Fire destroys 93 year-old's proof of military service; now he can't get benefits

Veteran’s proof of military service burns in fire; VA not willing to make exception

A 93 year-old veteran from CA can’t get the benefits he says he is entitled to, even though he was drafted in 1943, and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

Bakersfieldnow reports that the veteran is having difficulty in obtaining benefits he would be entitled to, but for the fact he can’t prove he was honorably discharged. The VA office can’t move forwared without proper documentation, but the documents may not exist. A county representative believes the papers were destroyed in the fire of 1973 (in St. Louis.)

"I feel like I'm not a human anymore, because the computer says I'm not alive," Quinlan told Eyewitness News.  The problem isn’t even his fault. "They had a huge fire in St. Louis, and all these records are gone."  

Although these days we have means to ensure data is not lost because of accidents or disasters, veterans who have lost key documentation in the past are currently in need of reformed VA policies.  

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