Veterans Day is Nov. 11, and it is a good reminder to check that you (or a parent or grandparent who served) can put your hands on a DD Form 214. That one- or two-page separation document is what lenders, employers, state benefit offices and cemeteries usually ask for as proof of service. If yours is lost, getting a replacement is free and can be started online.
Before You Start: Gather These Details
The National Archives, which holds most veterans’ records at its National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, asks for:
- The full name used while in service
- Service number and Social Security number
- Branch of service and dates of service
- Date and place of birth (especially if the service number is unknown)
- If you think the file was affected by the 1973 fire at the records center: place of discharge, last unit and place of entry into service
Option 1: Request It Online With eVetRecs
- Go to the National Archives’ military service records page and choose to start a request online (eVetRecs).
- Select “Make a new request.”
- Sign in with an identity-verified ID.me account. You may be asked to take a selfie with your phone to finish verification.
- Enter the veteran’s details and say what you need (the DD 214, the full personnel file, or both) and why.
- Watch your email for a confirmation, and save the request number.
Option 2: Recently Discharged? Try milConnect
The Defense Department’s milConnect site can deliver records for people who left the Navy after Jan. 1, 1995, the Marines after Jan. 1, 1999, the Army after Oct. 1, 2002, or the Air Force after Oct. 1, 2004, according to VA.gov. You need a milConnect account.
Option 3: Mail or Fax Form SF-180
If you’d rather not verify your identity online, download Standard Form 180. The chart on its last page tells you which address or fax number to use based on branch, separation date and record type. Send copies of any supporting documents; originals are not returned. Email requests are not accepted, because the law requires a signed, dated request.
Requesting for a Parent or Grandparent Who Has Died
Next of kin can request a deceased veteran’s records: an unremarried surviving spouse, parent, child or sibling. Include proof of death, such as a death certificate, a funeral home letter or a published obituary. Records of anyone who left the military 62 or more years ago are archival and open to the public, but a copy of the full file then costs $25 (five pages or fewer) or $70 (six pages or more).
How Long It Takes, and When to Call
The records center gets roughly 4,000 to 5,000 requests a day, and it asks people not to follow up until 90 days have passed. Paying for overnight shipping gets your form there faster but does not speed up processing. You can check status in eVetRecs or call NPRC customer service at 314-801-0800 (staffed 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central).
For a funeral, select “Emergency Request” in eVetRecs. For burial in a VA national cemetery, the National Cemetery Scheduling Office (800-535-1117) contacts the Archives for you. For other burials, fax an SF-180 with proof of death to 314-801-0764.
Two Things to Know
- You never need to pay a records service. The Archives says companies charging to find a DD 214 are not affiliated with it, and the basic request is free for veterans and next of kin.
- Applying for VA benefits? You don’t have to send your DD 214 first. The VA requests it when it receives your application.
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