Make Copies!

[Buck52]

 ''Just a Reminder''

Rather your an older veteran with your claims  complete or just starting out!

Please do this

All Veterans should make copies of all there claims evidence or any thing you send VA and anything they send you!

If you do your claims electronically  print out hard copy's and place them in a organized folder, if you use paper copies and send to the VA snail Mail with return receipts make copies and put them into your folder.

It will be easier down the road if you ever need them.

Since computers are known to blow out hard drives from time to time...you will have your copies if you need them.

its good practice to do this when your doing your claims evidence &  make a couple copies for yourself / folder

keep for safe keeping at least 20 years after you win your award/claim

jmo

............................Buck

[saxman]

Buck52, I forgot to mention that my claim is complete but the ITF still show.  I tried getting to it that way but no luck, and I tried historical claims too and no luck.  It seems like it's gone except with the VA.  I will remember to make a hard copy on the next claim which will be soon.  Thanks for you help! 

[MikeHunt]

You can go to your service organization (VFW, etc.) or County office and view electronic records. I understand they must have paper files still for some Veterans.

The OP has an excellent point- read the other day how a fire destroyed decades of servicemember's records- Putting the onus on the disabled Veteran to prove their service: The unthinkable does occur; You might even wish to upload your documents to a 'Cloud' thingy and back up Gastone's also excellent suggestion by putting another thumb drive in a safe deposit box, etc.

You can also make the digital trail as long as possible; email documents to your CVSO, who emails them to the VFW, who uploads them directly to the VA's system. It makes it very difficult for the RO to toss them. If it's just little old Veteran mailing them in- The one jerk you happen to get at the RO can just say you didn't do anything.-

Remember- The VA has a very long, documented history of simply discarding claims- You have a lot at stake - ASSUME they will discard yours.

[ArNG11]

I like the ideas of how to safeguard your medical and service records.  I still employ a paper/electronic system.  I like the combo approach with redundancies.  Believe you me it has come in handy several times already and once BVA hearing approaches, well I have a few green cards with the Regional Office and Evidence Intake Centers signature all over it.  Can't deny an item wasn't received if you have a signature to prove it. 

Not to give cudos to the VA but the e-filing of claims through e-benefits has not failed me yet, well other than consistent access but you can see and load both ways on submitted evidence.  Confirmation of submission and acceptance are a nice facet.  

Still even in this digital world, I would suggest the same in regards to records.  Keep a hardcopy, have one on a drive, jump drive, online server, and for kicks throw a media copy in a safety deposit box.  You never know.

The one thing I would suggest with the online methods is to make sure the encryption and back up redundant systems are to your satisfaction and meet new technological standards.

[Carl the Engineer]

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/copy-machine/n10022

"making copies", the Richmeister the copy machine guy,

FWIW,

Hamslice