Lost war-zone records add to veterans' pain

This happened when Vietnam veterans came home and records were typed, often with the wrong social security number typed in. Records were misplaced all the time. If a veteran kept copies, they had proof but if they didn't, which is something many did not, they had nothing to prove what they said.

Now records are electronic but again there is human error. If you are given records keep them and save them!

Lost war-zone records add to veterans' pain
A joint investigation by ProPublica and The Seattle Times has found a widespread lapse in record keeping from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, leaving some disabled veterans hard-pressed to document their combat injuries, and future military strategists wondering what lessons might have been learned.
By Peter Sleeth and Hal Bernton
Special to ProPublica; Seattle Times staff reporter

A strange thing happened when Christopher DeLara filed for disability benefits after his tour in Iraq: The U.S. Army said it had no records showing he had ever been overseas.

DeLara had searing memories of his combat experiences. A friend bled to death before his eyes. He saw an insurgent shoot his commander in the head. And, most hauntingly, he recalled firing at an Iraqi boy who had attacked his convoy.

The Army said it could find no field records documenting any of those incidents.
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