R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-16-24: Certified copies of public records.

When a copy of any public record is required by the veterans administration to be used in determining the eligibility of any person to participate in benefits made available by the veterans administration, the official custodian of the public record shall, without charge, provide the applicant for the benefits, any person acting on his or her behalf, or the authorized representative of the veterans administration, with a certified copy of the record.