Overview

Finding a meaningful, satisfying job is among the most important things that a Veteran can do to support his or her recovery from a mental health or substance abuse problem.  The VA partners with other Federal Agencies and organizations to offer a variety of programs designed to help individual Veterans find gainful employment.

Veterans have a lot to offer as employees. As a Veteran, don’t forget the skills you bring to the table:

Mission Focused
Team Player
Unparalleled Work Ethic
Training and Education
Highly Motivated.

VA Programs & Services

• Compensated Work Therapy (CWT): CWT is a vocational rehabilitation program that strives to match and support work ready Veterans in competitive jobs. Services include work site and job assessment, staff training and consultation services, employee screening, job matching, and follow-up services.  
• Jump to the Information for Veterans link to learn about the specific CWT programs offered.
• To find program-specific information, view the list of CWT Program Locations by State.  
• Read a few of the CWT programs success stories.
• Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) VetSuccess Program: Primary function is to help Veterans who have service-connected disabilities become suitably employed, maintain employment, or achieve independence in daily living. And for Veterans with services-connected disabilities to severe to immediately consider work, VetSuccess offers services to improve their ability to live as independently as possible. For more information you can also visit the VR&E Program home page.
• MakeTheConnection.net: Visit this site to view hundreds of stories from Veterans of all service eras who have successfully coped with concerns realted to jobs and employment and overcome mental health challenges. MakeTheConnection.net is a one-stop resource where Veterans and their families and friends can privately explore information on mental health issues, hear fellow Veterans and their families share their stories of resilience, and easily find and access the support and resources they need.
  • Watch video testimonials from Veterans who have dealt with work-related problems and overcome mental health challenges, and to find information and resources for support.
  
  

Other Resources

• America’s Heroes at Work*: A US Department of Labor (DOL) project addressing the employment challenges of returning service members living with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and/or Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It equips employers and the workforce development system with the tools they need to help returning services members affected by TBI and/or PTSD succeed in the workplace.
• America’s Veteran*: A resource for Federal employment information for our Veterans, transitions service members, their families, Federal HR professionals and hiring managers. This Website is a direct result of Executive Order 13518, Employment of Veterans in the Federal Government, which establishes the Veterans Employment Initiative. The initiative is a strategic, yet very straightforward, approach to helping the men and women who have served our country in the military find employment in the Federal Government.
• VetJobs*: This website makes it easy for employers to reach and employ all the members of the military community, including spouses and dependents.