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Veterans' Readjustment Appointment

Program Summary

A Veterans' Readjustment Appointment (VRA)is made under a special authority by which the Department of Defense and other agencies can appoint an eligible veteran without competition. The candidate does not have to be on a list of eligibles from the Office of Personnel Management, but must meet the basic qualification requirements for the position. We can use the VRA authority to fill positions up through the GS-11 grade level and positions at the equivalent level under other pay systems, i.e. wage grade. If you are selected for a VRA and have less than 15 years of education, you must agree to participate in a training or educational program which we will establish. Veterans' Readjustment Appointments are in the excepted service. After 2 years of substantial continuous service in a position under a VRA, the appointment will be converted to the competitive service, providing your performance has been satisfactory. Use of the authority is entirely discretionary and no one is entitled to a VRA appointment.

Eligibility Criteria

You must have served on active duty for a period of more than 180 days all or any part of which occurred after August 4, 1964; (February 28, 1961, for those who actually served in Vietnam) AND received other than a dishonorable discharge. Active duty is full-time duty in the Armed Forces, other than active duty for training. You do not need to serve more than 180 days of active duty if you were discharged or released from active duty because of a service- connected disability.

Reserve and Guard members do not need to serve more than 180 days of activeduty if (1) they were ordered to active duty under sections 12301 (a), (d), or (g); 12302; or 12304 of title 10, United States Code, and (2) their active duty was during a period of war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge is authorized. (For VRA eligibility, the term "period of war" includes Desert Storm/Shield, beginning August 2, 1990 and ending November 30, 1995.)

Military service is considered to be qualifying experience for positions at the GS-3 and below grade levels. Appointees to positions above the GS-3 grade level must meet qualification requirements, however agencies may waive any written test requirement.

Eligibility Time Limit

By law, Vietnam-era veterans – those who served on active duty between August 5, 1964, (February 28, 1961, for those who actually served inVietnam) and May 7, 1975 – are eligible f or this authority for 10 years after their last discharge or separation from active duty.

Eligible post-Vietnam-era veterans (i.,e., who first began serving afterMay 7, 1975) are eligible for this authority for 10 years after the date of their last discharge or release from active duty, or until December 31, 1999, whichever is later.

Eligible veterans with a service-connected disability of 30% or more haveno time limit.

How to Apply

Once you are sure that you qualify for a VRA appointment and are interested in applying follow the instructions in our Job Kit. The Job Kit is available on our web site or by calling the Defense Employment Information Center at (703) 604-6219. As you prepare your resume as specified in the Job Kit, be sure to include (1) the type of job(s) for which you wish to be considered, (2) the lowest salary or grade you will accept, and (3) the location where you are willing to work. Be sure to include the supplemental information needed to claim veteran's preference. Send the resume to:

Attn. Attn. VRA Program Coordinator
Defense Employment Information Center
Washington Headquarters Services
1155 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1155

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