Month: February 2024

Eastern Idaho Joining Forces: Inaugural Meeting in Blackfoot

Originally Posted: January 24, 2024

The inaugural Eastern Idaho Joining Forces meeting is set to take place on Friday, February 2, at 9:00 a.m. in the Learning Center at State Hospital South, located at 700 E. Alice St, Blackfoot. This marks the first of the monthly meetings aimed at fostering collaboration and support within the veteran community.

For those unable to attend in person, the meeting will also be accessible via Microsoft Teams, ensuring wider participation and convenience.

The meeting will feature several key speakers, including Mark Tschampl, Chief Administrator of the Idaho Division of Veterans Services. He will discuss the Joining Forces concept and outline future goals. Additionally, attendees will hear from Coy Miller, Congressional Liaison with the Salt Lake City VA Medical Center; Tyler Pool, Manager of the Pocatello Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC); Cat Brophy, Manager of the Idaho Falls Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC); and Jake Faulkner, Bureau Chief for Idaho State Veterans Cemeteries.

This event promises to be insightful and is expected to last for one hour. Attendees are encouraged to stay after the meeting for networking opportunities. The venue includes a coffee bar and café for those wishing to connect and discuss further in a relaxed setting. A map detailing available parking and the location of the Learning Center inside the hospital is attached for your convenience.

Please note, these meetings in Blackfoot will replace the Southeast Idaho Veterans Council meetings that were held quarterly, alternating between Idaho Falls and Pocatello.

This is an excellent opportunity for veterans and those involved in veteran services to come together, share insights, and strengthen their network. Your participation is highly valued, and we look forward to seeing you there.

Originally Posted: October 22, 2023

For many veterans, obtaining their military service records is a vital step in accessing the benefits they rightfully deserve. However, for some, this process has been complicated due to a tragic event that occurred in July 1973 when a fire damaged or destroyed up to 18 million Army and Air Force official military personnel files at the National Archives and Records Administration’s (NARA) National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri. This disaster has made it especially challenging for veterans who served in the Army or Air Force prior to 1960 or 1964, respectively, to acquire the necessary records when filing claims for benefits. In this blog post, we’ll explore the efforts of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) in assisting veterans with obtaining or reconstructing damaged or destroyed records, as revealed in a recent audit report.

The Audit Report:

The Office of Audits and Evaluations recently conducted an audit (Report Number: 22-03522-209) to assess how well VBA personnel were assisting veterans in obtaining records that were lost in the fire. Here are some key findings from the report:

1. The Extent of the Fire Damage:
   In July 1973, a catastrophic fire damaged or destroyed a significant number of Army and Air Force official military personnel files at the NPRC. This tragic event had far-reaching consequences, making it difficult for veterans to access their records when needed for benefit claims.
2. The Purpose of the Audit:
   The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2023 mandated the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) to investigate the extent to which VBA personnel were following the Adjudication Procedures Manual when helping veterans obtain or reconstruct damaged or destroyed records.
3. Audit Findings:
   The OIG’s audit uncovered several important findings:
   • VBA staff did not always follow procedures in a timely manner.
   • Procedures were not consistently followed in the order outlined in the Adjudication Procedures Manual.
   • Required follow-up procedures were not consistently completed.

1. Recommendations for Improvement:
   In light of these findings, the OIG made three key recommendations:
   • Establish a process to identify and track veterans’ records that have been determined to be fire damaged or destroyed.
   • Provide training to VBA staff on the process for requesting service treatment and military service records for fire-related records.
   • Offer more specific guidance on the information required for the NPRC to locate veterans’ records.

Conclusion:

The audit report sheds light on the challenges veterans have faced in obtaining records lost in the 1973 fire at the NPRC. While VBA plays a crucial role in assisting veterans with these records, there is room for improvement in following established procedures and providing the necessary support.

As veterans continue to seek the benefits they rightfully deserve, it is essential that the VA takes these audit findings seriously and works towards implementing the recommended improvements. By doing so, we can ensure that those who have served our country receive the assistance and support they need in a timely and efficient manner.