The Department of Veterans Affairs has completed phase 1 of the Readiness and Employment System (RES) deployment ahead of schedule, modernizing the case management platform for the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program. RES improves the support for Veterans in finding and maintaining meaningful employment by reducing manual processes, enhancing case visibility, and integrating features for VR&E staff. This initiative is part of a broader transformation to enhance how Veterans access services, promoting innovative career support and accountability.

Phase 1 targets Veterans with a 20% or more service-connected disability rating who have not previously used VR&E services. Initial results indicate a reduction in average application processing times from seven days to just over two days, enabling quicker connections to Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors and faster initiation of rehabilitation plans.

VA Acting Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Benefits Margarita Devlin emphasized the commitment to modernizing tools to better meet Veterans’ needs. Phase 2 of the RES rollout will begin in November 2025, expanding the system to include more VR&E cases, while phase 3 will address applicants seeking educational and career counseling. VR&E aims to help Veterans with service-connected disabilities achieve lifelong success and independence.