UNCLASSIFIED ROUTINE R 062126Z OCT 16 FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC TO ALNAV INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC CNO WASHINGTON DC CMC WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS ALNAV 066/16 MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/OCT// SUBJ/GUIDANCE FOR ARCHIVING AND REPORTING ON SERVICE TREATMENT RECORDS (STRs) FOR ALL ACTIVE/SELECTED RESERVE SERVICE MEMBERS// REF/A/MSG/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/121924Z AUG 2014// REF/B/DOC/DOD/16 NOV 2015// REF/C/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/DNS/192157Z AUG 2014// REF/D/MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MI/302035Z OCT 2014// REF/E/ DOC/BUMED/10 NOV 2015// REF/F/DOC/DOD/10 JUN 2004// REF/G/DOC/BUMED/7 JAN 2013// REF/H/DOC/MILPERSMAN 6150-010/12 OCT 2015// NARR/Reference (a) is Department of the Navy Message 063/14, Guidance for Archiving Health Service Treatment Records (STRs) for Department of the Navy (DON) Active/Selected Reserve Service Members. Reference (b) is DODI 6040.45, Service Treatment Record, and Non-service Treatment Record Life Cycle Management. Reference (c) is Navy-specific Administrative Message 187/14, Proper Transfer of Health Service Treatment Records of Transitioning Service Members to Veterans Administration. Reference (d) is Marine Administrative Message 559/14, Guidance for Archiving Health Service Treatment Records (STRs) for all United States Marine Corps Active/Selected Reserve Service Members. Reference (e) is Manual of the Medical Department, Chapter 16. Reference (f) is DODI 6040.43, Custody and Control of Outpatient Medical Records. Reference (g) is BUMED Notice 6150, Examples of Exceptions to No Hand Carry Guidance. Reference (h) is MILPERSMAN 6150-010, Transfer of Outpatient and Dental Treatment Records, Officer and Enlisted.// RMKS/1. This ALNAV is an update to reference (a) to clarify STR reporting guidelines, processing timelines, and reinforce Service Member responsibilities for the archiving of STRs. Proper archiving of STRs (medical and dental records) is essential for effective processing of Service Member Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefit claims. Failure to maintain STRs with the appropriate medical/dental department will likely affect or delay future benefits upon separation or retirement. As such, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)) has established a 45-calendar day stretch-goal submission timeline for Service transfer of STRs to the VA. 2. Effective immediately, Services will ensure records of active duty Sailors and Marines are available to the VA within 45-calendar days of the members separation or retirement date. For Reserve Component members who do not separate from Service but file a VA benefits claim, STRs must be available within 45-calendar days after notification of pending claim. 3. References (b) through (d) provide guidelines for proper archive of STRs. Per references (e) and (f), STRs are the property of the DoD. Their availability to cognizant medical and dental departments is critical to the provision of appropriate medical care and administrative processing, including successful processing of requests for VA benefit claims. Service Members are responsible for their STR and must ensure it is in the possession of the appropriate DoD authority at all times. Service Members are not permitted to hand carry original copies of their STRs unless authorized per references (g) and (h). Service Members who are authorized to hand carry their STRs must protect the integrity of the information and provide it to the appropriate DoD authority, as directed. 4. Commanding Officers (COs) and Officers in Charge (OICs) are responsible for all aspects of their command STR process and, have a responsibility to ensure Service Members STRs are in the possession of the appropriate DoD authority. COs and OICs are responsible for confirming the STR is not in possession of the Service Member prior to separation from Service. If a Service Member is in possession of their STR, the member must submit the STR to the responsible DoD authority per Service guidance, but may request a copy. 5. Effective immediately, for Navy personnel, all medical and dental departments, Battalion Aid Stations, Regimental Aid Stations, Military Treatment Facilities (MTF), Navy Operational Support Centers (NOSCs), Navy Recruiting Districts (NRD), and operational and remote forces shall mail the STR at terminal leave commencement or no later than 5 calendar days after a Navy members separation/retirement date. 6. All Navy MTFs, Branch Health Clinics, and NOSCs shall send STRs using the Scanning Contractor Manifest Process. All operational platforms, NRDs, remote units, and Service Members in possession of their STR shall mail records to the Navy Medicine Records Activity (NMRA) at the following address: Navy Medicine Records Activity (NMRA) 4300 Goodfellow Blvd, Bldg. 103 St Louis, MO 63120 7. Reference (d) outlines the procedures for archiving Marine Corps STRs via the STR Registry automated tracking system. Remote units and Service Members in possession of their STR shall mail records to the Marine Corps Central Cell at the following address: Manpower & Reserve Affairs ATTN: STRRCC 3280 Russell RD Quantico, VA 22134-5103 8. STRs of Navy members attached to Marine Corps units are processed via Navy procedures and mailed to NMRA from unit medical sections. For the purposes of this program only, NMRA will function as the reporting command for STRs of Navy personnel originating from Marine Corps units. 9. The Navy and Marine Corps will provide to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) (ASN (M&RA)) quarterly summaries of the number of active/selected reserve personnel who have been released from active or reserve Service, and percentage compliance with STR timeliness standards. 10. To facilitate the location of missing Navy STRs, STRs not received at NMRA 20 days from the separation day will be placed on a delinquent report. On a twice monthly basis, NMRA will forward the delinquent report to Director of Navy Staff (DNS). DNS will disseminate and/or task as appropriate. 11. Until records are located and sent to the scanning facility, Navy and Marine Corps commands must continue to search for them. If not found, an STR can be declared lost but only after due diligence has been performed to search for the STR per Service guidance, in references (c) and (d). 12. Any clarification and/or exceptions to this guidance shall be directed to the office of the ASN (M&RA). 13. Released by Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy.// BT #0001 NNNN UNCLASSIFIED//