Your VA medical records are the foundation of every successful VA benefits claim. Learn how to request your VA C-File, DD-214 military records, Service Treatment Records (STRs), and how to get a Nexus Letter — all free and step-by-step.
Your Claims File (C-File) contains your complete VA claims history. It's the most important document for your claim.
This is the official form to request your C-File from the VA.
The fastest way to submit your request. Available 24/7 online.
Make sure to select Claims File to receive your complete records.
Processing typically takes 30+ days. We know the wait is long, but don't give up—having your C-File ready can make all the difference.
What you'll receive: Rating Decisions (why the VA granted or denied each condition), Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam reports, DBQ forms completed by examiners, all evidence you submitted, and internal VA notes. Your C-File is the single most valuable document for understanding why the VA decided what it did — and for building a winning appeal or increase claim. Once you have your records, use our decoder to understand how your rating is calculated.
These documents prove your military service and medical history—both essential for your VA claim.
Your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. It is the single most important record of your military career, proving your dates of service, rank at separation, military education, awards and decorations, and your character and type of separation. Without it, the VA cannot verify your eligibility for any benefit.
Your character of separation directly shapes what the VA will approve. An Honorable discharge opens the full range of VA benefits, while a General (Under Honorable Conditions) discharge can still qualify for some benefits but often requires a VA character-of-discharge determination. Other characterizations — Other Than Honorable, Bad Conduct, or Dishonorable — can restrict or bar benefits entirely. Because the VA relies on the DD-214 as the permanent record, any error on the form — the wrong separation type, a missing deployment date, a misstated rank — becomes the record the VA acts on.
📋 Factual Integrity Rule: If your DD-214 contains an error, correction must go through your service branch's Board for Correction of Military Records (BCMR) — not the VA. The VA reads your form, it never re-adjudicates it. Fix the record at the source before it follows you through every claim.
Store multiple certified copies. You'll need a DD-214 for your VA claim, state and county benefit programs, and many other applications — keep several on hand. A county recorder's office can often certify copies for free, so you never have to surrender your original.
Your complete military medical history during service. These records show every illness, injury, and treatment you received while in the military.
This one document opens doors across multiple state agencies and benefits programs.
Your official letter showing all VA benefits you've been awarded. This single document is recognized by state tax offices, veteran benefit programs, and other agencies as proof of your service-connected status. Download it instantly from VA.gov — no waiting, no forms — and use it to unlock benefits across dozens of state and local programs.
Many states offer tax exemptions for veterans with service-connected disabilities
Verify your eligibility for local property tax reductions
Veterans often qualify for reduced fees on professional licenses
Some utility companies offer veteran-specific rate programs
How to get it: Download from VA.gov under "Manage Benefits" → "Letters." It shows your disability rating, effective dates, and benefit amounts—all in one official document.
A Nexus Letter connects your current condition to your military service. Without it, the VA may deny your claim even with strong medical records.
A Nexus Letter is a medical opinion written by a qualified healthcare provider that states your current condition is "at least as likely as not" (50% or greater probability) connected to your military service. This is the legal standard the VA uses to establish service connection — the foundation of every successful claim.
Why it matters: A 2023 VA OIG report found that nearly 40% of denied claims lacked adequate medical nexus evidence. A strong Nexus Letter can be the difference between a denial and a grant.
You have several options for obtaining a Nexus Letter. Here are the most common paths, from free to paid:
Your VA doctor can write a Nexus Letter, though some are hesitant. Ask directly and bring your STRs showing the in-service event. Some will provide one if you explain it's for a claim.
Your private doctor can write one during a regular visit. Bring your records and a template. Many will help if asked — especially if you've been seeing them for years.
Specialized providers who focus on VA Nexus Letters. They review your complete file and write a comprehensive opinion. More expensive but often more thorough. VSOs can recommend reputable providers.
Pro Tip: Never file a claim without a Nexus Letter for conditions not already on your problem list during service. A VSO can review your file and tell you which conditions need a Nexus Letter before you submit.
Quick answers to common questions about requesting your VA records.
