How To Provide Proof Of Military Service

Asking Military Service Records

Recent armed forces service and medical records are not online. However, virtually veterans and their next of kin can obtain free copies of their DD Form 214 (Written report of Separation) and the post-obit armed services service records whatsoever of the ways listed below.

How tin I check on the status of my asking?

Permit almost 10 days for us to receive and process your request earlier checking your request status.

Delight signal whether you know your asking number using the buttons beneath:

Yes, I know my request number

No, I don't know my request number

You may also phone the NPRC Customer Service Line (this is a long-altitude phone call for most customers): 314-801-0800. Note: Our peak calling times are weekdays between 10:00 a.one thousand. CT and iii:00 p.k. CT. Staff is available to take your call as early as 7:00 a.m. and as tardily every bit 5:00 p.grand. CT.

*Please see our Privacy Statement

Click "+" to brandish more data:

What if I'm not the Veteran or adjacent-of-kin? Tin can I yet access files?

It depends on the date the service fellow member separated from the military. Military machine personnel records are open to the public 62 years afterward they leave the military. (To calculate this, take the current year and decrease 62.) Records of whatever veteran who separated from the military 62 (or more) years agone can be ordered by anyone for a copying fee (detailed below under "cost"). See Access to War machine Records by the General Public for more than details.

Just what if it'south been less than 62 years?

Records of individuals who left serviceless than 62 years agone are subject to access restrictions and just limited data or copies may be released to the general public within the provisions of the police force. The Freedom of Data Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act provide balance betwixt the right of the public to obtain information from military service records and the right of the sometime armed forces service member to protect his/her privacy. See Federal Records Center Program to access these records.

Price: About bones requests are complimentary but information technology depends on the discharge date. (Larn more)

Gratis if Discharge Engagement is LESS than 62 years agone:

Generally there is no charge for basic military personnel and medical tape information provided to veterans, next of kin and authorized representatives from Federal (non-archival) records.

Some companies advertise DD Course 214 inquiry services and volition charge a fee for obtaining copies. This is provided every bit a costless service by the National Athenaeum and Records Administration.

Costs for Discharge Dates More than 62 years ago:

In that location is a fee for records that are considered "Archival," which depends on the belch engagement. If the request is made 62 years later the service member's separation from the military, the records are now open up to the public and field of study to the public fee schedule (44 USC 2116c and 44 USC 2307). This is a rolling date, the current twelvemonth minus 62 years. Learn more.

These archival requests require the purchase of the Consummate photocopy of the Official Military machine Personnel File (OMPF):

A routine OMPFs of 5 pages or less: $25 apartment fee
A routine OMPF of 6 pages or more than: $seventy apartment fee (virtually OMPFs fall in this category)
Persons of Exceptional Prominence (PEP) OMPF: $.eighty cents per page ($20 minimum)

If your request involves a service fee, you will exist notified equally presently as that conclusion is fabricated.

Response Fourth dimension (Learn more than)

Response times from NPRC vary depending on the complexity of your request, the availability of the records, and our workload. We piece of work actively to respond to each asking in a timely mode, keep in mind we receive approximately 4,000 - 5,000 requests per day.

Please do non transport a follow-up request earlier 90 days have elapsed, equally it may crusade farther delays.

Who may request armed forces service records?

Yous may asking military service records (including DD 214) if you are:

A armed forces veteran, or
Next of kin of a deceased, former member of the military.
The next of kin tin can be any of the following:
- Surviving spouse who has not remarried
- Father
- Mother
- Son
- Daughter
- Sister
- Brother

Public access depends on the discharge appointment:

What information do I need for the asking?

Required Information:

Your request must contain certain basic information for us to locate your service records. This information includes:

The veteran'due south complete proper noun used while in service
Service number
Social Security number
Branch of service
Dates of service
Engagement and identify of nascence (peculiarly if the service number is not known).
If you lot doubtable your records may have been involved in the 1973 burn down, also include:
- Place of belch
- Last unit of assignment
- Place of entry into the service, if known.
All requests must exist signed and dated past the veteran or next of kin.
If yous are the next of kin of a deceased veteran, you lot must provide proof of decease of the veteran such as a copy of death certificate, alphabetic character from funeral home, or published obituary.

Recommended Information (optional):

While this information is not required, it is extremely helpful to staff in agreement and fulfilling your request:

Thepurpose or reason for your request, such as applying for veterans benefits, preparing to retire, or researching your personal military history.
Any other specific data, documents, or records you require from your Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) besides your Written report of Separation (DD Class 214).

For additional details on what information may or may not exist included, please see theSpecial Discover to Veterans and Family Members regarding requests for copies of military personnel and/or medical files.

Where to Transport My Request

You lot tin can mail service or fax your signed and dated asking to the National Archives' National Personnel Record Center (NPRC). Be sure to use the address specified (either in the instructions on the SF-180 or in our online organization, eVetRecs). Most, but not all records, are stored at the NPRC. (See full listing of Locations of Armed forces Service Records.)

NPRC Fax Number :
FAX: 314-801-9195

NPRC Mailing Address:
National Personnel Records Centre
Military Personnel Records
1 Archives Bulldoze
St. Louis, MO 63138
PHONE: 314-801-0800*
*Our peak calling times are weekdays betwixt x:00 a.m. CT and 3:00 p.thou. CT. Staff is available to accept your call equally early on as vii:00 a.m. and as tardily as 5:00 p.thousand. CT.

Please note that requests which are sent by Priority Mail service, FedEx, UPS, or other "limited" services volition but go far at the NPRC sooner. They will not exist candy whatever faster than standard requests. Come across the section above on emergency requests.

Other Methods to Obtain Military Service Records

Other potential methods to obtain your records include:

Writing a letter of the alphabet
Contacting your state or canton

Come across Other Methods to Obtain your Military Service Records for more details, or see more information on access to the full general public.

Special Note on Contacting past Email: Requests for armed services personnel records or information from them cannot exist accepted by electronic mail at this fourth dimension. The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.Due south.C. 552a) and Department of Defense directives require a written request, signed and dated, to access information from military personnel records. Our email address should but be used only to request general information (hours of operations, procedures and forms) or to submit compliments, complaints, or concerns.

Notation: If you send messages using WebTV or a free-electronic mail service, y'all will not receive our response if your mailbox is full. Letters sent to full mailboxes are returned to us as "undeliverable." You may wish to include your mailing address in your message and so that we may respond via the U.S. Post.

How Can I Check on the Status of My Request?

Allow us time to receive and process your asking, so y'all may check on the status. If you know your asking number, click the Bank check Condition push button below to go to the check status page.

Check Status

If you practise not know your request number, please provide the following data using the Online Status Update Asking form.

Delight provide:

the name, address and telephone number of the requester, and
the veteran's branch of service to aid us to finding your request in our system.

Y'all may also telephone the NPRC Customer Service Line (this is a long-distance call for most customers): 314-801-0800. Note: Our peak calling times are weekdays betwixt 10:00 a.m. CST and 3:00 p.m. CST. Staff is available to take your telephone call as early as 7:00 a.thousand. and as late as five:00 p.chiliad. CST.

Need Help?

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