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1973 fire destroyed
certain records

Question: When I asked for my military records to assist in processing my service connected disability claim, I was told they were lost in the St. Louis fire. What exactly was lost?

Answer: The National Archives and Records Administration is the official depository for records of military personnel. The records are housed in three locations: the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C.; the Washington National Records Center in Suitland, Md.; and the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis.

The NPRC in St. Louis contains records relating to: Army officers and enlisted personnel separated after September 1947; naval officers separated after 1902 and naval enlisted personnel separated after 1885; Marine Corps officers separated after 1895 and enlisted personnel separated after 1904; and Coast Guard officers separated after 1928 and enlisted personnel separated after 1914.

A fire at the NPRC in St. Louis on July 12, 1973, destroyed about 80 percent of the records for Army personnel discharged between Nov. 1, 1912, and Jan. 1, 1960. About 75 percent of the records for Air Force personnel with surnames from "Hubbard" through "Z" discharged between Sept. 25, 1947, and Jan. 1, 1964, were also destroyed. It is hard to determine exactly what was lost in the fire because there were no indices to the blocks of records involved.

The records were merely filed in alphabetical order for four groups: World War I Army Nov. 1, 1912, to Sept. 7, 1939; World War II Army Sept. 8, 1939, to Dec. 31, 1946; post-World War II Army Jan. 1, 1947 to Dec. 31, 1959; and Air Force from Sept. 25, 1947 to Dec. 31, 1963.

If veterans learn that their records may have been lost in the fire, they may send photocopies of any documents they possess -- especially separation documents -- to the NPRC. The address is National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records, 9700 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132-5100.

Contact the VA for more information at (800) 827-1000.

Q: With so many females on active duty and participating in the war on terrorism, is the VA in tune with their needs?

A: The Advisory Committee on Women Veterans helps VA strengthen health-care benefits, rehabilitation, outreach and other programs for female veterans. Established in 1983, the 14-member advisory committee makes recommendations for administrative and legislative changes to VA policies.

Female veterans are one of the fastest-growing segments of the veteran population. There are about 1.7 million female veterans, comprising 6.5 percent of the total veteran population and 6 percent of all veterans who use VA health-care services.

VA estimates that by 2010, female veterans will comprise 10 percent of veterans using VA health-care services.