u/Loose-Indication-322

I just met with a VSO for the first time ever because I essentially don’t have copies of any records other than my DD-214. I contacted the National Archives a while back and they were able to get me about a third of my service records (of course it was nothing of significance) and no medical records whatsoever. I was advised to meet with a VSO and just got out of our meeting. He told me the National Archives is where the VA gets all the records from as well, and that once in a blue moon, they simply don’t have them. He advised me to at least submit a claim for the tinnitus I have, and that possibility when the VA requests records from the National Archives, more records might show up. I’m doing my best to hold my rage in. I don’t blame the VA because I know it’s not their fault. The VSO told me that it’s possible that the clerk I turned my records into twenty four years ago just never sent them off. He said this happens sometimes. I’m devastated and fuming. I kick myself in the butt every day for not making copies of my records, but there’s nothing I can do about that now. Just curious if anyone has ever encountered this or even heard of it happening.

I’ll try to keep this short. I’m a USMC vet, 97-02, deployed twice including an Enduring Freedom deployment that was so early on that I don’t think “Enduring Freedom” was even coined until halfway through the deployment. I made the mistake of not making copies of my medical or service records before I turned them in and have been kicking myself in the butt ever since. Other than my DD-214 and a few copies of orders, I had no proof that I was ever even in the military. I registered with the VA immediately after separation and have used my GI Bill and got a VA loan for a house, but I’ve never made a disability claim. In the last couple of weeks I’ve been able to get some records from the National Personnel Records Center but nothing medical related. I was emailed an address and phone number of where they keep military records of veterans who were discharged before 2014. I guess it was only after 2014 that they started making digital copies of military records? I’m just wondering if anyone else has encountered these road blocks and how it worked out.