Recording military background became a post-World War II essential for veterans. Another collection from that time is the World War II Separation Notices Collection; it documents demographics and civilian life together with military service history for over 250,000 men and women. These separation notices, initially at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri, received the worst damage in a catastrophic fire that occurred on July 12, 1973, and destroyed an estimated 16 to 18 million personnel files of World War II and beyond. Happily, however, the stroke of foresight ensured that copies of these forms for Virginia’s Employment Commission were deposited in the Library of Virginia in 1950 immensely assuaging the heartbreak occasioned by this fire.
This collection has an especially high number of Army Separation Qualification Records due to the huge number of service members and forms used during WWII, so it is being uploaded in several batches. This effort would continue to retain the legacy and sacrifices made by these veterans for many generations.
In a related subject, two of the most important decisions being made by veterans today pertain to education benefits. The Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty and the Post-9/11 GI Bill both have advantages, but the veterans must use their wisdom in choosing. Once a veteran decides to use one of the education benefits, they shall no longer use any other benefit. For example, if a veteran chooses to use the Post-9/11 GI Bill instead of the MGIB-AD, he or she cannot switch to using MGIB-AD at a later time. However, VA reimbursement is available over some time, or refund of part or whole payments over time to MIGB-AD contributors if under the Post-911 GI Bill.
Veterans with a single period of service beginning on or after August 1, 2011, who become eligible for MGIB-AD benefits, will have to choose which program they wish to support. Available for their use in making this decision is more assistance to get veterans through these decisions is a phone line at the VA at 888-442-4551 from Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET.
The preservation of historical records and the careful selection of benefits offered in education certainly re-emphasize the continuation of the commitment to honoring and supporting those who have served.