>>
Site Map
>>
Forums
>>
VA Issues
Forum module - topics in forum:
VA Issues - Veterans Administration Issues
Proof of Service
I submitted this to the 1st Mob Alumni website during a period when many of their members, who spent many TDY's in Vietnam from 1961 on,( in fact it was the 1st Mobs main function,) had difficulty establishing proof of their Vietrnam service with the VA:
Some thoughts, etc.; on the subject:
Please don't forget the fire that destroyed records of Air Force men with my last initial "K" thru 1964, frankly they couldn't find any info for me from 1965, Perhaps they lost a few more records then reported. Many of us didn't keep any paperwork unless it was necessary to get reimbursment for something, and after that, who needed it? Buddy letters do work with the VA and so do photos from the location you were at. A young man is more likely to keep photos than old tattered-up TDY orders. It's a real frustrating grind to prove service, anywhere, much less Vietnam from 40-50 yrs ago. They also wanted to know why I was there, which I thought was pretty obvious. But, as the man said, not all adjudicators (or whatever they are) require the same diligence in pursuit of your claimed service.
An old MSgt from pre-WW2 advised me back in the fifties to save things such as, AF Forms 1098 reflecting your duty assignments and skill-level-awards, and also promotion orders in particular. Here I am at 71 yrs old with a complete set of my promotion orders for my 22+ yrs of active duty. Which means nothing, I guess, unless you had promotion orders from units in Vietnam. Also, when the Air Force wanted to see any performance reports from my TDY, these latest model airman didn't know that the performance rating system was relatively new 43 yrs ago & a 6 wk tdy didn't necessarily trigger performance reports for temporary duty, in particular if you were slated to return to your regular job & reporting official at your home station.
Well, it seems I give a very gloomy outlook but you will most likely encounter a certain amount of perceived resistance from the very people that are supposed to give the veteran the "Benefit-of-the-doubt" as their latest doctrine dictates. Just hang in there with the understanding that you did your time & you're just going to have to prove it to their satisfaction, and that's just step one-the physical part, the next, the medical part seems just as tough. "Get 'er done" troop! I hope the young men serving their country now are well briefed on what to keep.
