Make Sure Your Military Documentation Is Backed Up

Military service can be challenging, but being a veteran isn't exactly easy. Although it's possible to transition to a successful civilian lifestyle with little resistance, there are times when documentation of your career may be necessary. There are a lot of pages that could be lost or damaged as you move to your new lifestyle or present evidence to interested parties, but with a home document center under your control, you can keep your memories and past proof safe.

A Copy Machine Is Vital To Maintaining A Legacy

If you weren't told dozens of times in the military, paperwork is both important and likely to get lost. Although many documents in military service are saved in digital format, constant changes to systems and retirement of old equipment can lead to a loss of data. Data isn't permanent by any means, so you'll need to copy a few important documents.

It's worth taking your entire set of medical and service records for a full copy, but a few key parts can be copied on your own for fast access.

Medical information - If you have significant injuries that are part of a disability claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs (the VA), copy those pages and add them to a separate folder. Any medical results such as blood tests that have notable information (diseases, abnormalities or special details) need to be copied for faster access.

Service record - Your service record holds information about your training and duty stations. For employment and education documentation, copy your most important training certifications. Examples include Navy "C" schools, civilian certifications during military service and medals for specific job accomplishments.

Discharge paperwork - The military discharge document DD-214 is necessary not only for verifying your discharge circumstances (honorable, medical, other-than-dishonorable), but to quickly prove your military service. This document proves service above any medals, pictures or other pieces of evidence.

Although there is a lot of important documentation that may be different for every veteran, these areas are the most commonly requested.

Scanning Function Can Make Documentation Easier

Storing digital versions of your paperwork was mentioned earlier, and it's something you can do on your own for a bit of extra security. Although it's important to note that digital documents can still be lost if the hard drive (or other storage media) fails, there are other methods to consider.

A copy machine with scanning function can be used to upload (send) your newly digitized document to the storage area of your choice. You can either use the computer software that comes with the copier or your own online storage option to create a version of your documents that can be retrieved anywhere with Internet access.

As any company is subject to change or closure, make sure to have a plan for when your digital documentation is no longer available. Even email services can shut down, so keep a note of where you store your information and look for the next safe area as necessary.

Contact an office technology professional (such as J M Todd Inc) to find and set up a copy machine that fits your needs.