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(Carson City, NV) – The Nevada Department of Veterans Services, in partnership with the Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records, will be training volunteers to scan decades old military discharge records into Nevada’s Veterans Information System or electronic database. The work will place discharge information, currently on paper documents, into the electronic database making it easier for veterans to access to their discharge record to file a claim for earned benefits. The documents to be scanned are known as DD214’s.

Many of the old military discharge records stored at the State Library, Archives and Public Records are typed on very thin paper known as “onion skin.” Volunteers will have to wear gloves and learn how to handle older documents without damaging them. Before this training, the 12 volunteers had to undergo federal and state background checks to be allowed to handle sensitive information.

The DD214’s that will be scanned date back to 1945. There are more than 88,000 military service documents stored in the Nevada State Archives. The State Library, Archives and Public Records estimates it would take a year or less to scan all the stored documents.

PHOTO/VIDEO/INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY:

WHEN: Thursday, April 25, 2019 between 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

WHERE: Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records, Lower Level, Classroom E (South end of the building near the restrooms), 100 N. Stewart St. Carson City, NV  89701

CONTACT: Terri Hendry, NDVS Communications Director, 775-771-2800 or hendryt@veterans.nv.gov.