Does the VA maintain records for National Guard and reserve service members?

The correct assertion is that the VA does not maintain records for National Guard and reserve service members as one would typically expect for active duty service members. The Department of Veterans Affairs primarily focuses on records from active military service due to the benefits and entitlements that are linked with such service. National Guard and reserve members often have a different status that can complicate the nature of their service time being tracked in the same way.

Active service members have clearer records maintained by the military, which enables direct access to benefits and services offered by the VA. In contrast, National Guard and reserve records are managed by the respective branches of the armed forces in which the service members serve. While the VA may have some information associated with a member's activated service, their full records typically reside elsewhere, and the VA may not consider them a priority unless they have been called to active duty or have converted their service into a recognized veteran status.

The other options imply various degrees of record maintenance that do not align with the VA's actual practices concerning personnel classified outside of active duty status.