Oh dear. Prior marriages.

[Catie]

So both my MIL and her late veteran husband were married before. And....there does not appear to be any way to get all the information the A & A application form is asking for for either of these two previous marriages. I asked her every question tonight. She has no idea when her early marriage began or ended in divorce. It's worse for the veteran because no one even knows the name of his former spouse, where it occurred, when it began...nada.

Are we in trouble here? Can I write them a note and say that really and truly there is no one who knows?

[VSR]

She need to provide at least the month, year, and location for each of her prior marriages and divorces.  For the veteran, you don't need any information so long as she signs a statement saying:  "I know of know legal reason for why my marriage to Joe Veteran would be invalid."

Do your best to reconstruct the dates/locations (i.e. if she says early summer in '46, then June, 1946 would be fine). 

Please keep in mind that unless she has documented dementia or memory loss (as signed off by an MD), VA will not accept the marital history as valid unless this information is provided.  Even with medical evidence, it is a stretch.  This is a surprisingly strict requirement.  You would be surprised how many cases there are where there are two widows claiming to be the surviving spouse of the same veteran...

[Catie]

Well, this may be a show-stopper. She does have medically documented dementia. But there are no records. She doesn't remember when (not even year), where, etc. Not at all.

[AngelaManz]

Put down as much as you know.  For the remaining blanks, you can state that due to age and infirmities, veteran/spouse does not remember this information. 

[Catie]

Thanks, Angela. I really can't see much way around that.