M21-1 and 38 CFR changes, week of May 4, 2026

Added

• May 7, 2026
• Pittsburgh RO has jurisdiction of rating and non-rating claims unless otherwise indicated.
• Manila RO has jurisdiction of rating claims for the Philippines.
• San Diego Benefit Eligibility Support Team (BEST) has jurisdiction of non-rating claims for the Philippines.
• original Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) claims, all burial claims, and any claim where service-connected (SC) death is an issue are the Philadelphia PMC’s including claims from the Philippines, and
• all remaining PMC claims (to include DIC claims where SC death was already granted) from

and 8 more added passages

Removed

• September 12, 2022
• Manila RO has jurisdiction for the Philippines, and
• service-connected (SC) death and burial claims are the Philadelphia PMC's including claims from the Philippines, and
• all remaining PMC claims (to include supplemental claims for Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC) where SC death was already granted) from
• the Philippines, are the Milwaukee PMC's, and

and 5 more removed passages

Added

• May 7, 2026
• the Pittsburgh RO for rating and non-rating disability compensation claims
• the Philadelphia PMC for all original Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) claims, all burial claims, and any claim where service-connected (SC) death is an issue, including claims from the Philippines
• the Milwaukee PMC for all remaining PMC claims, including DIC claims where SC death was already granted, received from residents of the Philippines, and
• Paul PMCs for all other foreign pension and DIC claims not specified above.
• Manila RO has jurisdiction of disability compensation rating claims for residents of the Philippines.
• San Diego Benefit Eligibility Support Team has jurisdiction of non-rating disability compensation claims for residents of the Philippines.

and 1 more added passages

Removed

• September 21, 2022
• the Pittsburgh RO for live compensation claims and dual claims
• the Philadelphia PMC for all original service-connected (SC) death claims, including claims from the Philippines
• the Milwaukee PMC for supplemental claims received from residents of the Philippines or claims based on Philippine service for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) where SC death was already granted, and
• Paul PMCs for all foreign PMC claims not specified above.

Added

• May 7, 2026
• jurisdiction is determined based on the following conventions:
• the Manila RO for disability compensation rating claims
• the San Diego Benefit Eligibility Support Team for non-rating disability compensation claims
• the Philadelphia Pension Management Center (PMC) for all original Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) claims, all burial claims, and any claim with service-connected (SC) death as an issue
• the Milwaukee PMC for DIC claims where SC death was already granted, and
• the Milwaukee and St.

and 8 more added passages

Removed

• jurisdiction over the payment of burial benefits
• July 29, 2016
• the Manila RO has permanent and exclusive jurisdiction.
• flash to the corresponding corporate record for any claim that falls under the permanent and exclusive jurisdiction of the Manila RO.
• For more information about cases over which the Manila RO has permanent and exclusive jurisdiction, see
• Jurisdiction Over the Payment of Burial Benefits

and 5 more removed passages

Added

• May 7, 2026

and 1 more added passages

Removed

• jurisdiction for payment of compensation and DIC
• July 30, 2015
• Jurisdiction for Payment of Compensation and DIC
• The Manila RO has jurisdiction over payment of disability compensation and DIC benefits at the full-dollar rate under

and 5 more removed passages

Added

• May 6, 2026
• As a result of VA digitizing all paper STRs held by the Records Management Center (RMC) and DOW’s transition to electronic STRs, certification is now only required for STRs of service members who separated on or after
• September 1, 2014, for the Coast Guard, or
• January 1, 2014, for all other branches of service.
• the corresponding dates above, follow the instructions in
• when one is required, as discussed in
• M21-1, Part III, Subpart ii, 2.A.3.b

and 17 more added passages

Removed

• March 18, 2025
• January 1, 2013, follow the instructions in
• letter of certification (if the STRs belong to a Veteran who separated from service between January 1, and July 31, 2013) or
• (if the STRs belong to a Veteran who separated from service on or after August 1, 2013).
• Veteran separated from service on or after January 1, 2013, and
• If the claims processor determines the STRs should have included a signed certification letter/
• but did not and a copy is not available in JLV, they must send an encrypted e-mail to the

and 13 more removed passages

Added

• May 6, 2026
• Are the electronic records available in JLV?

and 2 more added passages

Removed

• March 17, 2026
• Determine if the electronic records are available in JLV.
• If the records are ...
• available and certified complete
• not available, or
• available but not certified complete

and 1 more removed passages