Retreiving Your Military Medical Records: Sometimes the Impossible Dream!

You have served your country and fought for it's freedom. You have learned everything offered by the military to further your career. As a soldier you excelled at each new challenge because you loved your job and were devoted to your country. You did your best and gave your most, but something went wrong. You need proof through your medical records and you don't have them. What now?

You were treated with the best medical available at the time, but something just doesn't seem right. You aren't at your best anymore. The pain, the headaches, the memory loss, the bleeding, the unwanted visions, the fear or depression just won't go away. You know something happened during your stay and treatment by the military and you need a copy of the records so doctors can investigate the cause and provide a better treatment.

You continue to seek medical help within the military system and in your civilian life while wondering how to get a copy of the original records. You know something is wrong, but there seems to be no solution or diagnosis for the continuing problems. Your family doctor on the economy suggest you had a reaction to a treatment on your first medical visit in the field hospital. He asks you to bring in your medical records so he can better understand the original problem.

As you search your own copies you remember they were to be sent to your duty station by your superior. Since you were too injured or sick they were handed over to your next in command. You return to your unit and ask for a copy of the records you are missing, but they aren't in your file and no one will claim responsibility for their transportation from the field hospital. What are you going to do next?

Missing military medical records has been a problem within the military medical system for decades. When it is important to your health or there seems to be no answer to the medical mystery for your symptoms it can be a long fight to retrieve your records in question. Sometimes the records are easily found, but many times you will have to fight the chain of command to get the original copy. In this case prepare for a long fight and keep a copy of everything you get in writing.