How to Get a Copy of My Award Letter From Veterans Affairs

By Natalie Smith

If you have received disability benefits from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, you should save your award letter as proof that you have a disability. Copies of this letter can be provided to your state's Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain a handicapped placard or license plates, or whenever you need to prove your disability. If you have lost the copy of your letter, you may write to your local branch of Veterans Affairs and request another copy. The letter must specifically request what you need and must have your original signature.

Type your address and skip a space. Type the date and skip an additional space. Type "Veterans Affairs" and give the regional address for the nearest office to you. For example, if you live in Texas, your regional office is located in Houston and the address is: Department of Veterans Affairs, Houston Regional Office, 6900 Almeda Road, Houston, Texas 77030. You may find this information on The Department of Veterans Affairs Locations website. Skip another space and type "Dear Sir or Madam" followed by a colon.

Identify yourself with your full name and military ID, dates of service, branch of the armed forces and unit number, and where you were stationed. Then, explain specifically that you need a copy of your award letter for your disability.

State what additional information you require as well. For example, if you would also like a copy of your medical records, you need to state which records you need and for what purpose, which facility you need records from, and to whom they should release the records. For instance, if you were treated at the Thomas E. Creek VA Medical Center in Amarillo, Texas, name that clinic in the letter. Then, provide the name of the medical form that you need to assist them in providing you the copies. Mail an additional letter to the clinic where you were treated and request the records from them as well; this will help expedite the delivery of your documents.

Thank the representative for his time, and provide a telephone number and e-mail address, if you have one, in case Veterans Affairs needs to contact you in regard to your request.

Close the letter by typing "Respectfully," and skip three line spaces. Type your full name. Print the letter and sign your name above your typed name in blue or black ink. Do not forget to sign the letter or the representative cannot release your records.

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