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Q118: I have a claim in appeal process. I was stationed at Anderson AFB Guam from October 1968 to January 1970. While there I went to Cameron Bay South Vietnam the last week of Oct 1969 first week of November 1969, and went back to Guam and was processed out honorably discharged January 1970. I was fully paid while in Vietnam. I have requested my pay records from Vietnam but was told the VA does not have any record of my pay. I made my claim in April 2013. My question, how can I prove I was in Vietnam without military orders?
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A1: The VA will want to see your DD 214. If nothing indicated there request a full copy of all your records. (LB) 9/6/18
A2: Do you have your DD214? It will supply proof, if not you can request it from the National Archives with form SF180. Also you can use buddy statements, reciepts of purchases, photo's or letters you sent home. Please let me know if you have any questions. (TM) 9/6/18
A3: You should have TDY orders somewhere or the pay records from the mliltary. (AP) 9/6/18
A4: Only thing I can think of is have you looked closely at your DD 214? It might show combat pay for the time you were in Vietnam or actually show dates you were there. (EK) 9/6/18
A5: Should be notated on your DD-214. (RW) 9/6/18
A6: Should be listed on your DD214. Need the code to look for.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is responsible for the Duty Station File, while the General Services Administration (GSA) is responsible for maintenance of the code set and issuance of city codes. To ensure completeness of the OPM Duty Station File, which is used to verify the validity of duty stations reported to Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI), requests for codes for personnel use should be directed to OPM at email address CPDF@opm.gov for processing by GSA. In addition to duty station names and codes, the duty station file includes the core based (i.e., metropolitan/micropolitan) statistical area (CBSA), combined statistical area (CSA), and locality pay area (LPA) of each duty station. The CBSA and CSA definitions are available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb by selecting Bulletins under the INFORMATION FOR AGENCIES section. The LPA definitions can be found in OPM's Guide to Personnel Data Standards at http://www.opm.gov/PolicyOversight/DataAnalysis/EnterpriseIntegrations/index.aspx#url=Data-Reporting. The ability to search the duty station file on the Internet is also available at this address. (ES) 9/6/18
A7: Try sending a SF-180 to the NPRC (National Personnel Records Center in Saint Louis and request ALL your records. Your TDY orders should prove you were boots on the ground in Vietnam. (RD) 9/6/18
A8: I believe you should put in for your military records and it should have all your duty stations listed and the dates. Contact a VSO (veterans service organization) American Legion, DAV, VFW to get the information o where to request your records. It depends on what branch of the service you were in. Once you get them only submit copies I would request them outside the VA for they can magically make some information disappear. The VA never tries to help us veterans prove our claim there job is to take away all they can from us. After 30 plus years I get 90 percent service connected and 10 percent unemployability. With all the conditions I have I should get 100 percent for the conditions alone. I imagine when I turn 70 the VA will take the 10 percent unemployability for I am too old and unemployable. I thought that was what unemployability was for. The VA seems to think backwards. I will most likely have to take the VA to court for they give me disability rating for degenerative bone and joint disease in both my knees but not my spine, neck, wrists, fingers, ankles, toes, hips, shoulders and elbows. So if nothing else hopefully the VSO can help and also write to your congressman the VA really hates that but you get a response back usually within a month. Best of Luck to you. Follow advice below for they give good advice to get the records you need. Never lose them and keep them in paper form, back up disk, external hard drive and zip drive . It is a pain keeping all of them but believe me you will need them when dealing with the VA. (JRM) 9/7/18
A9: You can also get lay statements from anyone or everyone who had first hand knowledge you were in Nan. (LG) 9/7/18
A10: If you received combat pay for service in Vietnam, it should be on your income tax records, ie: W-2, Form 1040. IRS and SSA will have records. (MG) 9/7/18
A11: If you reported to someone, there should have been a performance report published by that supervisor in Vietnam or by your immediate supervisor. The Air Force had APR (Airmen Performance Reports). I went TDY twice (no orders) for 30 day+ periods. I received an APR for my first TDY by my Vietnam Supervisor but the 2nd one (I left Tan Son Nhut about 1 1/2 weeks prior to the start of TET) was never published by my Vietnam Supervisor. Request a copy of your performance reports through your local County Veteran Service Officer (VSO). Yes, you would have received combat pay for your time in Vietnam and those pay records would have proved your service in-country. Work with your County VSO on obtaining those records too. Request a copy of everything. A third point is your DD-214, if it shows you were entitled to wear due to your Vietnam Service. (MD) 9/7/18
A12: If your NAM service is not on your DD214; submit an SF 180 and request that your DD214 be updated to a DD215, at the same time request replacement medals, which all Veterans are entitled to once. (MB) 1/16/22