SUGAR LAND, Texas — Saturday is Veterans Day, a day to honor those who've served our country. However, sadly many of them are not getting the resources they need. One veteran's family called our Consumer Investigative Reporter Grace White for help after they had tried for more than a year to get benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
"It's heartbreaking because you know how much time you've sacrificed," Zelda Dashiell, the veteran's daughter, said.
She's been drowning in paperwork. The letter came in August from the VA denying benefits to her father Walter Dashiell. He's a 95-year-old World War II veteran.
"He needs help that's why I reached out, I don't know what else to do," she said.
Dashiell said that without assistance her dad won't be able to afford his senior living apartment in Sugar Land.
When we contacted the VA, a spokesperson said Dashiell's records were lost in a fire in 1973.
In a statement, they said, "We have flagged Mr. Dashiell's file for priority processing based on financial hardship and age, and are working closely with him, his family, and the National Archives and Records Administration to reconstruct his records."
However, when we checked with the National Archives, they said something different.
"If we have enough information and we don't have any problems it can be done pretty quickly," Scott Levins, director for the National Personnel Records Center, said.
Levins told KHOU 11 Dashiell's records were already done, completed in July at the family's request.
"When we get a request from a veteran and we don't have an official military personnel folder, and based on the dates of service and the branch of service and we surmise it was lost in the fire, we use alternate sources to try and reconstruct the basic service," he said.
The government estimates around 18 million veterans lost their records in the fire. Since then, they've restored around 6 million. Those veterans are from the period just before World War I through the 1960s, primarily from the Army and Air Force.
Dashiell is grateful to have his records restored and hopes it will no longer be a barrier to getting benefits.
"I need help," he said. "To sum it up briefly, I need some help from you guys."
After weeks of calling the VA, KHOU 11 received an update on his benefits status:
"Mr. Dashiell has been approved for homemaker home support (20 hours a week) starting on Monday, Nov. 6. Homemaker services are personal care and related support services that enable frail or disabled veterans to live at home. Homemaker services may include assistance with Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). Services requested: home health aide duties such as bathing, toileting, eating, dressing, aid in ambulating or transfers, active and passive exercises, assistance with medical equipment, routine health monitoring."
If you or your loved one is a veteran who needs help restoring military service records, there's a form you can fill out to submit to the National Personnel Records Center.
If you have a problem and need help, email GraceCanHelp@khou.com, call (713) 521-HELP or fill out the form below.