VA Apprenticeship Program questions

gnmorales1 · Jun 17, 2017

ywevis said: ↑

So do you have gi bill left? Or just trying to go off VA Vocational Rehab?
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i been under VA Voc Rehab from the beginning (i got seperated on a medical discharge, my time got cut short, but i still got to use that, which i am forever grateful for...)

gnmorales1 · Jun 17, 2017

mydartswinger said: ↑

I'm a vet just getting ready to go to CDL school myself.

As far as I can tell, the apprenticeship programs don't offer up much for future employment opportunities. Looks like all they really provide is a DoL "Certified Truck Driver" certificate, which I'm not sure if that would help any with getting hired at a trucking company. Maybe someone who's had prior experience with apprenticeship programs can enlighten us on what they actually do for the driver.

However, the biggest benefit I can see to an apprenticeship program for a vet is GI Bill benefits. I've seen programs advertised ranging from 12-24 months. During that time, if you have the Post 9/11 GI Bill available, you can use those benefits to draw the BAH and supplement your training/driving income with it for up to the length of the apprenticeship program (depending on how many months of benefits you have remaining). I looked at Melton's apprenticeship program and they were saying you'd get paid about $950 per month from the VA for your first 6 months, then about $650 per month for the second 6 months.

Voc Rehab would probably benefit you more going to a private CDL school or community college CDL school. If I recall correctly, Voc Rehab does not pay anything to the student, just to the school. If your finances can handle little to no income during schooling, this would probably be your best route. This opens you up to any company you want to go for. Once you get your CDL going this route, you can go to a company and join their apprenticeship program to draw GI Bill benefits if you have eligible GI Bill benefits remaining (if you don't plan on using them for further education).

Montgomery GI Bill typically pays the student, then the student pays the school. In that case, you could get a bit in your pocket. If you have this and served after 9/11, you may be able to convert it to Post 9/11 GI Bill if you choose. However, be sure it's what you want to do because it can't be converted back to Montgomery GI Bill. I started with Montgomery and converted to Post 9/11 when starting community college back in 2014.

Personally, I'm going to Roehl's GetYourCDL program (company paid CDL school that pays the student $500 per week during training...paid after 3 weeks, at a cost of a 15 month commitment to the company or $5,000 if leaving the company prior to that...steep commitment, but I feel the GI Bill will help me complete that commitment, and in my current situation, I feel this is my best option. After 4 weeks getting the CDL, it's a week home to transfer the CDL to the driver's home state if trained out of state. Then about 2 weeks give or take with an OTR trainer at $90 per day,IIRC, before getting a truck and being cut loose under a training fleet manager for a month before being transferred to a normal fleet) and participating in their apprenticeship program (24 month program, which is what will allow me to draw my GI Bill payments) and Honor Program (honorably discharged vets basically get a sticker on their truck once they go solo...maybe a few memorabilia items...not really anything to write home about or make/break my decision to go there, but it's something). I'll be using my remaining 15 months Post 9/11 GI Bill to help offset the lower pay received during the first year. I've heard both positive and negative about the company, but I feel it's the best option for me. Your mileage may vary. I do believe they also hire recent CDL grads.

Hope this helps. I know I'm new to trucking myself, but hopefully this can clear up some of the VA benefit side of your question (I used to work as a VA rep at a for-profit "college").

Dart
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Thank You brother for your service and i appreciate you reaching out to me. I know that Voc Rehab pays the school directly, I had went to a community college for some time and I just recently graduated with a associates degree concentrating in logistics recently. But I was trying to maximize my pay along with the Apprenticeship Program at the same time during my first year of driving, Schneider was and is still my first choice, and I know they have an Apprenticeship Program, I just wanted to see if Voc Rehab takes it like Post 9/11 GI Bill does. Its a win in my book, and I would love to take advantage of that opportunity, not just for the money, but because I feel that a good year or more experience with a college degree in the logistics realm provides alot of opportunities in the near future for myself. I am slated to head to CDL school in the beginning of August at the community college where I graduated from, and my school awarded me a scholarship already, so the VA doesnt even have to pay for it, which is absolutely awesome. This way, I can maximize the benefit for 12 months, then move on afterwards.

gnmorales1 · Jun 17, 2017

follow me yall, and i will follow back

Blackbob · Dec 14, 2017

gnmorales1 said: ↑

follow me yall, and i will follow back
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So what has been your experience thus far ? I am also about to start terminal leave and would like to use the Voc Rehab option. The only thing is I already have my CDL because I went to school a year ago while active ( I still am until 01FEB18). I called the DAV office local to me and they didn't seem to really know anything about the process. I was hoping to use the BAH perk during my first year as well to help offset wages and so fourth. I'm looking to start this in early January of next year.

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