Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 02, 2026

This is a plain-English privacy policy for veterans. We've written it to actually be readable, not to maximize legal cover. If anything is unclear, email us at hello@vetchapter31.ai.

Who we are

VetChapter31.AI is an educational platform helping veterans prepare materials for the VR&E (Chapter 31) program. We are not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. We are not VA-accredited representatives, attorneys, or claim agents. Documents we generate are drafts for your review and personal submission — we don't file anything on your behalf.

What we collect, and why

  • Your email. Required to create an account and to send you sign-in codes. We use it for transactional notifications (e.g., "your subscription is active") and never sell it.
  • Your name + avatar URL (only if you sign in with Google or Discord). Provided by the OAuth provider when you authorize us. Shown back to you in your dashboard.
  • The text you type into our tools (situation descriptions, timelines, plan details, etc.). Stored on our servers only as long as you have a live draft (currently up to 30 minutes for unsaved drafts). Sent to OpenAI to generate the draft (see below).
  • Payment information for Pro subscribers. Card details go directly to Stripe; we never see them. We store the resulting Stripe customer ID and subscription status.
  • Basic usage metrics: which generators you've used, how long they took, success/failure. Used to monitor service health. No content is included in these metrics.

Third parties we share data with

We use a small set of providers, each named here so you know exactly where your data goes:

  • OpenAI — generates the AI-drafted letters. The text you type into a generator (your situation, timeline, requested outcome, etc.) is sent to OpenAI's API to produce a draft. Subject to OpenAI's API data-usage policies. Don't paste personally identifying information you wouldn't share with a third-party API — we recommend leaving SSNs, file numbers, and exact birthdates out of generator inputs.
  • Stripe — processes payments. Card details and billing information are handled by Stripe directly. Stripe's privacy policy.
  • Resend — sends transactional email (sign-in codes, receipts). Resend's privacy policy.
  • Google / Discord — only if you choose those as sign-in methods. We receive your email + display name + avatar URL.

We do not use ad-tech trackers (no Meta Pixel, no Google Ads remarketing, etc.). We do not sell, rent, or trade your data.

Cookies

We use one cookie: vetch31_session, which keeps you logged in. It's signed (not encrypted) with our session secret. No tracking cookies, no analytics cookies, no third-party advertising cookies.

How long we keep your data

  • Account (email, name, OAuth identity): until you ask us to delete it.
  • Live drafts: 30 minutes in memory, then gone. Saved drafts (Pro) are stored until you delete them.
  • Stripe records: kept as long as legally required for tax/accounting (typically 7 years for receipts), then deleted.
  • Service logs: rotated within 30 days.

Your rights

You can ask us to (a) show you what we have on file for you, (b) correct it, or (c) delete it. Email hello@vetchapter31.ai — we respond within 30 days. If you're in the EU/UK, the same applies under GDPR. If you're in California, the same applies under CCPA.

Account deletion removes your user record, OAuth identities, saved drafts, and reminders. We retain anonymized payment receipts for tax compliance and any data legally required to be kept (e.g., fraud-prevention records).

Security

Data is encrypted in transit via HTTPS. The database is on a server with full-disk encryption. We don't store passwords (sign-in is via OAuth or one-time email code). Session cookies are signed with a secret key.

No system is 100% secure. If we ever have a data incident affecting your information, we'll notify you within 72 hours of becoming aware.

Kids

The service is not directed to children under 13 (or under 16 in the EU). We don't knowingly collect data from them.

Changes to this policy

If we make material changes, we'll update the "Last updated" date at the top and email signed-in users. Trivial wording fixes won't trigger a notice.

Contact

Questions? hello@vetchapter31.ai.