Why records decide claims
Raters decide on paper. Your records supply two of the three pillars — the current diagnosis and the in-service event — and inform the third. Pulling them before filing lets you find gaps while you can still fix them, instead of discovering them in a denial letter.
Service treatment records & personnel file
- Still serving / recently separated: download from milConnect (TRICARE Online / MHS GENESIS patient portal for treatment records).
- Separated: request via the National Archives — eVetRecs online or SF-180 by mail. Include full name, SSN/service number, branch, and service dates.
- DD-214: same channels; order a certified copy and store it somewhere fireproof. Many states also allow free recording at the county courthouse.
Army records (1912–1960) and some Air Force records (1947–1964) were damaged in the St. Louis fire. If yours were affected, NARA can often reconstruct from alternate sources — say so in the request, and lean harder on buddy statements for the in-service pillar.
VA medical records
Sign in at VA.gov → Health → "Get medical records (Blue Button)." Download the full report as a PDF — it includes problem lists, medications, notes, and labs. This is also the fastest way to confirm you have a documented current diagnosis for each condition you plan to claim.
Private treatment records
Two routes: request them yourself from each provider (HIPAA guarantees access; fees are capped), or authorize the VA to retrieve them with VA FORM 21-4142 and 21-4142a. Self-retrieval is more reliable and faster — providers respond to patients quicker than to VA requests, and you control completeness.
Organize like a rater will read it
- One folder (digital and paper) per claimed condition
- Chronological order: service records → diagnosis → ongoing treatment
- Highlight the pages that prove each pillar; note gaps
- Fill gaps with buddy statements and your 21-4138 statement
Then take the organized package into your claim filing — or hand it to a VSO, who will love you for it.