08/27/2026
VA Urges Veterans Denied Benefits After 1973 Records Fire to File Again
The VA described the changes as an effort to ease a burden that has fallen on veterans through no fault of their own.
On July 12, 1973, a disastrous fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) destroyed approximately 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF). The records affected:
Army Personnel discharged November 1, 1912 to January 1, 1960 (80% of records)
Air Force Personnel discharged September 25, 1947 to January 1, 1964 (with names alphabetically after Hubbard, James E.) (75% of records)
The Department of Veterans Affairs is urging veterans who were denied benefits because their military records were burned in a 1973 fire to file again, saying it has streamlined the claims process for those affected.
Under the new process, a veteran receives a single packet containing both forms at the start, provides the information once, and has it saved and reused for the rest of the claim, the VA said.
One issue I hear about over and over is someone telling a veteran that their records were destroyed in the file but they are too young to have been impacted.
If you or a loved one was told their records were destroyed, please contact your VSO, Agent or Attorney. Even if the veteran has passed.
Veterans denied VA benefits because their military records were destroyed in the 1973 fire are being urged to file again under a simpler process.
