I am a recently separated veteran (Mar 08). I am currently in the process of trying to get back in. I sent an NPRC request and was told the VA has my record. I contacted the VA, and requested copies of my physicals, They sent one from 1998, and thats it. I went to the local VA regional office to request a complete copy of my record. I was not asked to sign anything, just gave them my SSN and identification, and it was done on the computer by the VA rep. I was told the process could take up to 4-6 months. Do I have any other options? I'm at my wits and and considering contacting my congressman. I just want to return to service, should it be this hard?

All VA recordds are on their computer, and if that is all you want, that is easy. If you want your military medical records, then they have to track them down and make a copy.

It's my military med records that I'm trying to get. They are at the VA records center in St. Louis. It just seems like 4-6 months is a little absurd to get records. I wish I'd been given 4-6 months notice the last time I went on a deployment. I had 5 days to get everything taken care of, with my wife 8 months pregnant, and a 16 month old son.

I'm going through a similiar situation, except i am looking for my va medical records. I was medically discharged from the navy back in 98. went to va to file a claim in colorado springs in 99. the claim was denied so i left it at that. now i am trying to go back in active duty. went to meps doc recommended a waiver now the recruiting command is asking for copies of va medical records which i dont have. i called everywhere and seemed to get the run around. i was told that they were at nprc,which only stores military records, then was told that they were at veterans affairs office in st louis. I wrote them a letter as well as the regional office in denver co. I was told 3-4 mnths as well based on how large the records were. I only had one visit so i pray they come before 3 or 4 mnths. I also did a request to nprc for my military records back in aug and i called to check the status and they said they would be to me right after thanksgiving, so maybe your records will get to you soon. Yes this long, but you are not alone. I do wish i would have known that they would have requested for these records. I have been medically cleared by a civilian doc as well as a air force doc because i am in the reserves now and have been for almost 6 yrs. It is quite difficult to go back active duty.

I meant to put that i requested for a copy of my service medical records at the end of Sept not Aug and i will recieve them by the end of this month.

I have been trying to get copies of my military medical records for years. I resubmitted a request this past October and have done a monthly follow up to the VA in St Peteresburg Fl. My last follow-up was March 24th 2009 and was told that I could not expect to get the copies before 2010 because of their backlog. It was recommended by the VA clerk that I contact my congressman.

quote:

I meant to put that i requested for a copy of my service medical records at the end of Sept not Aug and i will recieve them by the end of this month.

Where are your records, St. Louis? I have been told many many times by the St Petersburg VA Office that I would get my records next month, now they are saying next year

I have been trying to get Military medical records since Dec. 08. The VA says St. Louis has them and St. Louis says the VA has them. It was my understanding that the VA was handling all medical records these days, is this true?

Not necessarily.

The Department of Veteran's Affairs, by law is required to assist in the veteran in getting all records, but often they don't do it.

Check out the VA website for more information.