Posted on 04/04/2017 2:48:08 PM PDT by FamiliarFace
Hello FReepers, my Mom is in deteriorating health, and we found out recently that her home health care insurance has a weekly cap. Dad served in the Army, to my understanding, during the Berlin Airlift and the beginning of the Korean War. We heard there is possibly Aid and Attendance help from the VA for my Mom, but that we need Dad's DD214 to apply for it. So, I engaged the services of a company that does this research, and just heard back that while they can find there is a valid service number for my Dad, his records have been completely lost due to the fire in 1973. Now I don't know what else to do.
The moderator of this site finds DD214s or no records all the time to out stolen valor fakes.
He should be able to help with your dad, I hope.
If you haven’t done so, maybe just google your dad’s name in every form possible, along with key words of anything you know, which might lead you to something that can be traced further. Good luck.
Thank you! I’ll try there.
There are lots of sites on the net that will guide you through the process of getting a Certificate of Service if the DDA 214 was burned.
I’m surprised this company you hired is dropping the ball. I’d quit them for a start.
Good luck and God Bless.
Get out the phone book and look for a county Veterans office that helps apply for disability. They have resources to help with many problems. A call to your Congressman may help. You can probably find a phone number of a VA help center. A “patient advocate” may have resources to help. THey would probably be at a VA hospital.
I would contact your federal reps. When speed is needed, a congressional push helps. The VA has a ‘duty to assist’ although I have witnessed sloth and speed. If her late husband had a disability rating with the VA, it helps. I am not sure what, if anything she might qualify for if he did not. THAT question should be easy for the VA to answer up front.
Ping
Is it possible that your dad registered his 214 in the County Courthouse where he lived at the time? When I retired, they recommended that we do so for this specific situation (another fire in St Louis coupled with us losing our 214). Of course, that was a long time ago, but it might be worth checking.
Have you tried other records via the national archives?
https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records
I will go check the county courthouse when I get to her town tomorrow. Maybe they will have something. Among his papers, we found an envelope that had “DD214 - do not lose!” written on the outside in mom’s handwriting. It was empty inside. Devastating. We will keep searching.
Yes, that’s where I found the name of the researcher. Thank you.
Thanks, I’ll check into that!
Contact your Congressman/woman, U.S. Senator, or try your State Representatives. Some States have military records. My uncle’s WWII service records were reportedly lost in the same fire, but I was still able to get a copy of his DD-214 from the government. My uncle was hospitalized at the VA Hospital in Batavia, NY before his death, and I was able to get copies of his medical record as well.
Nominally all paperwork is available via ebenefits.va.gov. The 1973 fire is a common issue cited by vets missing paperwork. Don’t know what the VA’s response would be. If your father was not in a military retired status, I don’t know what benefits your mother would be eligible for. Depending on her financial situation you may want to consider a recommendation from a local social worker. They will often know the state programs for people in your mother’s situation.
Thanks, I will keep looking.
I would thoroughly check your father’s papers and records, I’m sure there is a DD-214 in there somewhere...........At least there SHOULD be.
Thank you both!
Good luck, and God Bless.
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