VA program to help thousands of veterans learn new career after being unemployed due to COVID-19 pandemic By Megan Ziegler A new Veterans Affairs program has been set up to help veterans who are unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program provides some free education and training for eligible veterans to learn a new career. If approved for the program, up to 12 months of tuition and fees will be covered for courses that lead to one of the hundreds of preapproved jobs that are considered "high demand." A monthly housing allowance would also be included.