Who should I contact for help regarding military issues?

I recently got out of the Marines in July of 2008 and the separations branch will not give me my discharge papers because I did not have my medical and dental records with me when I checked out with them. I had no choice but to leave the records back at my last duty station because I wasn't given more than 10 hour notice about my date of departure (In short, there was no way possible for me to retrieve my records)!!

Since then, I have made NUMEROUS phone calls about getting some help from some of my former staff sergeants, I have tried calling the legal office on my last duty station and even tried emailing the actual dental and medical clinic (to which I got NO replies) where my records are still being held, and NO ONE can give me any answers other than "I have no idea sir??"

Does anyone have any idea on who I can call to get someone to light a fire under there asses to get my medical and dental records sent to me??

So, here's the BIG dilemma... No medical / dental records, No discharge papers will be given to me from separations. No discharge papers, no help on benefits from the Department of Veteran Affairs. Any bit of advice would be great.

Danny

place a phone call to your US Representative in Congress. Explain you can't get your benefits until you got them. Give him phone numbers of your NCOs and officers. Tell the congressman it is effecting your ability to get a job, enroll in college via the GI Bill, get medical benefits, and receive unemployment compensation which is all true without the DD214 document.

Don't mess around with State elected officials and locals. Go straight to a US Congressman or even better contact a Senator. Their Websites and offices have people on staff to fix things like this and cut away red tape for Vets. Same thing happened to me when I discharged from the Navy. My enlistment was up in July and the Carrier I was stationed on was out to sea and no one wanted to help me out at the PSD in Norfolk. because I didn't have all my records which were on the ship. I went home without discharge papers and tried for a month to get them. I finally gave up and called Jim Bunning's Office and within an hour I had a copy faxed to me from Norfolk PSD and the originals were deliver two days later via express mail. If your out and your enlistment is up the Marines can't deny you a DD214 for any reason.

**** Army Wife****

A couple places you can contact to light a fire under their ***.

1. your local DAV office. They have reps that deal with this type of thing all the time and they will know exactly who to call.

2. The IG at the post that you left. Call them and explain what happened and that no one at either place will talk to, give you info or return your calls. They will look into the situation and either have someone from there contact you to fix the situation with or they will fix the issue themselves. They will follow up with you and make sure it was actually resolved before they close out the case so you should not be left hanging.

3. You can contact your congressman and file a complaint. It's a long procedure so don't expect an immediate response.

4. You can contact the hospitals patient advocacy and see if there is anything they could do to resolve the issue for you. They maybe able to find out why you're not getting a response and who you specifically need to speak with to get your records.

Now, with them being Military records (they technically DO belong to the Military) it is possible that they have sent them to your local VA. You might want to check with the records department there to see if they have them. They also might be able to request them for you. If they can DO that. They will send a request to the MTF that you left, get the record and store them at the VA. You can then request to either check out your records to go to an off site doctor or to get copies so that you can get your discharge papers done.

devildawg367

I didn't receive medical or dental records on my discharge. I don't know why this would be a big deal unless you were wounded and in need of continuing care.

You certainly would not contact Staff NCO's with the problem. I agree with Danny, contact your congressman if you have a s erious problem.

Cane Corso Mom

We have a thing in the air force called Air Force personnel Center (AFPC) if you have something like this you can contact them and they can get you copies of your records NOT the originals, and also if you didn't get your DD 214 technically you are still in then right? HA just kidding but with out that DD214 you really can't do much because you also need that to outprocess. Regardless of how much time you had to depart your last station you still had to outprocess it before going to your next or where ever you went. I hope the marines have something in place like the AF the personnel center should be able to help you. Good luck!!

Ed J

Call one of your state Senators or representatives.

Unforgiven

did you ever get your DD214? I would make a trip down there to your last clinic see if you can get a copy mad eof your records if they still have them, then make copies of your records.

pvt.tuggle

oh man sorry i wish i could help

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