- The DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, generally referred to as a “DD 214”, is a document of the United States Department of Defense, issued upon a military service member’s retirement, separation, or discharge from active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, e.g., U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force or U.S.
- DD Form 11 Document(s) Military Time Conversion Chart 3 Document(s) Military Pay Chart 2 Document(s) Military Phonetic Alphabet 5 Document(s) Army Counseling Form 2 Document(s) DD Form 1750 2 Document(s) VA Forms 2 Document(s) DD Form 214 (Military) 1 Document(s) APFT Chart 2 Document(s) Army Memorandum Template 1 Document(s) DA Form 2166-8 2.
- Simply showing a DD214 and/or a veteran's ID card doesn't do it, since the forgeries in the market place are very good, and abound. Leave it to private enterprise to provide a solution! Here's a good article on the issues, and the solution. How to Carry and Store Your DD-214, or, The Problem with Veteran ID Cards and a Look at Realistic Solutions.
- Download Printable Dd Form 214 In Pdf - The Latest Version Applicable For 2020. Fill Out The Certificate Of Release Or Discharge From Active Duty Online And Print It Out For Free. Dd Form 214 Is Often Used In Dd Forms, U.s. Department Of Defense, Legal, United States Federal Legal Forms And United States Legal Forms.
DD Form 11 Document(s) Military Time Conversion Chart 3 Document(s) Military Pay Chart 2 Document(s) Military Phonetic Alphabet 5 Document(s) Army Counseling Form 2 Document(s) DD Form 1750 2 Document(s) VA Forms 2 Document(s) DD Form 214 (Military) 1 Document(s) APFT Chart 2 Document(s) Army Memorandum Template 1 Document(s) DA Form 2166-8 2.
Veterans or next-of-kin of deceased veterans can use the online order form at vetrecs.archives.gov (or use the SF-180).
1. How to Obtain Standard Form 180 (SF-180) to Request Military Service Records
There are several ways to obtain an SF-180. You can:
- Download and print a copy of the SF-180 in PDF format.
- You need access to a printer and the Adobe Acrobat Reader software (see link below). The form is a total of 3 pages.
- The SF-180 is formatted for letter size paper (8.5' x 11'). If your printer cannot accommodate this, select 'shrink to fit' when the Adobe Acrobat Reader 'Print' dialog box appears.
- This is also a fillable version of the SF-180. It will allow you to type the needed information into the form using your keyboard. You will still need to print, sign and mail the form. Otherwise, it works the same as stated above.
Please Note: While Section II, Paragraph 1 of the Standard Form 180 outlines multiple types of records that may be available to the requester, the DD Form 214 is the most common document necessary to obtain most veteran's benefits. The typical DD Form 214 request can be processed within ten work days while requests for other types of records will require longer processing time. If a complete copy of the military service record is desired, please check the 'Other' box and specify 'Complete Copy' in the provided space.
Where to Return the Form:- Review the tables on page 3 of SF-180 to identify the correct location of the record you need (based on branch of service, dates of separation, and type of record)
- send the completed form to the address identified on the table
- Contact Us to order the form through the mailNational Personnel Records Center
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63138
Other Ways to Obtain the SF-180:
From the Department of Defense
From Federal Information Centers
From local Veterans Administration offices
From veterans service organizations
The SF-180 may be photocopied as needed. Please submit a separate SF-180 for each individual whose records are being requested.
2. Write a Letter to Request Records
If you are not able to obtain a SF-180, you may still submit a request for military records. Requests must contain enough information to allow us to identify the record from among the more than 70 million on file at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC). For example, if you are requesting an Official Military Personnel File (OMPF), please include as much of the following information as possible:
- The veteran's complete name used while in service
- Branch of service
- Dates of service
- Date and place of birth may also be helpful, especially if the service number is not known
- If the request pertains to a record that may have been involved in the 1973 fire, also include:
- Place of discharge
- Last unit of assignment
- Place of entry into the service, if known.
Please submit a separate request (either SF-180 or letter) for each individual whose records are being requested.
Please Note: Next-of-kin (the un-remarried widow or widower, son, daughter, father, mother, brother or sister of the deceased veteran) must provide proof of death of the veteran, such as a copy of the death certificate, a letter from the funeral home or a published obituary.
Additional information is required if you are requesting clinical or medical treatment records (see Federal Records).
How to Submit Requests:
Federal law [5 USC 552a(b)] requires that all written requests for Federal (non-archival) records and information be signed (in cursive) and dated (within the last year).
You may submit more than one request per envelope or fax, but please submit a separate request (either SF-180 or letter) for each individual whose records are being requested.
Please Note: While Section II, Paragraph 1 of the Standard Form 180 outlines multiple types of records that may be available to the requester, the DD Form 214 is the most common document necessary to obtain most veteran's benefits. The typical DD Form 214 request can be processed within ten work days while requests for other types of records will require longer processing time. If a complete copy of the military service record is desired, please check the 'Other' box and specify 'Complete Copy' in the provided space.
- Mail a letter or Standard Form (SF) 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records to:
National Personnel Records Center
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis, MO 63138 - Fax a letter or Standard Form 180 to: 314-801-9195
The Center will respond in writing by U.S. Mail.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FEDERAL AND ARCHIVAL RECORDS?Learn more
Order Processing Time
Response time for records requested from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) varies and is dependent upon the complexity of your request, the availability of records and our workload.
Please do not send a follow-up request before 90 days have elapsed, as it may cause further delays.
While the NPRC works actively to respond to each request in a timely fashion, the Center receives approximately 4,000 - 5,000 requests per day. We are responding to requests for separation documents within 10 days about 92% of the time. However, requests that involve reconstruction efforts due to the 1973 Fire, or older records which require extensive search efforts, may take 6 months or more to complete.
Emergency Requests and Deadlines:
If your request is urgent (e.g. upcoming surgery, funeral, etc.) and there is a deadline associated with your request, please provide this information in the 'Comments' section of eVetrecs or in the 'Purpose' section of the SF-180 and fax it to our Customer Service Team at (314) 801-0764.Our goal is to complete all urgent requests within two working days. *Due to our current operating constraints, NPRC's Customer Service Line (314-801-0800) is unstaffed and cannot respond to your calls. For more information, see NPRC's operating status.
If your burial request involves internment at a Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery, contact the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at (800) 535-1117 or visit their website http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/burial_benefits/. We work directly with the Veterans Affairs staff to obtain records to verify service for burial benefits. If the veteran is not going to be interned at a National Cemetery, the requester may fax the SF-180 (including signature of the next of kin and proof of death) to the Customer Service Team at (314) 801-0764.
NOTE:The 1973 Fire at the National Personnel Records Center damaged or destroyed 16-18 million Army and Air Force records that documented the service history of former military personnel discharged from 1912-1964. Although the information in many of these primary source records was either badly damaged or completely destroyed, often alternate record sources can be used to reconstruct the service of the veterans impacted by the fire. Sometimes we are able to reconstruct the service promptly using alternate records that are in our holdings, but other times we must request information from other external agencies for use in records reconstruction. In some instances, therefore, requests that involve reconstruction efforts may take several weeks to a month to complete.
The DD Form 1172-2 requires due diligence to fill out. However, it is not difficult to fill out the forms. It is important to ensure that users understand the requirements of the 1172 form before proceeding to fill it out. The following instructions will offer some guidelines when filling the DD Form 1172-2.
1. The DD form 1172-2 is divided into six sections from I to VI.
2. Section I is the sponsor/employee information section. Enter the sponsor or employee name in block 1. Like every other form, enter the last name, first name and the middle initial or the full middle name. Enter the sponsor/ employee gender from the valid codes listed in the table in block 2. Enter social security number, status and organization in block 3,4 and 5 respectively. Other information required in this section include pay grade, citizenship, date of birth, city, place of birth, state, zip code, email address and other information on the form. These information must be entered at the appropriate blocks in the section.
3. Section II is the Sponsor/Employee declaration and remark. Enter the method of verification and also further explanation of your qualifying status. Note that you are at liberty to cite legal documentation as applicable. The qualifying status may include sponsoring agency and period of DEERS enrollment or any other comment that is appropriate such as a work assignment. The section should be completed by the sponsor/ employee signature and the entering of date.
4. Section III is the “Authorized By” section of the form. The information required in this section include the sponsoring office name, contract number, sponsoring office address, sponsoring office telephone number, office email address and overseas assignment. Other information entered in this section include overseas assignment begin and end date, eligibility effective and expiration date, sponsors official name which should include last, first and middle initials, unit organization, title, pay grade ,signature and date verified.
5. Section IV contains information of the verifying official. The verifying official’s name is entered. These include the last name, first name and middle initials. Other information entered includes site identification, telephone number and the signature.
Blank Dd214 Form Template Pdf
6. Section V of the DD 1172-2 is where the dependent information is captured. The dependents name which include the last name, first name and middle name is required, gender, date of birth, relationship and the social security number of the dependent is entered on the form. Other dependent information to be ent ered includes home address, primary email address, city state, zip code, country, eligibility effective date and eligibility expiration date. It is important to note that there is more than one column for dependent information. This means that you can enter for two dependent if applicable. If that is the case, enter the second dependent on the appropriate blocks on the form.
Blank Dd214 Form Template Free
7. Section VI involves the receipt of the card. Here, the receipt of the new card is acknowledged with an accompanying signature and date of issue.
Dd214 Fillable Form
8. At the back of the form is the agency disclosure notice, privacy act statement, disclosures and instructions. It is expected that users thoroughly go through them before completing the form.