Simple Question...... What was one persons laptop doing with all that type of data on it? Who has that kind of authority that they can access so many records and then transport them around with them so unsecured? I'm shocked and deeply concerned about my records being some of the many that were taken.

This is a topic discussed on this board and elsewhere over and over again. Please post your questions or comments on one of those existing threads.

I note this is your first post, so please read the TOU, rules for this forum (and each forum you visit, as there are variations depending on topic) and introduce yourself. Thanks, and welcome.

Just a little input from personal experience about missing military medical records.

Before I became a Veterans Service Rep (VSR) at the VARO I was a VSA. I did all the ordering of files, medical records from other VAROs and St. Louis (file storage site), etc. VERY often I got negative responses from St. Louis (NPRC) about them not being able to find the asked for records. I just kept on requesting them and even called my contact who would send people out to search for them. 90% of the time, after several requests and calls, I would get the records from St. Louis. This process sometimes took several months (St. Louis is HUGE), but I never gave up hope in finding the records.

So, if they say they do not have the records, it can mean that they cannot locate them. Like Dave said, they could be misplaced. Don't give up. Then again, it also depends on when and where the records were in St. Louis. Dave, remember the big fire some years ago? I managed to get a few "somewhat recovered" pages of records for some people.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: <Bettina333>,

quote:

Originally posted by Bettina333:
Just a little input from personal experience about missing military medical records.

Before I became a Veterans Service Rep (VSR) at the VARO I was a VSA. I did all the ordering of files, medical records from other VAROs and St. Louis (file storage site), etc. VERY often I got negative responses from St. Louis about them not being able to find the asked for records. I just kept on requesting them and even called my contact who would send people out to search for them. 90% of the time, after several requests and calls, I would get the records from St. Louis. This process sometimes took several months (St. Louis is HUGE), but I never gave up hope in finding the records.

So, if they say they do not have the records, it can mean that they cannot locate them. Like Dave said, they could be misplaced. Don't give up. Then again, it also depends on when and where the records were in St. Louis. Dave, remember the big fire some years ago? I managed to get a few "somewhat recovered" pages of records for some people.

What fire? Aren't all records backed up on microfishe or computer?
I am missing files from 1985, have tried all I know to find them and nothing. I need them for an injury in basic training at Lacland AFB.
Anything you can suggest would be great.
you can email me at: tanya_boozer@yahoo.com

Thanks,
Tanya

quote:

What fire? Aren't all records backed up on microfishe or computer?
I am missing files from 1985, have tried all I know to find them and nothing. I need them for an injury in basic training at Lackland AFB.
Anything you can suggest would be great.
you can email me at: tanya_boozer@yahoo.com

Thanks,
Tanya

In that fire microfische was burned as well, which was well before your records became missing. If you have ever filed a claim for compensation, the VARO would be the logical place to contact. If you have never filed a claim the Randolph AFB may have them. There is a records depository there. They also could be at the NPRC. You should contact your veterans organization service officer to search for you.

I ETS in 2000. About 2003 I started having Med. problems. I went to the VA rep in the town that I am living in. We put in the request for my file. I got a response from St. Louis stating they did not have my file. The Rep. said that they might still be, and then he named another location where files are commonly stored. He stated that maybe since I had just recently ETS they were still being processed. I have since requested my records three more times with no luck. Am I doing something wrong or is there something else I can do? The VA rep in my town who is a reservest has moved on to another job and his replacement is not much help.

Go to your Congressional Representative and ask for your file to be ordered. NPRC will give them the address of the file location. Congressional inquires take about a month to be completed.

Dave, I've got a question about Medical Records that I can't seem to get the VA to give me a straight answer on.

My service and medical records were destroyed my enemy fire at Dong Ha in 1967. The event is noted in my service records. We were told that they would be reconstructed ...but I found out 35 years later when I started having some problems that I had been treated for in the service and filed a claim with the VA, that they never were.

My medical records are a blank, nothing at all, from boot camp to my return from Vietnam. My service records were "reconstruced" by someone draving a line through the word temporary on the temporary records.

The VA rejected the claim and advised me that I must submit "proof" in support of the claim but the proof dosen't exist because the government 1) Didn't secure the records properly and they were destroyed. 2) Didn't reconstruct them 3) Didn't tell me what they didn't do.

The va would never give me any thing in writing, like a written policy, just the same old cheap trash and evantually I got fed up dealing with the and just dropped the thing.

But it still sticks in my craw.It seems to me that this ought to be their problem, not mine. The records were and are their responsibility.

You seem to be very well informed about the VA and their procedures. So, Whats the real deal

[quote]BigRiver13: "My service and medical records were destroyed my enemy fire at Dong Ha in 1967...
... "The VA rejected the claim and advised me that I must submit "proof" in support of the claim but the proof dosen't exist because the government 1) Didn't secure the records properly and they were destroyed. 2) Didn't reconstruct them 3) Didn't tell me what they didn't do."
Actually a fire at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973 destroyed millions of Army and Air Force records. Some were reconstructed, many were not.
What you must do is to contact those who served with you, for supporting statements, otherwise known as 'buddy statements' which may be accepted by the VA. Also any military or news documents which allude to the incident, that you may have will help. To find your former comrades use "Buddy Search" on Military.com and also go to your branch of service forum and post a note "anyone who served in..."
Another good method of finding supporting statements is to write to each of the veteran organizations magazines of those organizations you belong to, request a notice be placed that you need supporting statements.

In my honest opinion you are 100% correct. The people serving in the Congress Of the United States have allowed a regulation to exist, that denies compensation to service related disabilities due to the governments failure to maintain their own property, the veterans service medical records. If there is no proof of the injury or illness the claim cannot be granted. That is a regulation that is used against millions of disabled veterans. Neither the Congress nor the Administrations current and past have moved to correct this problem. It appears to me, politicians are usually self serving first, veterans last, everything else in the middle.

Thanks for the straight answer, Dave.

A policy that flies in the face of most accepted legal precedent dosen't reflect well on the VA or the Government as a whole. I assume that the VA "counts" if you can call them that, have upheld it.

I didn't waste a lot of time pursuing it, I felt the proof is right in my records; they didn't do their job. Why should I have to jump through my azz proving anything?

I have health insurance and could afford to tell them to stick it but I really feel for the past and future vets who don't have any and are looking the the Government to keep the promises they made to care for them if injured in the service of the Country.

For sure, the experience has caused me to loose all respect for the VA, the politicians, and the so called veterans service organizations all of which seem more dedicated to hype, pretty magazines and websites and building their own bureaucracy's than helping the veterans.

Thanks again for the info. If any of the big players ever decides to get involved in this issue for real, count me in. TJ

quote:

For sure, the experience has caused me to loose all respect for the VA, the politicians, and the so called veterans service organizations all of which seem more dedicated to hype, pretty magazines and websites and building their own bureaucracy's than helping the veterans.

Check around and you will find a VSO who most likely will be someone somewhat like me. We are around just look for us. I feel about the same way you do, except some of the veteran organizations do try to help. There is admittedly a lot of fluff in some areas. Department of Ohio AMVETS stand up for the veteran. I know because that is who employees me. They expect employees to serve veterans.
AMVETS spends less on magazines than the other organizations, and they do spend a lot on service to veterans. It is simply you must look to find help these days.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DaveBarker,

I was recently permanently disabled with M.S.. I was told to go back to my injuries sustained during active duty and apply for disability. I have worked this whole last year jumping through hoops, and gathering everything that was asked of me. It was determined that I was not eligible for compensation because the military has misplaced my medical records. My claims were legitimate. I have outside doctor notes supporting my claims, but the military lost my medical records.

What do you do next? My service records exist, but my medical records went puff. I was at Fitzsimmons Medical Center in 1997, the same year they closed the military facility and transitioned in to a civilian hospital.

Finding myself victim of a human error by someone in administration, I am having a terrible time of things now.

Anyone have a similar experience with some advice?

My veterans representative says that they can no longer help me with out my medical files. Am I just left high and dry?

Thanks

quote:

My veterans representative says that they can no longer help me with out my medical files. Am I just left high and dry?

Thanks for your post. I did answer you Friday by e-mail. Please contact your veterans organizations you are a member, check around and you will find a VSO who most likely will be someone somewhat like me. We are around just look for us, the veteran organizations do try to help.
The Department of Ohio AMVETS stands up for the veteran. I know because that is who employees me. They expect employees to serve veterans.
Regulations are controlled by congress. You need to complain about the missing medical records, to your two Senators and your Representative.

I just wanted to add to those who have medical records missing from St. Louis. Things are shady there... I got out of the service in 1996 and by the time my spouse was stationed in the building where the records are in the late 1990's mine were already missing! He working in the building for several years and mine were never found. Thankfully I did not need them for any claim, but it was alarming. I wish I had made copies of everthing instead of a few before I left the service.

I also know during that time that massive amounts of records were taken over to charles melvin price center in granite city to a warehouse there to be destroyed, there was a detail destroying them 24 hours a day for several days before it ubruptly stopped and no words spoken about it. I know my spouse was very very concerned and only told me some of it and how strage that operation was. We even talked about who or what to report it to. My spouse did not think those were ones that had been turned to micro fiche yet. Think about it, even those little envelopes with everyones DNA samples in it are gone. Anyway years later what happened there still bothers me
where I hear of records missing long after the fire I feel it happened on those days.

Also many of the people who work there, speaking of the civilian staff were not very friendly caring people, it was a paycheck by hours worked, they ran out that building when the end of day bell rang, and there were tons spending half the day outside in the smoking area, in other words, I do not feel they had any genuine concern for vets who needed records. That is just my opinion from observation while living near there.

Unfortunately, some of the wisdom and lessons learned the hard way described in this thread will probably not reach those who most need the information: those currently serving, BEFORE they ETS, retire, or are medically discharged/retired.

If any of you still have ready access to your military medical records, MAKE AT LEAST ONE FULL COPY OF EVERY PIECE OF PAPER IN YOUR RECORD. That includes little laboratory result slips (pre-full page print-outs), all those privacy notice pages you signed ad infinitum ... everything.

In fact, the really prudent people make a full copy with each PCS or extended TDY when they hand-carry medical records from Point A to Point B.

My own practice was to sign my records in when I in-processed somewhere, then a little while later sign them out for a bogus appointment to some clinic - and I would keep them myself. However, if you are one of those people whose organizational skills aren't great and are even more likely to lose stuff than a bureaucracy is, I would not recommend this approach for you.

I did the same thing with all my orders, OERs (hard copy or microfiche), official photos, awards, decs, attaboy letters, certificates, diplomas, skill/qualification documents - made my own personnel file.

I can't tell you how often having paperwork to back up a particular claim or personnel action made things happen the way I wanted them to, not the way someone else proposed based on incomplete information contained in my "official" files and records.

Another tip for those retiring and claiming a disability: go through your medical records and organize them by each complaint, chronologically (newest information up front). Address the most serious issue first, then the others in diminishing order of seriousness. Use tab dividers and place it all in a three-ring notebook or binder. I submitted one binder to the VA for my claims and kept one for myself - not a question was asked. Yes, there will be duplicate pages, but it still makes it easier for medical people to review the documents when they are organized.

quote:

Originally posted by DaveBarker:
If there are no residual problems, the condition should not limit you at all. I hate to harp on the subject, but I will, keep ev
erything up front and hide nothing!

dellwood2003@hotmail.comI don't know how to do this so...here goes...I was in the Army in Quang Tri Prov. in 1968 from Jan. on till sept. Problem is we had TET and a typhoon? at the same time.My hdqrtr's. was housed on Wunder Beach,needless to say all of the company records for the 403rd were washed away.With those records went my proof of being sewed up in an APC on/near the perimeter where I was sewed up,backby my vertebrae and my left knee.Being mobile I was sewed up and sent back to the peremeter because we were under assualt.I have had a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Trauma to my vertebrae and back then we had US,ER and RA numbers instead of SS numbers so I have only been able to find two people from my co.One remembered me and wrote a statement,the other was my Sgt. fondly known as Superman,who has had a stroke and is dying of cancer and can't remember me.Much less anyone else.I feel the Army is responsible for the loss of my records even though Quang Tri,Quaviet,camp Sally,camp Evans not to mention also in that neck of the woods Ashau and the highway to HELL was all in a pretty big turmoil.I guess that I'm still bothered by the fact that I was an RA 15833179 and was hit before my 18th B-day,and surely not my first or last encounter.I'm addicted to an adrenalin rush and was an Iron Worker for 30 years before I was forced to quit for med. reasons.We didn't have exit physicals back then,most of them were just B.S'd like the VA system!!!I have sleep apnea as a direct result of PTSD and even died once but try to get the help you need for unemployability? The VA would rather make things worse by adding extra tension to a 16 yr. old RA and hope I die first.Well there is a pretty good chance of that everyday.I've been to group therapies,yep plural, but it's hard to help someone who is addicted to an adrenalin rush in a group of people.Then there's the children,what do you do about them?They don't go away!!!!If the U.S. is going to police the world they had better let us old dogs get a rifle and help instead of taking away our dignity.Nuff said. Danno

Back in Dec 1991, I was on a non combat mission in Germany. I fell from a 5 ton expando van and broke my 11th vert and rib in the same area. A Capt Pomeranz told me that there was nothing he could to fix the problem. Xrays were taken and in 1993 I got out of the service. I was with the 103MIBN, 3rd Inf Div.

I filed a claim when I got out, but the va rep said the information concerning the broken spin wasn't in the file. I said it was. Only the information on the rib and some other stuff was sent in. Went thru 2 other va reps and it wasn't until last week that the last rep found my information concerning my broken 11th vert. I had back surgery last year and the surgeon said my 11th and 12th vert were severly deteriorated and the disk was also degenerated and evacuated.

The va rep here in town, said I have to get proof that what the surgeon had found is related to the old injury. WTF! I asked him to get my xrays from Germany. He said they are not there. I also have an MRI that shows a narrowing of the spinal cord right at the 11th vert. What can I do? He also wanted me to get the surgeon to say that the injury could have been caused by the fall. The surgeon said he won't do that because "it is an old injury and he wasn't there when the accident happened". The sad thing is, the military doctors in Wuerzburg GM told me that everything was fine and sent me on my way. I've only been to a VA hospital once when I got out. 8 hrs waiting for only 2 tests. I never went back.

Moved by moderator:
Miosa
Basic Training
Posted Tue 11 July 2006 09:27
I can't seem to locate my medical records from the time I was in Korea. Does anyone know how I may obtain them? If not, does anyone know if a bullet that's still inside you is proof of a gunshot wound while in the army?
Posts: 1 | Registered: Tue 11 July 2006

vetassist
Basic Training
Posted Fri 14 July 2006 01:08
I believe tha the bullet is not enough proof unless you can show in service treatment. It is up to you to provide the proof or the means for verifying that the bullet go where it is during your service. If you received a GSW, did you receive a Purple Heart?
Posts: 22 | Registered: Sat 20 May 2006

SGTBJH
Member

Posted Tue 18 July 2006 02:05
I know this doesn't help after the fact, but since I am still in the military, I got my files and downloaded them to a fingerdrive.
I have a question to piggyback to my 2 cents. I am in Belgium and I have already had a military medical exam for retirement, but do I still need a V.A. medical exam and can I get it when I get home. I remember a briefing I was at that the closest place I can get it done here is in Landstule, Germany at the hospital there.
Posts: 2408 | Registered: Wed 22 November 2000

11055945
Basic Training
Posted Sat 22 July 2006 17:09
miosa: My husband says that there is a difference between civilian ammo and Army Ammo. send me your email address and particulars I am gathering evidence to go to congress and demand an investigation into where our Korea records are being hidden.
Posts: 11 | Registered: Mon 26 June 2006

DaveBarker
LEAD MODERATOR, HEALTH AND FITNESS FORUMS

Posted Sun 23 July 2006 02:03
quote:
Originally posted by Miosa:
I can't seem to locate my medical records from the time I was in Korea. Does anyone know how I may obtain them? If not, does anyone know if a bullet that's still inside you is proof of a gunshot wound while in the army?

Originally posted by vetassist:
I believe that the bullet is not enough proof unless you can show in service treatment. It is up to you to provide the proof or the means for verifying that the bullet go where it is during your service. If you received a GSW, did you receive a Purple Heart?

Originally posted by SGTBJH:
I know this doesn't help after the fact, but since I am still in the military, I got my files and downloaded them to a fingerdrive.
I have a question to piggyback to my 2 cents. I am in Belgium and I have already had a military medical exam for retirement, but do I still need a V.A. medical exam and can I get it when I get home. I remember a briefing I was at that the closest place I can get it done here is in Landstule, Germany at the hospital there.

Miosa: You may obtain your records from the VA Regional Office if you have ever filed a compensation claim. If you have not filed a VA claim then try the National Personnel Records Center; if they were not burned in the 1973 fire in St Louis, that is where they would be. If you were shot and the bullet is still in you, the incident will be in your SMR's.
If you have a bullet lodged in your body you should have filed for benefits at the time of separation from service. You need to see a veterans service officer.

vetassist: once again you are absolutely correct!

SGTBJH: to answer your question, if you already had a military medical exam for retirement and you filed the VA for 21-526 for compensation through TAP, you may not need a V.A. medical exam. If the rating specialist determines you need a VA Exam you can get it when you get home. You need to see a veterans service officer.
Posts: 6141 | Registered: Tue 12 November 2002

SGTBJH
Member

Posted Mon 24 July 2006 01:16
Mr Barker, Thanks. We have another Pre-seperation brief coming up in August I will ask the Rep then. We have have a traveling Rep. based out of Landstuhl Army Regional Medical Center.
Posts: 2408 | Registered: Wed 22 November 2000

quote:

I don't know how to do this so...here goes...I was in the Army in Quang Tri Prov. in 1968 from Jan. on till sept. Problem is we had TET and a typhoon? at the same time.My hdqrtr's. was housed on Wunder Beach,needless to say all of the company records for the 403rd were washed away.With those records went my proof of being sewed up in an APC on/near the perimeter where I was sewed up,backby my vertebrae and my left knee.Being mobile I was sewed up and sent back to the peremeter because we were under assualt.I have had a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Trauma to my vertebrae and back then we had US,ER and RA numbers instead of SS numbers so I have only been able to find two people from my co.One remembered me and wrote a statement,the other was my Sgt. fondly known as Superman,who has had a stroke and is dying of cancer and can't remember me. Much less anyone else. I feel the Army is responsible for the loss of my records even though Quang Tri,Quaviet,camp Sally,camp Evans not to mention also in that neck of the woods Ashau and the highway to HELL was all in a pretty big turmoil.I guess that I'm still bothered by the fact that I was an RA 15833179 and was hit before my 18th B-day,and surely not my first or last encounter.I'm addicted to an adrenalin rush and was an Iron Worker for 30 years before I was forced to quit for med. reasons.We didn't have exit physicals back then,most of them were just B.S'd like the VA system!!!I have sleep apnea as a direct result of PTSD and even died once but try to get the help you need for unemployability? The VA would rather make things worse by adding extra tension to a 16 yr. old RA and hope I die first.Well there is a pretty good chance of that everyday.I've been to group therapies,yep plural, but it's hard to help someone who is addicted to an adrenalin rush in a group of people.Then there's the children,what do you do about them?They don't go away!!!!If the U.S. is going to police the world they had better let us old dogs get a rifle and help instead of taking away our dignity.Nuff said. Danno

Danno: The regualtions are you must prove your condition is service connected. I suggest you go to a veterans organization service officer for assistance. I have on many ocassions ordered unit records and found injuries where a soldier was sent to medic's for treatment. Unit records also have names. Names may jog your memory.