Information in Department of Veteran Affairs Records

The Department of Veteran Affairs in the United States is operated by the federal government and is an initiative that takes into account military veteran benefit on the level of the Cabinet.  This department is in fact the second biggest department in the country and comes second only to the United States Department of Defense. In the year 2009, the stipulated budget for the department was $87.6 billion. The funds are used to offer pension, home loans, disability compensation, vocation rehabilitation, medical benefits, life insurance, education and survivors benefits to veterans, their respective families and survivors.

Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Records

Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Records are stored in the VA Records Center and Vault known as the RC&V in short.  It acts as both a short term and long term repository of records and offers records management services. The National Archives and Record Administration or NARA can also come to the aid of veterans in helping them to find their own Military Service Records. These might include medical records as well as separation documents for conducting historical or a personal search.

Information Contained in Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Records

If you have retired from military service, your military service records or personnel files are stored at NARA. The records are basically administrative records and these contain information that includes:

• Details of appointment or enlistment
• Qualifications, training and performance
• Assignments and duty stations
• Disciplinary actions
• Emergency data
• Medals, awards, and Honors
• Administrative remarks
• Insurance
• Retirement/Separation/Discharge
• Personnel actions

However, you will not come across information that gives an idea about the participation of the veteran in military battles or other assignments. Prior to 1992, the active duty health records were also included in the Official Military Personnel Files but this practice was stalled in the aforementioned year.

National Personnel Records Center (Military Personnel Records) or the NPRC-MPR are maintained as part of the National Archive. These are records of military service personnel who are no longer under any kind of service obligation. The records contain data pertaining to personnel who are not bound by any professional commitment, have retired from service or have expired. These Department of Veteran Affairs records are transferred to the repository within six months of any of these conditions.

Accessing Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Records

These Military Personnel Veteran Records can be used as a proof of military service or even as a genealogical research tool.  Veterans and the one who is next-of-kin can obtain copies of their DD Form 214 or Discharge Papers and Separation Documents without the payment of any fee.  You can access additional information on these by clicking on http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/dd-214.html . The criteria’s that needs to be fulfilled for obtaining the information is stated on http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/http://www.peoplepublicrecords.org/get-service-records.html.

You can send in the completed request forms duly signed and dated to the NPRC or the National Archives’ National Personnel Record Center or the NPRC. You can fax in your requests at 314 801 9195.
You can also send them by ordinary mail at National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records, 9700 Page Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63132-5100. You can also call at 314 801 0800.