Ace the VA Accreditation Challenge 2025 – Stand Out and Serve with Pride!

The focus of the question centers on the type of records for which the VA will complete development under the Fully Developed Claim (FDC) program. The correct answer pertains to records that were destroyed by fire at the National Personnel Records Center.

When records are lost or destroyed, particularly due to events like the fire that occurred at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973, veterans may face challenges in substantiating their claims due to the lack of available documentation. In such cases, the VA recognizes this unique circumstance and allows for the consideration of alternative evidence and will make efforts to assist veterans in obtaining necessary records where possible. This is important because the FDC program seeks to streamline the process for veterans by allowing claims to be processed more quickly when the veteran provides comprehensive documentation, including those instances where essential records may not be retrievable due to destruction.

The other choices do not align with the VA's policy for record development under FDC. These include records only under specific sources like private clinics or solely dependent on what the veteran supplies, which does not fully capture the inclusivity of the VA's efforts to address documentation challenges, especially in the case of historically significant file losses.