OAR NTC Overview

1. Training Overview

Introduction

This topic contains information about

• OAR NTC Overview
• OAR NTC Excluded Training
• Compensation Service NTC Applicability
• Decision Review Operations Center (DROC) Responsibilities

Change Date

March 11, 2025

2.1.a. OAR NTC Overview

Per 5 C.F.R. Part 410 Training, Office of Administrative Review (OAR) is responsible for creating training programs that support an agency workforce capable of achieving agency mission and performance goals, and facilitating continuous improvement of employee and organizational performance.

The OAR National Training Curriculum (NTC) provides guidance to ensure that OAR empowers all decision review operations center (DROC) employees to develop and acquire the technical skills necessary to maintain claims processing competency, deliver excellent customer service, and improve the Veteran experience.

2.1.b. OAR NTC Excluded Training

OAR NTC does not apply to

• Veterans Service Centers (VSC) (see note)
• benefits eligibility support team (BEST) sites
• pension management centers (PMC)
• positions that fall under the jurisdiction of any business line other than OAR
• informal training such as mentoring sessions, and
• VA-wide or VBA-wide mandatory training such as Cyber Security, No FEAR, Privacy, Ethics, Prevention of Sexual Harassment, VBA Active Threat, and Records Management.

Note: The OAR NTC applies to the St. Paul Regional Office (RO) Restricted Access Claims Center (RACC) employees responsible for processing legacy appeals and decision review requests until further notice.

2.1. c. Compensation Service NTC Applicability

All DROC personnel are subject to both OAR NTC and Compensation Service NTC (CSNTC). TMS automatically assigns CSNTC to DROC personnel entered in OAR primary NTC cohorts.

Training Managers and/or designees must ensure proper Talent Management System (TMS) cohort assignment to allow the automated assignment and application of CSNTC requirements to all DROC personnel in the target audience as noted in M21-3, Part I, Section A. These assignments include but are not limited to:

• Virtual and In-Person Progression (VIP) Training
• VIP Ancillary Training (VAT)
• CSNTC Mandated Training Curriculum
• Warrior Training Advancement Course (WARTAC) training requirements
• Compensation Service Quality Calls, and
• Training assignments based on employees' specialized assignments or skills.

Training Managers must also carefully review and apply other OAR NTC and CSNTC requirements that require local assignment such as

• Recommended training plans, and
• Station-selected training hours.

References: For more information on

• OAR NTC TMS cohort and curricula assignments, see M21-5, Chapter 2, Topic 4.f-g.

2.1.d. DROC Responsibilities

DROCs will support and encourage employee training to improve the delivery of claims, legacy appeals, and decision review requests.

Responsibilities of the Training Manager and/or designee include

• assigning personnel to the appropriate position-specific OAR primary and specialized TMS cohorts for proper training assignments and reporting
• removing personnel from other business line NTC cohorts (e.g., from CSNTC cohorts when an employee transfers from a VSC into a DROC)
• establishing training plans at the beginning of every fiscal year (FY) for each target audience to ensure that employees complete the designated number of OAR NTC hours
• ensuring training plans comply with VBA Availability Playbook guidance and contain approved training courses within the VBA Learning Catalog that have nationally-assigned TMS item numbers
• submitting the training plans to OAR
• collaborating with DROC management to ensure compliance of centrally-assigned training items within established due dates, and
• submitting quarterly training compliance reports to OAR.

Note: DROCs and Training Managers may not adjust due dates of centrally-assigned mandated training items. Training Managers must follow guidance in M21-5, Chapter 2, Topic 6.c, on extended leave status and prorating training availability time.

DROCs will ensure

• compliance with this directive
• regular monitoring of the Workforce Information Tool (WIT) to ensure proper primary and specialized training assignments
• continuous monitoring for local quality trends to identify areas of improvement, and
• scheduling and delivery of instructor-led training using local instructors that
• are qualified to deliver training
• utilize training materials authorized by OAR, and
• administer courses according to the approved lesson plans.

Example: If the lesson plan or VBA Learning Catalog indicates that the course is “instructor-led,” then the instructor must provide training by using the associated training materials provided in the VBA Learning Catalog or by OAR; learners may not conduct a self-study of instructor-led materials.

References: For more information on

• training material location, see the VBA Learning Catalog
• responsibilities for updating the WIT, see M21-5, Chapter 1, Section A, 2.b
• designating specialized claims processors in the WIT, see M21-5, Chapter 1, Section A, 3.f
• the VBA Availability Playbook, see M21-5, Chapter 2, Topic 2.j
• instructor expectations, see M21-5, Chapter 2, Topic 5.e
• Compensation Service NTC requirements, see M21-3, Part I, Section A, and
• OAR NTC reporting requirements, see M21-5, Chapter 2, Topic 6.