How do you keep your copies of important military records - personnel, medical, etc?

2015-03-18T15:18:55-04:00

After the fire which destroyed Army records in St Louis, MO many years ago I started to keep paper copies of my records [before PCs, smart phones, etc.] and I encouraged my soldiers to do likewise. I was able to correct my pay, DD214, medical records, and retirement points once I transferred to the Reserves primarily because I was able to show my copies of orders, LES, and other "official" records to justify my case. I also was able to assist some of my soldiers based on helping them with their records and occasionally testifying on their behalf. I expect many current leaders do likewise. I started scanning in my paper copies and storing them on my hard drive and backup DVDs. Later I started downloading and sometimes uploading to Army Knowledge Online [AKO] and more recently providing copies to the VA. I hope all service members keep copies of their important records and am curious how much leadership effort is focused on personal records and how service members store them.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2015 4:15 PM

2015-03-18T16:15:30-04:00

Great advice LTC Stephen F. . I would add that I also obtained a flood and fire proof document safe and now keep paper and CD/DVD backup disks in the safe. I read a paper where a scientist had lost their life's work when they only had 30 sec to get out of their home before fire engulfed it and realized that trusting my harddrive and back ups still wasn't enough. Those $25-50 safes make great graduation gifts for college and HS grads to get them thinking about protecting themselves and their important information early. My daughter's college dorm room was flooded one weekend in Jan while she was visiting her sister overnight but because I had gotten her a safe all her important documents survived.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Mar 18 at 2015 4:33 PM

2015-03-18T16:33:23-04:00

When I was deployed relatively early in my career I sent copies of paperwork to my home of record via the mail - by hand and when able to, I authorized the "system" to have copies mailed. Later in my career I sent copies of important personal documents via email from my military account to my home email and vice versa occasionally. Over the years downloading to or uploading from CD and later DVD or thumb drive was allowed initially but because of certain concerns the capability was no longer authorized or supported. I don't know what the current situation of uploading to and downloading to AKO, etc. Updating ORBs comes to mind.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Mar 18 at 2015 4:49 PM

2015-03-18T16:49:16-04:00

The past few years there has been an increasing encouragement to store important files in "the cloud" - remote storage capability. I recognize that government agencies also have been using storage technology similar to what is called the cloud for a long time for backup storage and probably now for near real time access to "archived" files, etc. I have not been real comfortable with keeping copies of my records with my SSN, medical, personnel records, etc. Does anybody have confidence in the security of cloud technology for storage? If so can they provide recommendations for personal use of military personnel, medical and finance records?

Response by SSG Eddye Royal made Mar 18 at 2015 7:09 PM

2015-03-18T19:09:15-04:00

Sir, I called them a coouple a years ago, to check on my grandfathers bothers records. I was told that of YOU press the ISSUE, the ENTIRE BLGE did not burn!!! a lot of the records are STILL THERE!!! they are in as they have been, you have to pressfor them.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 20 at 2015 9:55 AM

2015-03-20T09:55:12-04:00

iPERMS.

Response by MSgt Michael K. made Mar 25 at 2015 3:50 PM

2015-03-25T15:50:41-04:00

Re-posting this in response to the original question, I clicked the wrong box.

Personally I do not trust the cloud. I have worked with computers since 1976 and computers fail to often, are hacked to easily. Think about this, you store your information in the cloud, where is it? it will reside on any number of computers around the world. If the company fails that is holding your part of the cloud what happens to your information? What happens to your information if the company holding your part of the cloud is in a country that does not prosecute hackers? For that matter could a criminal organization establish a "legitimate" company to host cloud storage?

Personally I store all of our information in three places. First off all our information is scanned into or written in a PDF format (most programs will either save as a PDF or you can print to a PDF file) then stored. My wife and I both have data sticks that contain the most current information. These sticks are encrypted with 256 bit encryption. Our son has a copy on a data stick (that information may be a couple of weeks behind. Then we have the information in two different bank safety deposit boxes (these get swapped with the ones we carry when we visit the banks, usually once a month for each bank. Our Son and Daughter-in-law have keys and access to those boxes. Well that is four places and I did not include the copy we keep in the safe here at the house.

All of our military records are scanned. All the health records from the military along with copies of our records from the doctors that we use now (we ask for copies once every six months or so.) As well as any hospital stays. Our banking records for the past ?? years and tax returns for about 30 years. Copies of our trust and wills are scanned as well. Also I have been adding scanned copies of vehicle titles, receipts of major purchases. Copies of business licenses, FFL licenses and other government docs. List of serial numbers of important items. Finally (I think) copies of titles and mortgage docs for the house and other property. I'm probably missing something.

Some people may think that this is excessive. I did this because 11 years ago I was diagnosed with cancer and was given just months to live. Needles to say I beat it. However, it hit me hard that there were things that I thought everyone knew and yet when we talked about it I found out that my family did not understand where some of our property was or how we owned it. At that point I started this endeavor. As I did it I found out that I had forgotten a lot of details and also we found out that I wasn't aware of my wife's inheritance and the relationships there. Just food for thought.

By the way I use Adobe Acrobat Professional and an OKI Multifunction printer that has a scanner with a document feeder that will scan both sides. Still the time it took to scan all the documents took several months (part time) to organize and scan. Each major heading has its own folder and files inside.

This is probably more than you wanted to know, but maybe someone can use this information.