The Gun Counter

Posted: **Sat Oct 18, 2008 12:49 am**

VA claims found in piles to be shredded

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Oct 17, 2008 8:02:15 EDT

Department of Veterans Affairs regional offices have been ordered to immediately stop shredding documents after an investigation found some benefits claims and supporting documents among piles of papers waiting to be destroyed.

Claims often include personal records supplied by veterans that are not duplicated in government files and might be difficult to replace, such as certificates for births, deaths and marriage.

In a statement, VA Secretary James Peake said only a handful of documents were found among piles of documents set aside to be shredded. But he is not pleased.

“I insist on the highest possible standards for processing and safeguarding information in VA’s custody,” Peake said. “It is unacceptable that documents important to a veteran’s claim for benefits should be misplaced or destroyed.”

More..............

Posted: **Sat Oct 18, 2008 8:19 am**

Unacceptable. Knowing just how tough it is to get a claim through VA, with all the proof they require, that they would shred any of this is BS. Worst case they should digitze it so they have a copy.

Posted: **Mon Oct 20, 2008 1:34 am**

One of the first pieces of advice I received when I joined the military was to make MULTIPLE copies of my medical files and keep them very safe. This is one more reason that I pass this same advice onto everyone currently in, formally in or thinking about signing up. DO NOT trust the military to keep your records for you. Do it yourself if you want it done right.

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RCOB: VA claims found in piles to be shredded

RCOB: VA claims found in piles to be shredded

Re: RCOB: VA claims found in piles to be shredded

Re: RCOB: VA claims found in piles to be shredded