How many of you have had MAJOR issues from lost records/paperwork

SGT Timothy Sowers — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 10:13:44 -0500

Now we all know that the military in general looses records and paperwork every day. This is why they tell you from the get go to MAKE COPIES of every piece of paperwork that you get, sign or even read. In my case it started right off the bat. When I got to basic training at Ft. Knox Ky. they did their "scare tactics" when we got off of the bus. Then they took us to the intake unit. I guess we were supposed to be there for a couple of days. after two weeks we asked why we were still there. No one would tell us anything. With no answers for a couple of more days, people started to get out of hand. Finally they had a formation to tell us what was going on. Some how between MEPS and KY. all of our records had been "misplaced" and they were still trying to locate them. It put some at ease. By the time we got to our unit we only had 2 platoons out of four. So we had some extra Drill Seargents. By the time graduation day hit, 2 Drill Seargents had been demoted one had been moved and two soldiers could no longer continue to train. For some reason after graduation day a lot of us were sent home and not to AIT. I was then told to just report to the unit that i was assigned to untill further notice. So I did as i was told. I went to my Reserve unit on drill weekend. They had no record of me. I gave them all of the paperwork I had. They let me stay for the weekend drill. The next drill they still had no record of me. This went on for months. Finally they told me to quit going to drill and if I tried to come back in they would have me arrested. So I made calls for days. No one could find any records on me besides the ones that I had. Finally my reserve unit moved to Seymour Indiana. Then I got a call from The unit in Seymour sying that if I did not show up within 2 days they would put a warran out for my arrest. I went the next day. I went to the next drill and got kicked off post. They said that they had no record of me even being in the army. THE NEXT DRILL! I was about to give up. After 2 years of this I get a call telling me that I needed to report to MEPS to leave for AIT. So I did. made it to Ft. Jackson Sc. and had no issues while there. The rest of my time untill my ETS only a few minor records were lost. Then I did the paperwork to extend my time by another 6 years. 6 months after my ETS date while I was waiting for my orders, I asked about it. They then threw a fit that I was still there. They then made me go throug demobilization. Two weeks after I finished going through that they called again and said hey we found that paperwork. I said too bad I am out now. But then I called back and said okay, lets do this. They came out and I filled out the paperwork. I went to two drills as a reserve soldier again. I called one day because I was not gettin any of the news letters telling about when and where drills were etc. I was then told that they had not recieved any orders for me. The civilian lady told me to give her about a week and she would try to find out what was going on. a month later I called her and she had no idea who I was. Now after 9 1/2 years of being in and going through this i had had about enough. I asked her what to do. The only answer she gave was, find yourself a job and enjoy life. REALLY! Then I got a call about a year ago asking me if I wanted to reenlist. I said YES! No word after that. I was out in around the middle of 2008. I know this is long. but thanks for sticking with it. Not too long ago I call the Sfc. that called me. He then told me, oh sorry, we have no openings for your mos or rank, thanks for calling though. WTH!!! So I just quit trying. And on top of all of that, from letting them use MY records I now have no copies because they were supposed to make copies and give them back. They never gave them back. And now I cant find any anywhere. So what are your stories. Thanks for reading.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 29 at 2014 10:17 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 10:17:23 -0500

Wow......I dont even know what to say man, I thought my paperwork loss stories were bad.

Response by SGT Thomas Sullivan made Jan 29 at 2014 10:28 AM

SGT Thomas Sullivan — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 10:28:32 -0500

My story is not as bad as that above, but I can say that the Department of Veteran's affairs is horrendous at keeping/finding paperwork and at communicating between different branches within its own organization.

I cant tell you how many times I have had to resubmit leave paperwork because it was lost by company admins.

Response by CMC Robert Young made Jan 29 at 2014 10:39 AM

CMC Robert Young — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 10:39:12 -0500

I enlisted in 1986. In 2009 (do the math to figure out how far apart in time), the USCG Personnel Service Center contacted me to advise that a routine audit of my personnel file turned up a paperwork error which changed my pay base date by almost a year; and as a result, their interpretation was that I had received my longevity pay raises earlier than I should have. They went on to explain that they would begin collecting all of what they determined to be erroneously made early payments beginning at the date of the error (again do the math). My next LES was something of a surprise.....and not in a good way.

After four months of memos and letters and command endorsements, and sending copies of my original enlistment contract which I found buried in the attic (thank God), PSC finally agreed to stop collecting money from my check, but declined to return the money they had taken through their error. They were then bold enough to send me an e-mail explaining that they were LETTING me of the hook for 23 years of adjusted over payments out of the goodness of their hearts.

The sad facts is that the yeoman (more likely an E4/5 at the time) who improperly processed my records in 1986 probably retired as a master chief a decade ago, and can't be held accountable for losing my paperwork.

Response by MAJ Jonathan Balmer made Jan 29 at 2014 12:55 PM

MAJ Jonathan Balmer — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 12:55:54 -0500

Yes. Big mess. the VA is to big and full of red tape. Nobody knows status of my claim. I have working on this since last March.

Response by SGT Rick Ash made Mar 20 at 2015 7:31 AM

SGT Rick Ash — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 07:31:07 -0400

I have had 2 compensation claims, 1 appeal rejected and rejected for VA Healthcare as the VA cannot find me in OMPF or DEERS. My Service Officer in Louisville, KY is totally useless, has even yelled at me on the phone and told me my last email was irrelevant!?

Any advice? I know from reading in Rally Point it's not just me! Working claim since December 2012.