>> david pitts: no. as not any type of priority at the time. >> byron pitts: in recent years, pitts says he tried to find his former commanding officer from korea, plus a hometown friend he says he ran into while in vietnam, but both had died. without corroboration or records, pitts never applied for the benefit. then, in november of 2008-- out of the blue- the v.a. sent him this letter. it says, "according to records with the department of veterans affairs, you were stationed in the republic of vietnam during your military service." >> david pitts: right. >> byron pitts: and you got this letter, you thought what? >> david pitts: well, somebody has found something. >> byron pitts: based on the letter, pitts filed a claim. it took the v.a. ten months to review it before denying it. it's an example of the complexity that both the v.a. and veterans face in establishing what happened, years, sometimes decades, after events have taken place. the v.a. says it needs evidence to grant a claim, and it could not fi