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If your issue is time sensitive contact our Dallas office at: 972-239-1310.

Keeping Our Promise To American Heroes

Texas is well represented in the United States Armed Forces and supports a large military community. Additionally, Texas is proud to have more than 1.7 million veterans call our state home.

While our nation can never do enough to repay those who have selflessly served and sacrificed for our country, Sen. Cornyn is dedicated to making certain that our nation's active duty, National Guard and Reserve military forces get the best training and equipment, and that our veterans receive the health care access, services, and benefits they so rightly deserve.

If your home of record is Texas, and you are currently serving Active Duty or are a member of a Reserve Component, and you are having difficulties with a military related issue, please select the “Military” link on the left side of the screen.

If you are a veteran living in Texas or a veteran whose permanent residence is in Texas, and have a difficulty or a concern regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs, please select the “Veterans” button on the left side of the screen.

After selecting the appropriate link, you will be directed to a page that will provide various resources available to military personnel and veterans, as well as directions on how to request assistance from Sen. Cornyn's casework staff.

Military

Senator Cornyn’s father served in the military for thirty-one years, and he grew up around men and women dedicated to protecting our country.  Having the privilege of representing a state with one of the largest military populations, Sen. Cornyn is committed to supporting the men and women who proudly serve in our nation’s armed forces. 

If your legal residence or home of record is Texas and you are having a problem related to your military service, our casework staff may be able to assist you. However, it is recommended that you first work through your chain of command your unit chaplain, or the local Judge Advocate’s office to resolve the matter when appropriate. If you feel you have exhausted all of your options within the military, our office can then make an inquiry on your behalf. Additionally, we are often contacted by friends and family members of military personnel experiencing difficulties. However, before our office can make any inquiries, we must hear directly from the servicemember and obtain their written authorization in order to contact their respective branch on their behalf.

If you need assistance, please fill out and print the online form at the bottom of this page, and return it with a signed privacy release to the Dallas office. For health care related issues, the office will also need a Department of Defense Form 2870 – Authorization for Disclosure Medical and Dental Information.

If your issue is time sensitive, please call the Dallas office at 972-239-1310.

Issues Senator Cornyn's Office Can Help With

For each of these issues, our staff can inquire on your behalf to the appropriate office and will keep you apprised of the response we receive. 

  • Concerns with medical care
  • Requests for compassionate reassignment or hardship discharge
  • Problems with your chain of command
  • Military and retired pay issues

Issues Senator Cornyn's Office Needs to Refer Elsewhere

  • Service members not from Texas should contact a U.S. Senator from their home of record.
  • Legal issues —Sen. Cornyn’s office cannot intervene in matters that fall within the scope of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The servicemember should contact their local Judge Advocate’s office or work with their attorney on any legal issues. Our office can try to ensure a service member or a family member receives due process.
  • TRICARE is the health care program serving uniformed service members, retirees and their families worldwide. The TRICARE website provides comprehensive information for anyone who receives health benefits through the TRICARE program.
  • Pay Issues: The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) processes the pay transactions for service members and retirees. The MyPay page on the DFAS website allows users to set up myPay accounts with a personalized login and password. The AskMyPay page provides useful contact numbers for service members to first try to resolve their concerns with DFAS.
  • Texas National Guard: The Texas National Guard provides trained forces in support of our national military strategy and responds as needed to state, local and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order and public safety.

These four private, nonprofit organizations help service members with emergency assistance and short-term financial problems.

  • Army OneSource — The Army website provides Soldiers and their families with comprehensive information on family programs, health care, housing, children and youth services, and much more.
  • Community Covenant — The Army Community Covenant program fosters state and community partnerships with the Army to improve the quality of life for Soldiers and their families
  • Defense Hotline — This hotline allows service members and their families to file a complaint, e.g. military reprisal, or to report waste fraud and abuse.
  • Marine Corps Community Services — The MCCS website provides resources for Marines and their families.
  • Military HOMEFRONT — The DOD website provides official Military Community and Family Policy (MC&FP) program information, policy and guidance designed to help troops and their families, leaders and service providers.
  • MilitaryOneSource.com — A 24/7 resource for military members, spouses and family. This portal website provides quick access to information for all branches of the armed forces, National Guard, Reserves and Coast Guard. 1-800-342-9647.
  • National Guard Family Program — The National Guard Family Program works to enhance the quality of life for National Guard members, their families, and the communities in which they serve.
  • Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN) — SWAN supports service women and women veterans.

Veterans Help and Privacy Form

Your Information
Federal Agency Information
Additional Information
Description Of Request

Veterans

As the son of a veteran, Sen. Cornyn is personally dedicated to looking out for the interests of all military personnel, active and retired, who call Texas home. The honor-bound agreement between our men and women in uniform and our nation does not end at retirement. No veteran should ever be forgotten.

If you have a claim or appeal with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Sen. Cornyn would be pleased to check on the status of your case or make an inquiry on your behalf. Although casework staff does not have the ability to influence a case's outcome, we can help to ensure due process, which means that your case will be given appropriate consideration.

Some of the issues that veterans experience in reference to the VA Medical Centers include questions about treatment, fee basis cards, prescriptions and nursing care. Sen. Cornyn can make a congressional inquiry on a veteran’s behalf in these situations and ask the hospital to respond to the veteran's concerns.

If your issue is time sensitive, please call the Dallas office at 972-239-1310.

If you need assistance with a veterans issue, including questions about the Department of Veterans Affairs, please fill out and print the online form at the bottom of this page, and return it with a signed privacy release to the Dallas office. 

  • Online Enrollment. The fastest and easiest way to apply for enrollment and health benefits is online through the VA’s website.
  • Telephone Enrollment. You can apply for enrollment by phone, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. A VA representative will send your completed form to you for verification and signature. 1-877-222-VETS (8387).
  • Mail Enrollment. Print the 10-10EZ form or call 1-877-222-VETS (8387) to have one mailed to you. Complete and sign the application and then mail it to your local VA Medical Center or clinic.
  • In Person Enrollment. You can enroll in person at the VA Medical Center or clinic nearest you.

Online Claim Application. The VA website provides the latest news and resources available to veterans. To apply for benefits, the VA uses the eBenefits website, which enables service members, veterans and their beneficiaries, and other designated individuals to apply for benefits while monitoring the progress on the internet.

Assistance through Veterans’ Organizations. You may also wish to contact one of Texas’ many veterans' service organizations or county service officers (resources listed below). In many cases, these organizations have service officers who can assist you throughout the claims process free of charge. See the Veterans Assistance link below.

  • Veterans Claims Assistance Act (VCAA) Letter and 5103 Notice: Due to changes to Public Law 112-154, effective February 2, 2013, the VA no longer sends what was known as the VCAA letter. The VA now sends a “5103 notice” to veterans. The previous requirements of the VCAA caused many veterans to receive multiple notices addressing the same condition and did not necessarily increase the veteran’s understanding of the claims process. The changes to Public Law 112-154 do not change the content of the VCAA notice, now the 5103 notice. The changes allow the VA flexibility to deliver such notices in a more efficient manner, including electronic notification, and including notices on claims application forms, thus providing notification information prior to claim submission. Additional information regarding this change can be found here.
  • Prescription Assistance: This situation can be resolved by contacting the patient representative at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center where you receive treatment. If the veteran is having an issue with copayments or incorrect medication, please contact the Dallas office at 972-239-1310.
  • Suicide Prevention: The Veterans Suicide Prevention Hotline — 1-800-273-8255 or send a text message to 838255— is staffed by trained professionals 24 hours a day to help aid in an immediate crisis.
  • Homeless Veterans: The National Call Center for Homeless Veterans — 1-877-424-3838 — is staffed by trained professionals 24 hours a day to help veterans locate food, shelter, and clothing.
  • Women Veterans: The Women VA Hotline – 1-855-VA-WOMEN – is a resource specifically for women veterans to discuss the VA services and benefits they deserve.

Obtaining Service Records

 

The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) contains all service records from World War I to present. Often, veterans will need records to support a VA claim, for Social Security purposes, when applying for employment, and to obtain medals. Although Sen. Cornyn cannot normally expedite the request for records, the casework staff can make these requests on behalf of the veteran.

It is important to note that the NPRC suffered a fire in 1973 in which many service records were destroyed. Because of this, the NPRC is sometimes unable to provide original records. The center does, however, have resources by which a veteran's records can be reconstructed.

Please note: if you have just recently be discharged from the military (within 6 months) your Service Records may still be located at the headquarters for the branch in which you served.

Obtaining a copy of discharge papers, service records and/or service medals and decorations

You file a request online by clicking here. The NPRC's Standard Form 180 (SF-180), can also be used to process all of these requests. The length of time for each request to be processed depends on the type of request. 

You can also submit a letter by mail or by fax for your military records. The letter should include the veteran’s complete name used while in the service; service number or Social Security number; branch of service; dates of service; date and place of birth, especially if service number is not known. If the request pertains to a record that may have been destroyed in the 1973 fire, also include place of discharge; last unit of assignment; and place of entry into service, if known.

Contacting the National Personnel Records Center

Military Personnel Records
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
(314) 801-0800
(314) 801-9195 (fax)
Email: MPR.center@nara.gov
Status check: mpr.status@nara.gov

Civilian Personnel Records
111 Winnebago Street
St. Louis, MO 63118-4126
(314) 801-9250
(314) 801-9269 (fax)
Email: cpr.center@nara.gov

  • Texas’ VA Medical Centers and Outpatient Clinics: Please visit the VA website to find the VA Medical Center or clinic  nearest you.
  • Texas Vet Centers: Please visit the VA website to find the Vet Center nearest you.
  • Texas Veterans Service Organizations (VSO): Many Veterans Service Organizations have representatives with experience in assisting veterans with their VA claims.  You may wish to contact your County Veterans Service Officer in whichever county you may reside to explore your options. A comprehensive list of these officers may be found on the Texas Veterans Commission website. Furthermore, the VA website is a good resource that you may wish to visit for more information regarding this matter.

Veterans Help and Privacy Form

Your Information
Federal Agency Information
Additional Information
Description Of Request