a. Basic Elements in Securing Veterans’ Service Records In order to successfully secure Veterans’ service records, regional office (RO) employees responsible for this development activity must carefully consider a variety of factors that affect where service departments route service records after a service member’s period of service ends, and understand the various means for securing service records from their respective custodians, which often include agencies outside of the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The information in this section provides employees with the factors they must consider in order to determine the current location of a Veteran’s service records, and an explanation of the proper means for requesting service records. References: For listings of service record custodians, their contact information, and the address codes for requesting records from them through the Personnel Information Exchange System (PIES), see M21-1, Part III, Subpart iii, 2.D and E. b. Determining Whether a Veteran Has an Additional Service Obligation Knowing whether a Veteran left active duty with an obligation for further service in the Reserve components (which includes the National Guard) is critical in locating his/her service records. The table below explains how RO employees may use the Veterans Information Solution (VIS) and a Veteran’s DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, to determine whether a Veteran has an additional service obligation and, if so, the type of service he/she is currently performing. If … Then the Veteran … the type of separation shown on the Veteran’s DD Form 214 is Release From Active Duty left active duty with an obligation for further service in the Reserve components. the type of separation shown on the Veteran’s DD Form 214 is Discharge left active duty with no further service obligation. the code in the RESERVE COMPONENT CATEGORY (RCC) field in VIS (under the heading National Guard and Reserve Service Period) is SA is currently an active member of the Reserve or National Guard. the code in the RCC field in VIS is RE is currently in the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR) or Inactive National Guard (ING).
ERROR: Electronic STR Requested. Request Date [mm/dd/yyyy]. Request Unsuccessful. [No Veteran] or [Multiple Veterans] Found. HAIMS could not identify the Veteran. Follow the in the table below to resubmit the STR request. Note: If the status message does not change, contact CO for assistance at . ERROR: Unsuccessful. Internal Server Error. Electronic STR requested. Request date [mm/dd/yyyy]. Request incomplete. Note – During this request an external system error was encountered preventing it from completing. An automated retry will be attempted on [mm/dd/yyyy] at [hh:mm AM/PM]. VBMS encountered an error and will make four attempts to request the STRs. This message displays when the initial attempt has been made. The status message will update automatically with each attempt. If all attempts fail, contact CO for assistance at . ERROR: Unsuccessful. Internal Server Error. Electronic STR requested. Request date [mm/dd/yyyy]. Request incomplete. Note – During this request an external system error was encountered preventing it from completing. Retry attempt [X] of 4. Next retry attempt [mm/dd/yyyy] at [hh:mm AM/PM]. VBMS encountered an error and will make four attempts to request the STRs. This message displays while subsequent attempts are being made. The status message will update automatically with each attempt. If all attempts fail, contact CO for assistance at .
developing claims for dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) and compensation, see M21-1 Part IV, Subpart iii, 1. k. Accessing Electronic Copies of STRs Through CAPRI Electronic copies of some STRs are accessible under the VISTAWEB/DOD RECORDS tab in CAPRI. VA employees must check CAPRI for the availability of these records anytime they are unable to obtain a complete set of a Veteran’s STRs through the other means described in this section, or the available STRs do not show the event, injury, or disease. Note: Because DoD certifies as complete the collection of STRs it stores electronically in HAIMS, any electronic copies of STRs that VA can access through CAPRI should already exist in HAIMS. Reference: For more information about accessing electronic records in CAPRI, see the . l. Obtaining Supplemental STRs Located in the JLV The Joint Legacy Viewer (JLV) is a web-based viewer that delivers real time access of Department of Defense (DoD) and VA electronic health information to a limited number of RO personnel. The records located in the JLV are intended only to supplement the STRs certified by DoD as complete. Follow the steps in the table below when JLV records are obtained that are not found in the certified STRs. Step Action 1 Compare the date of entry of the JLV record with the DoD STR certification of completeness. Is the JLV record entry date after the date of STR certification? If yes, then the certified STRs would not contain the JLV record. No further action necessary. If no, go to Step 2. Important: Review the Veteran’s record to ensure all completed periods of service are being considered. 2 Forward the record to the MRS for a thorough secondary review. Does the MRS concur that the document is dated prior to the STR certification and does not exist in the certified complete STRs? If yes, go to Step 3. If no, no further action is necessary. 3 The MRS will email a summary of the discrepancy to VACO at .
service ended on or after October 1, 2002, or the claimant is a member of the Reserve or National Guard OMPFs are stored electronically as image files in iPERMS, and ROs may request copies of them through . References: For more information about using PIES, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart iii, 2.D, and DPRIS, see the . 5. Locating and Obtaining Navy Personnel Records Introduction This topic contains information about locating and obtaining Navy personnel records, including location of Navy personnel records and the means for requesting copies, and location of Navy records associated with line-of-duty determinations. Change Date August 21, 2014 a. Location of Navy Personnel Records and the Means for Requesting Copies Use the information in the table below to determine the location of Navy personnel records, and the means for requesting copies of these records. If … Then … service prior to January 1, 1995 personnel records are located at NPRC, and ROs may request copies of them through PIES. service ended on or after January 1, 1995, or the claimant is a member of the Reserve personnel records are stored electronically as image files in the Navy’s Electronic Military Personnel Records System (EMPRS), and ROs may request copies of them through . References: For more information about using PIES, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart iii, 2.D, and DPRIS, see the .
b. Location of Navy Records Associated with Line-of-Duty Determinations Use the table below to determine the location of records associated with (LOD) determinations. If the date of the determination was … Then the associated records are located … on or before December 31, 1995 at the following address Office of the Judge Advocate General 1322 Patterson Ave., Suite 3000 Washington Navy Yard Washington, DC 23074-5066 between 1996 and 2003 at the office address of the commanding officer over the location/facility where the incident occurred. after 2003 in the corresponding STRs. Note: The exact date in 2004 when the Navy began including records associated with LOD determinations in STRs is unknown. 6. Locating and Obtaining Air Force Personnel Records Change Date July 23, 2015 a. Location of Air Force Personnel Records and the Means for Requesting Copies Use the information in the table below to determine the location of Air Force personnel records, and the means for requesting copies of these records. If … Then … service ended prior to October 1, 2004 personnel records are located at the NPRC, and ROs may request copies of them through PIES. Exception: If a member of the Air National Guard completed his/her period of service prior to October 1, 2004, his/her personnel records are