Does a service-connected disability automatically bar approval for a nursing program under VR&E, and why am I only getting 12 months to finish?

VR&E (Chapter 31) decisions are individualized, not based on blanket rules tied to a diagnosis or rating. There is no regulation or VA policy that says any specific disability automatically disqualifies a veteran from pursuing nursing. What counselors are supposed to do under 38 CFR 21.35 and 21.284 is assess "feasibility" — whether, given your specific functional limitations, the vocational goal is one you can reasonably achieve and sustain in the labor market. Two veterans with the same disability rating can have very different functional limitations depending on symptoms, treatment response, and how the condition affects them day to day, which is why some veterans with similar ratings have gone on to become nurses while another veteran might be told the goal isn't currently feasible. If a counselor is denying a goal, they are supposed to document a specific, individualized rationale tied to how your functional limitations conflict with the essential functions of the nursing role — not just cite the diagnosis in general terms.

On the 12-month issue: VR&E entitlement is capped at 48 months of full-time training (or the part-time equivalent) under 38 USC 3695, so a blanket 12-month limit for a bachelor's-level program is unusual unless there's a specific reason tied to your file — often this happens when a veteran already holds a bachelor's degree, since VR&E's mandate is to identify the most direct path to the vocational goal. If you already have a BA, the counselor may be steering you toward an accelerated or direct-entry BSN pathway (often 12-16 months) rather than funding a second four-year bachelor's degree, since VR&E generally will not fund training beyond what is "reasonably necessary" to reach the goal when a faster, appropriate path exists.

If you disagree with the counselor's assessment, you have the right to ask for the specific regulatory basis for both determinations in writing, request review by a VR&E supervisor or officer, and provide supporting documentation — a vocational evaluation, medical clearance addressing the physical and cognitive demands of nursing, or program-specific technical standards showing you can meet them. You can also request reconsideration of your Individualized Written Rehabilitation Plan (IWRP) before it's finalized.

The concrete next step is to formally request, in writing, the specific functional limitations the counselor believes conflict with nursing duties and the regulatory basis for the 12-month limit, then request supervisor review or a second opinion if the rationale doesn't hold up against your actual medical and functional status.