#Middlebury #Veterans
If you’ve been waiting for copies of military records so you can apply for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, you’ve likely been waiting for a long time. Unfortunately, your wait might continue, depending on the reason for your request.
Due to COVID, the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) is closed, with a 10% staffing level and a backlog of half a million records requests. Most of the 60 million older records are on paper, so they must be accessed and touched by humans. The only exceptions are emergencies: burials, medical treatments or homeless veterans who are trying to get into a homeless shelter.
For anything else, the NPRC is specifically requesting that you don’t ask for records. If it’s records research, corrections to records or replacement medals, it’s not an emergency … at least for the NPRC.
I can foresee situations where getting medal replacements for an elderly, ill veteran might well be considered an emergency if that veteran wants to see his medals one last time and tell stories and maybe give them in person to a grandchild.
If you have a genuine emergency, as defined by the NPRC, you’ll need to submit a Standard Form 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records (find it online). Sign it and then fax it to 314-801-0764.
The good news is that newer records might be online. Check www.archives.gov, click Veterans’ Service Records, then click on More Ways to Get Service Records on the left.
It could be much worse: In 1973, up to 18 million files were destroyed in a fire the St. Louis record center. Plus, VA had loaned the NPRC millions of records, which also went up in smoke.
Over time they’ve tried to re-create those records using auxiliary sources, but the Certificate of Service they send you contains only basic service information – like a Little League participation trophy.
© 2021 King Features Synd., Inc.
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