Who owns the original versions of STRs held by the VA?

The original versions of Service Treatment Records (STRs) held by the Veterans Affairs (VA) are owned by the Department of Defense (DoD). This is based on the premise that when service members are in active duty, the medical records created during their service are generated and maintained by the military, which is a function of the DoD.

Once service members leave active duty and transition into veteran status, the VA becomes responsible for the custodial management of those records, particularly for the purposes of providing healthcare and benefits to veterans. However, the ownership of the original records remains with the DoD, as they were created while the service member was still part of the military structure.

Considering the other options, the VA is not the owner but rather the manager of these records post-service; thus, it is not the correct choice. Similarly, both the foster care system and private military contractors have no claim or relevance to the ownership of military medical records created during active duty.