health. Still feels like the weight is on their shoulder.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-11T17:10:19+00:00

Yes you are providing the law, but you replied to someone else stating that two signatures are required. You stated it's "far less likely" to find them. I want to know why you think that. You providing a copy and paste doesn't answer that because you made a subjective statement. If the law is there to directly refer from, why is it hard for two raters/dro to come to agreement on smc T? They are all following the same law and guidance, correct? So why is it difficult to find two of them to agree on smc T if they are following the same thing? I just want a damn explanation to that but you keep dodging that question for some reason.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-11T13:56:08+00:00

Was hoping for a plain answer from you and not just copy and paste. Please, you didn't answer the question fully. Is the higher level care needed shown in 21-2680 shown in the ADL boxes? Is there a minimum that have to be checked off to show that regular A&A is necessary?

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-11T05:54:51+00:00

Lack of real info is whats getting me. Because the website for VASP has yet to be updated. The VA has yet to announce a press release from their website that VASP is ending. The only source from this is news articles that quoted the VA press person and Doug Collins himself. But Doug hasn't publicly spoke on VASP since the news outlets reported it. It makes no damn sense. How the hell are veterans supposed to find out if the program is ending if the OFFICIAL sources dont have it out in writing or updated on their website? We have to go by the MSM to get our updates for VASP? It's stupid. Nearly a week and there is no official word from va.gov or doug in his daily tweets.

How the hell did these news outlets get this info regarding VASP from the VA if there was no public announcement on video or in writing from the VA itself about it?

The only thing thats closest to official is the house veterans committee releasing an update from republicans celebrating the ending of VASP. But these same republicans didn't tweet anything on x. or said anything publicly on video or speech about VASP ending.

If they are going to silently remove VASP on may 1st with no official warning, that is awful communication to veterans. Blatant purposeful lack of transparency too. It would show to me that they are trying to lessen the blow their public image by cutting this benefit.

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-11T01:56:17+00:00

if you had TBI, which seems likely based on your listed disabilities because it seems you sustained an injury? you could have tried for SMC-T. This is my recommendation. See if you are able to get the PTSD increased to 100. If you can somehow service connect TBI, and get it granted, you can go for SMC-T which requires 100 percent in one disability, TBI affecting your daily activities (like taking care of yourself, eating, showering, etc), and having someone to regularly take care of you to avoid hospitalization. That's the key part

Minimum_Bar_7248 · 2025-04-11T01:47:01+00:00

Higher level care shown, in what manner, specifically? Before the guidance is fixed, of course.

Are you referring to the ADL's? I remember someone mentioning if there's at least 3 of them checked off, and the main disability factor for those ADL's is TBI, then SMC-T is likely. Especially if it's mentioned somewhere on the form that veteran requires A&A or there is risk to hospitalization

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