---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 3118"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "3118"
heading: "Personnel training, development, and qualifications"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/3118"
units:
  - "Part III — Readjustment and Related Benefits"
  - "Chapter 31 — Training and Rehabilitation for Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities"
---

# §3118. Personnel training, development, and qualifications

- (a) The [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) shall provide a program of ongoing professional training and development for Department of Veterans Affairs counseling and rehabilitation personnel engaged in providing rehabilitation services under this chapter. The objective of such training shall be to insure that rehabilitation services for [disabled veterans](/usc/38/4101.md?p=3) are provided in accordance with the most advanced knowledge, methods, and techniques available for the rehabilitation of handicapped persons. For this purpose, the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) may employ the services of consultants and may make grants to and contract with public or private agencies (including institutions of higher learning) to conduct such training and development.
- (b) The [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) shall coordinate with the Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration in the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) of Education and the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) for [Veterans](/usc/38/3701.md?p=b-2)’ Employment in the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) of Labor in planning and carrying out personnel training in areas of mutual programmatic concern.
- (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) shall establish such qualifications for personnel providing evaluation and rehabilitation services to [veterans](/usc/38/3701.md?p=b-2) under this chapter and for [employees](/usc/38/4303.md?p=3) performing the functions described in [section 3106(f) of this title](/usc/38/3106.md?p=f) as the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) determines are necessary and appropriate to insure the quality of [rehabilitation programs](/usc/38/3101.md?p=7) under this chapter. In establishing such qualifications, the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) shall take into account the qualifications established for comparable personnel under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. ch. 16).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 96–466, title I, § 101(a), Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2184, § 1518; amended Pub. L. 101–237, title IV, § 423(b)(1), Dec. 18, 1989, 103 Stat. 2092; renumbered § 3118 and amended Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), (c)(1), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406; Pub. L. 104–275, title I, § 101(f)(2)(C), Oct. 9, 1996, 110 Stat. 3325.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. ch. 16), referred to in subsec. (c), is Pub. L. 93–112, Sept. 26, 1973, 87 Stat. 355, which is classified generally to chapter 16 (§ 701 et seq.) of Title 29, Labor. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 701 of Title 29 and Tables.

### Prior Provisions

Prior section 3118 was renumbered section 5318 of this title.

### Amendments

1996—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–275 substituted “3106(f)” for “3106(e)”.

1991—Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), renumbered section 1518 of this title as this section.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(1), substituted “3106(e)” for “1506(e)”.

1989—Pub. L. 101–237 substituted “Secretary” and “Department of Veterans Affairs” for “Administrator” and “Veterans’ Administration”, respectively, wherever appearing.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 1980, see section 802(a)(2) of Pub. L. 96–466, set out as a note under section 3100 of this title.