The Reclaim The Records site just won a FOIA Lawsuit against the Veterans Administration and created a new site to allow researchers to request C-Files (Claim Files) from the VA.
These claims files, according to their press release :
A claims file, or C-File, is the collected file documenting various types of veteran benefits to which a veteran (or their family and heirs) accessed or attempted to access during or after their service, including a military pension, health care, disability or life insurance policies, educational benefits (the GI Bill), mortgage assistance (VA loans), and more.
The vast majority of these files, including all C-Files active since the early 1950s, are still stored within the VA, and have not yet been transferred to the US National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). They often contain tens or sometimes hundreds of pages about the veteran's service and subsequent benefits, and often some basic information about their military service, incredible historical materials that have usually never been seen before.
A C-File can be just a few pages long, or sometimes even a few hundred pages long, depending on which claims were filed with the VA by veterans or their next of kin. C-File records for deceased veterans are usually completely open to the public under FOIA, although occasionally they have a few minor redactions.
So on Christmas morning, I began to request the files of some World War II veterans, including my grandfather - William Lee Wright, and my maternal uncles, Harold Lambertson and Floyd Lambertson. I've also requested the file of my father-in-law, Luther Cummings.
It remains to be seen what information will be contained in these files, how long it will take to receive the information, and what hoops I might have to jump through - but any additional pieces of information just adds to the family history.
No comments:
Post a Comment