What Are Service Treatment Records
Service Treatment Records (STRs) are the medical documents created and maintained by the military during your active duty service. They include sick call visits, hospitalization records, lab results, imaging reports, diagnoses, and treatment notes from military medical facilities. The VA relies heavily on STRs to establish the foundation of your disability claim because they document conditions while you were under military care.
Why STRs Matter for Your Claim
STRs are the primary evidence the VA uses to connect your current disability to your military service. During a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam, the VA rater will review your STRs to determine your disability rating under the VA rating schedule. Without documented evidence in your STRs that a condition existed during service, the VA may deny your claim entirely or assign a lower rating.
Many veterans discover gaps in their STRs after filing a claim. If you sought treatment at an off-base civilian facility during active duty, that record may not be in your official STRs. Similarly, if you didn't report a minor injury at the time, there's no documentation in your file. This is where a nexus letter from a VA-accredited physician becomes critical. The nexus letter bridges the gap by providing medical opinion that connects your current condition to events or exposures during service, even if STRs are incomplete.
If you're filing an appeal, complete and accurate STRs strengthen your case significantly. The Board of Veterans Appeals will use the same records to review whether the VA's original rating decision was correct.
How to Access Your STRs
- Request through VA: File an SF-180 (Request Pertaining to Military Records) to obtain copies of your STRs directly from the National Archives. The VA can also request them on your behalf during the claims process.
- Review before filing: Request your STRs early. Many veterans file claims without reviewing what's actually documented, then face delays when the VA identifies missing records.
- Cross-reference with DD-214: Your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) lists your dates of service and separation code. Use this to ensure the STRs you receive cover your entire service period.
- Work with a VSO: A Veterans Service Officer (VSO) can help you request STRs and interpret what they contain. VSO representation is free and can improve your claim significantly.
STRs and the VA Rating System
The VA rating schedule assigns percentages (10%, 20%, 30%, and so on up to 100%) based on how much a condition impairs your ability to work and function. Your STRs provide the baseline evidence. If you were diagnosed with hypertension during service but never treated, your STRs may show only the initial diagnosis. At your C&P exam, the examiner will assess your current condition, but the STR diagnosis establishes service connection. Without that documented diagnosis in your STRs, you'll need strong evidence from another source, like a nexus letter, to prove the condition is service-connected.
Common Questions
- What if I don't have complete STRs? The VA will attempt to reconstruct or obtain missing records, but delays are common. A nexus letter from a healthcare provider stating that your current condition is at least as likely as not related to service exposure can compensate for incomplete documentation. Many VA-accredited physicians can provide these letters.
- How long does it take to get my STRs? Requests through the National Archives typically take 4 to 8 weeks. Request them immediately after deciding to file a claim, not after you've submitted your application.
- Can I appeal if my STRs don't match my claim? Yes. If the VA denies your claim based on STRs, you can appeal. During the appeals process, you can submit additional evidence, including medical opinions and nexus letters, that support service connection even if your original STRs are sparse.
Related Concepts
SF-180 is the form you use to request your STRs from military records repositories. DD-214 provides your service dates and helps you verify that the STRs you receive cover your entire active duty period.