Executive Order Calls for Military Records Sharing to Fast Track Benefits
President Trump signed an executive order calling for improved data sharing between the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The goal: speed up processing times, particularly for servicemembers who are separating from the armed forces.
The administration says it currently takes 90 to 180 days for records to move between DOD and VA due to aging systems.
Among the changes: establishing a system for ongoing sharing of a servicemember's records with VA from the time they enter the military through the period they receive VA benefits.
“Immediate VA access to these records is critical to enabling Veterans to quickly access the VA benefits they’ve earned when they leave military service, such as healthcare, disability compensation, GI Bill and home loan benefits,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins.
Deadlines
The order sets several concrete deadlines to get the records transfer system up and running.
It gives DOD 30 days to ensure that the personnel files, health records, and service treatment records of current service members are shared with VA as soon as they are discharged from service.
It gives DOD and VA 180 days to build a system that shares those records from the time a person enters the military through the entire period they receive VA benefits.
It gives DOD and VA 120 days to review existing IT systems and software contracts, with a mandate that IT systems be interoperable with systems for military personnel, health records, and service treatment records.
It gives DOD and VA 180 days to create and deploy new tools using artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to streamline veterans’ applications for and access to benefits earned through military service in a comprehensive single source.
The order also gives DOD 180 days to work with the Department of Labor and the VA to update the Transition Assistance Program and other workforce development programs to help servicemembers transition to civilian life.
According to the administration, it has already reduced disability claim processing times from 141.5 days to 76.1 days on average, since President Trump took office.
The VA says sharing military records could cut average processing time by another 20 to 30 days.
