the RMC, the RMC will forward STRs to the scanning vendor once the claims is established in VBMS, or the NPRC, MSCs must ask the Military Records Specialist (MRS) at their respective ROs to submit a priority request for the STRs through the Personnel Information Exchange System (PIES). For more information on requesting evidence from Reference: souces other than the claimant, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart iii, 1.C. 11 Follow the instructions in the for performing a nationwide search of treatment records in the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA’s) possession to determine whether any of them refer to treatment of the participant. If such records do exist, save copies of them in the participant’s eFolder. When saving the records, use the following indexing Important: values in the fields named below SUBJECT: VistA Imaging DOCUMENT CATEGORY: Medical Records DOCUMENT TYPE: CAPRI SOURCE: and DATE OF RECEIPT: [Enter the date the records were saved in the eFolder]. For instructions on uploading documents into the Reference: eFolder, see the . 12 Prepare for the initial meeting with the IDES participant by reviewing the contents of the participant’s referral package, and claims folder, and contacting the participant to encourage him/her to bring to the meeting his/her family members, if appropriate, and any documentation M21-1, Part III, Subpart iii, Chapter 5 requires to establish entitlement to additional compensation for dependents. By reviewing a participant’s claims folder and referral Rationale: package the initial meeting, MSCs before become familiar with the participant’s records and medical history, and are better prepared to advise the participant regarding additional disabilities that were manifest during service. Important: If the STRs an MSC receives from a PEBLO are the original STRs, they must remain in the same jacket/folder they were in when the MSC received them from the PEBLO. MSCs must store
the RMC, the RMC will forward STRs to the scanning vendor once the claims is established in VBMS, or the NPRC, MSCs must ask the Military Records Specialist (MRS) at their respective ROs to submit a priority request for the STRs through the Personnel Information Exchange System (PIES). Reference: For more information on requesting evidence from souces other than the claimant, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart iii, 1.C. 11 Follow the instructions in the for performing a nationwide search of treatment records in the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA’s) possession to determine whether any of them refer to treatment of the participant. If such records do exist, save copies of them in the participant’s eFolder. Important: When saving the records, use the following indexing values in the fields named below SUBJECT: VistA Imaging DOCUMENT CATEGORY: Medical Records DOCUMENT TYPE: CAPRI SOURCE: and DATE OF RECEIPT: [Enter the date the records were saved in the eFolder]. Reference: For instructions on uploading documents into the eFolder, see the . 12 Prepare for the initial meeting with the IDES participant by reviewing the contents of the participant’s referral package, and claims folder, and contacting the participant to encourage him/her to bring to the meeting his/her family members, if appropriate, and any documentation M21-1, Part III, Subpart iii, Chapter 5 requires to establish entitlement to additional compensation for dependents. Rationale: By reviewing a participant’s claims folder and referral package before the initial meeting, MSCs become familiar with the participant’s records and medical history, and are better prepared to advise the participant regarding additional disabilities that were manifest during service. Important: If the STRs an MSC receives from a PEBLO are the original STRs, they must remain in the same jacket/folder they were in when the MSC received them from the PEBLO. MSCs must store
10-21-15_Key%20Changes_M21-1III_i_2_SecD.docx