By Josh Sharp
“I think that I might qualify for Veterans Benefits, but I don’t have my original discharge paperwork.”
The truth is that in order to qualify for some of the programs that the VA offers, you are required to submit original discharge papers, or a certified copy of them. What does this mean if you stuck them in a drawer thirty years ago and have since lost track of them?
One option is to check the county recorder’s office for the county the veteran resided in immediately after he or she was discharged. Soldiers were encouraged to record their discharge papers after returning from the war.
If this option does not work, you should contact our office. We request replacement discharge papers from the Military Personnel Records Center for many of our clients.
Veterans have earned far more than we can give them, and the fact that discharge papers have been misplaced should not keep them from gaining benefits that they have earned with their service.
