National Archives backlog holding up veterans

Many veterans have requested service record related documents to assist with their applications for pensions, mortgages, and other benefits requiring proof of service. However, there is a backlog at the National Archives and Records Administration. This organization switched to remote work during the pandemic, removing employees from the physical location of the paper records. They have been working on this backlog since returning to the office.

From USA today:

The National Archives backlog mostly affects older veterans, who served in operations such as the Vietnam War, Rudnick said. Veterans who most recently served get their records through the Pentagon, he said.

Additionally, the National Archives expedites requests for those who fall into three emergency categories: homeless veterans, veterans seeking medical treatment, and loved ones seeking to bury a veteran.

Military document at National Archives needed for pensions, mortgages, honors

Older veterans and their families may find themselves waiting on the National Archives backlog if they fall into the following situations:

• People who are applying for military pension benefits for the first time.
• Federal workers who are trying to confirm their years of service to get their government pensions.
• People who are already getting medical treatment but are applying for compensation for exposure to things like burn pits or Agent Orange.
• People who are seeking to get a mortgage through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Veterans who are trying to gain membership in a group like the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
• People who are tracking down a deceased loved one’s service record for a dedication.

What has Congress done to fix the backlog of veterans records?

Congress passed the Access for Veterans to Records Act in December as part of a sweeping bill that funds the Department of Defense, and Biden signed it into law.

Among the law’s provisions:

• The National Archives gets $60 million to fix the backlog, including addressing cybersecurity and digital preservation.
• The archivist of the United States must ensure there is sufficient staffing to respond to 90% of records requests within 20 days or less.
• An internal watchdog at the National Archives will regularly report on the agency’s progress for two years.

Keller, from Pennsylvania, said the bipartisan law came after two years of pressure from Republicans in the House who opened an investigation into the veterans records backlog and introduced a bill to force the National Archives staff to go back to work in person.

When she introduced the bill on the House floor in July, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said: “Veterans and their families need these records to access critical services, including housing and health care.”

USA Today has the rest of the story.

Category: Veterans Issues