Posted on 02/08/2016 1:28:18 PM PST by servo1969
God bless you, sir. And thank you for your service.
It also may have kept you living longer, given how many of those places mistreated veterans’ health problems.
I agree. Sure his situation is likely a bureaucratic snafu and it is the government’s fault not his they their records burned up and were not backed up in any way.
But they still must attempt to check things before giving away tax payers money. Anytime there is a big pile of money people will come try to get it whether or not they have a claim on it, so there must be some controls.
I am a bit surprised that the VA did not fold as soon as a media source contacted them?
I’m 70 and only go to the VA with my VFW post to play bingo with them, serve pizza on any month at has five Sundays.
I served over forty years ago and I’ve never been to the VA.
Thank you Bob Dole.
My husband (Vietnam vet) has never gone to the VA.
He doesn’t trust them.
I did go in once to argue for benefits for a friend only to be told that I had no standing since I wasn't in their system - then that I couldn't get into the system because my salary was too high. (PS: any one having served in a combat zone is eligible but I know of only who never left CONUS who are receiving medical benefits.)
A bunch of my Grandpa’s records were destroyed in that fire, but we resubmitted nearly everything from his personal copies.
They can be charged if they defrauded anyone with that claim. They cannot be charged for simply making the claim, or wearing a uniform and medals they didn't earn.
My father served in Okinawa, WWII. 92 now. As far as I know, he never used any of his VA benefits.
Something a lot of veterans did after WWII did was take their DD 214 to the County Court House and have it registered and recorded on official records.
Different states have different ways but I suspect all of them would have recorded it.
He had more than enough proof. They're just not accepting it - illegally. It's a disgrace, and it's political harassment.
And did they accept your proof? Because they aren't accepting his. Did you have to provide affidavits from people who served with you after they ignored your proof? Because he does. Did you even read the article?
My husband served in the AF for 8 years (1954-1962), and has never been to the VA... He did use the GI Bill for college and used it for his ATP rating in aviation after obtaining all of his other ratings and certificates on his own dime. He will be 80 this year and still has his “military jacket” with all his orders neatly filed and safely locked away along with his DD214.
Ironic that veterans after a lot of years still have a better handle on their records than the government does.
Sure hope his Senator gets busy and gets to the bottom of it. I trust that he/she will.. The best of luck to him and your family.
I will defend Michael Michaud in that his questions to the DoD records folks caused the Army to admit that its records collection system is broken and no unit records were being collected for posterity for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Please note that the Army did NOT loose individual soldier 201 personnel files or individual medical records. But the records, that normally go to NARA for preservation are used to verify individual soldier claims.
He sent specific questions to the Army based upon investigative reporter Peter Sleeth’s Stars and Stripes article :
https://www.propublica.org/article/army-says-war-records-gap-is-real-launches-recovery-effort
initial article at: http://www.propublica.org/article/congressmen-to-hagel-where-are-the-missing-war-records
The veteran records that were burned were in possession of the National Personnel Records Center at St. Louis, MO. It is run by the National Archives and Records Administration, NOT the VA (and I have plenty of disrespect for the VA).
NPRC report on the fire: http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/fire-1973.html
see also: http://www.dd214.us/nprc_73fire.html
By the way, my own father’s records when up in the fire.
Forget that! We don't want them.
Well bureaucrat could be stationed where there are hungry polar bears.... jk
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