How To Prove Service In Rvn

[barbarap]

I am new to this site. My husband is the vet. He is trying to prove service connection for dmii based on exposure to AO in DMZ. He was AF and was TDY to a Comm Squadron in Osan, Korea, from Fuchu, Japan, for 30 days in March - May, 1968. During that TDY, under verbal orders of the commander (VOC), he was sent TDY to Vietnam twice or three times for a day or two at a time to courier crypto information for the AF. His TDY to Korea was extended several times until it turned into a one-year PCS. Our problem is that there is nothing that we can find in his service records (of which we received a copy from the VA) showing that he was in the RVN since his trips there were under VOC. He received injuries twice while in RVN - once in helicopter crash and second time from shrapnel from rocket attack. Went to dispensary after got back to Korea but all of his medical records from Korea are missing from the copy from the VA.

We need help trying to connect him to anyone in his unit that will be able to corroborate that he was in Korea and that he was in and out of RVN during that time period or something that we can use that the this was not an unheard of practice by the AF to send someone TDY under VOC when they are already TDY.

Has anyone ever run into a situation like this? We like to talk to anyone with experience in this sort of situation and would appreciate any guidance.

[Berta]

. "He received injuries twice while in RVN - once in helicopter crash and second time from shrapnel from rocket attack. Went to dispensary after got back to Korea but all of his medical records from Korea are missing from the copy from the VA."

That should all be documented somewhere-

Have you attempted to get his records from NARA yourself?

When VA sends copies of SMRS they get selective.

I have posts here available under search as to AO use confirmed near the DMZ Korea.But I am unaware if any AF units were in support-

Has he attempted to get a buddy statement as to the RVN TDY?

Gee his MOS sounds like my daughters-

was he Top Secret while in USAF?

She was told although her MOS was classified that her records could be declassified for VA claims purposes- could this be why VA only sent some of his records?

If I were him I would go to NARA web site and send them the SF 180 and see what turns up- and also get copy of his actual C file from VA.

His unit most surely has a web site- maybe even a reunion roster that could provide buddy statement eventually.

I am surprised that VA when they saw USAF didnt say his records were burned in St Louis fire-

that can be a lot of VA BS_

I have obtained records of vets who VA said were completely burned in the fire.

[barbarap]

Berta, thank you for your prompt reply. We will request the records from the VARA today (I hope this means the archives). As a matter of fact, he was under the impression that he records were in the St. Louis fire but after looking on a website regarding that the other day, it appears that the AF records from his time period (1968) were not included in that fire.

The copy of the C file that we received from the VA office is a nightmare. We got it 2 weeks ago and it is a giant stack of paper that appears to have been thrown in the air and picked back up in no order whatsoever. We went through it piece by piece trying to get it sorted chronologically and found that they have issued a "rating deferment" that we never received and even have documents from some other vet included in the file. It's a mess.

Several years back, he went to the VA and said that he was actually looking at the original of his medical records and that there was an 18-month portion missing. It's my understanding that the VA sometimes borrows the records from the archives. I'm assuming that is how he was looking at the originals. It's frightening to think that the archives would let the records go - we can only hope that they make copies - with all the trouble at the VA with documents being lost/shredded/mishandled, etc.

Is your daughter in a comm squadron? That was his MOS and it was TS also. Hope your daughter enjoys it. He really did.

Thank you for the advice. It's nice to know that there are some things that we can do.

. "He received injuries twice while in RVN - once in helicopter crash and second time from shrapnel from rocket attack. Went to dispensary after got back to Korea but all of his medical records from Korea are missing from the copy from the VA."

That should all be documented somewhere-

Have you attempted to get his records from NARA yourself?

When VA sends copies of SMRS they get selective.

I have posts here available under search as to AO use confirmed near the DMZ Korea.But I am unaware if any AF units were in support-

Has he attempted to get a buddy statement as to the RVN TDY?

Gee his MOS sounds like my daughters-

was he Top Secret while in USAF?

She was told although her MOS was classified that her records could be declassified for VA claims purposes- could this be why VA only sent some of his records?

If I were him I would go to NARA web site and send them the SF 180 and see what turns up- and also get copy of his actual C file from VA.

His unit most surely has a web site- maybe even a reunion roster that could provide buddy statement eventually.

I am surprised that VA when they saw USAF didnt say his records were burned in St Louis fire-

that can be a lot of VA BS_

I have obtained records of vets who VA said were completely burned in the fire.

[barbarap]

Berta, let me correct myself. He was near the DMZ in Korea but he is trying to get service connection for dmii based on service in RVN.

Thanks!

. "He received injuries twice while in RVN - once in helicopter crash and second time from shrapnel from rocket attack. Went to dispensary after got back to Korea but all of his medical records from Korea are missing from the copy from the VA."

That should all be documented somewhere-

Have you attempted to get his records from NARA yourself?

When VA sends copies of SMRS they get selective.

I have posts here available under search as to AO use confirmed near the DMZ Korea.But I am unaware if any AF units were in support-

Has he attempted to get a buddy statement as to the RVN TDY?

Gee his MOS sounds like my daughters-

was he Top Secret while in USAF?

She was told although her MOS was classified that her records could be declassified for VA claims purposes- could this be why VA only sent some of his records?

If I were him I would go to NARA web site and send them the SF 180 and see what turns up- and also get copy of his actual C file from VA.

His unit most surely has a web site- maybe even a reunion roster that could provide buddy statement eventually.

I am surprised that VA when they saw USAF didnt say his records were burned in St Louis fire-

that can be a lot of VA BS_

I have obtained records of vets who VA said were completely burned in the fire.

[Berta]

"and even have documents from some other vet included in the file. It's a mess."

Can you somehow send this vet's stuff back to the VARO but do it via a vet rep or someone who can make sure they get it? and document that it was sent back?

(Actually I would suggest a different apporach- send the stuff to COngressman Filner, Chairman House Veterans Affairs COmmittee) and ask him to submit it to the VA to make sure it gets in the correct file.

This is one way they deny claims- they misfile stuff recklessly.

What VARO do you deal with? If Buffalo I definitely suggest getting Filner or your Congressman/woman to re-send this to them.

No-My daughter was USAF Intell TS -Vietnamese Linguist.But if his MOS is classified like hers maybe best to contact NARA yourself.

[Philip Rogers]

barbarap - you stated he was injured twice. Does he know where he was and the approximate date(month/year) of the rocket attack?? Also, I'm not sure if the AF had morning reports but each service had them or something similiar, which report daily additions and subtractions to their unit, such as TDY's, R&R, tranfers, etc. He should check on those for his unit. I would also think there were flight logs that showed personnel on each flight.

Original service records are owned by the branch of service and the NPRC is the custodian. When the VA requests the records, they are tranferred to the VA and the VA then becomes the custodian of the records.

pr

I am new to this site. My husband is the vet. He is trying to prove service connection for dmii based on exposure to AO in DMZ. He was AF and was TDY to a Comm Squadron in Osan, Korea, from Fuchu, Japan, for 30 days in March - May, 1968. During that TDY, under verbal orders of the commander (VOC), he was sent TDY to Vietnam twice or three times for a day or two at a time to courier crypto information for the AF. His TDY to Korea was extended several times until it turned into a one-year PCS. Our problem is that there is nothing that we can find in his service records (of which we received a copy from the VA) showing that he was in the RVN since his trips there were under VOC. He received injuries twice while in RVN - once in helicopter crash and second time from shrapnel from rocket attack. Went to dispensary after got back to Korea but all of his medical records from Korea are missing from the copy from the VA.

We need help trying to connect him to anyone in his unit that will be able to corroborate that he was in Korea and that he was in and out of RVN during that time period or something that we can use that the this was not an unheard of practice by the AF to send someone TDY under VOC when they are already TDY.

Has anyone ever run into a situation like this? We like to talk to anyone with experience in this sort of situation and would appreciate any guidance.

Edited May 14, 2009 by Philip Rogers

[sharon]

You need to order a copy of his 201 (personnel file). I will show his assignments and TDYs. This can be done on the SF 180.