How To Get Us Army Service Records

Request Armed forces Service Records

Contempo war machine service and medical records are not online. However, most veterans and their side by side of kin can obtain gratis copies of their DD Form 214 (Report of Separation) and the following military service records whatever of the ways listed below.

How can I bank check on the status of my request?

Allow about x days for us to receive and process your request before checking your request status.

Please bespeak whether y'all know your asking number using the buttons below:

Yes, I know my request number

No, I don't know my request number

Y'all may also phone the NPRC Client Service Line (this is a long-distance phone call for most customers): 314-801-0800. Note: Our peak calling times are weekdays between ten:00 a.m. CT and 3:00 p.k. CT. Staff is available to accept your call as early equally seven:00 a.m. and equally late equally 5:00 p.m. CT.

*Please run into our Privacy Statement

Click "+" to display more than information:

What if I'm not the Veteran or next-of-kin? Tin I still access files?

It depends on the date the service member separated from the armed forces. War machine personnel records are open to the public 62 years after they go out the military. (To summate this, have the current twelvemonth and decrease 62.) Records of any veteran who separated from the military 62 (or more) years agone tin be ordered past anyone for a copying fee (detailed below under "toll"). See Access to Military Records by the General Public for more details.

Simply what if it's been less than 62 years?

Records of individuals who left serviceless than 62 years ago are discipline to access restrictions and only limited data or copies may be released to the general public within the provisions of the police force. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act provide balance between the right of the public to obtain data from military service records and the right of the former armed forces service member to protect his/her privacy. Run into Federal Records Center Program to admission these records.

Cost: Most basic requests are free simply it depends on the belch appointment. (Learn more)

Gratis if Belch Date is LESS than 62 years ago:

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

Some companies annunciate DD Form 214 research services and will charge a fee for obtaining copies. This is provided as a costless service by the National Athenaeum and Records Administration.

Costs for Discharge Dates More than 62 years ago:

There is a fee for records that are considered "Archival," which depends on the discharge date. If the request is made 62 years after the service member's separation from the military, the records are now open to the public and subject to the public fee schedule (44 USC 2116c and 44 USC 2307). This is a rolling date, the current year minus 62 years. Learn more than.

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

A routine OMPFs of 5 pages or less: $25 flat fee
A routine OMPF of 6 pages or more: $70 apartment fee (nearly OMPFs autumn in this category)
Persons of Exceptional Prominence (PEP) OMPF: $.80 cents per page ($20 minimum)

If your request involves a service fee, y'all volition be notified every bit before long as that determination is made.

Response Time (Acquire more than)

Response times from NPRC vary depending on the complication of your request, the availability of the records, and our workload. We piece of work actively to respond to each request in a timely fashion, go on in mind we receive approximately 4,000 - v,000 requests per 24-hour interval.

Please do not send a follow-up request before 90 days have elapsed, every bit it may crusade farther delays.

Who may request military service records?

You may request armed forces service records (including DD 214) if you are:

A military veteran, or
Next of kin of a deceased, erstwhile member of the military.
The side by side of kin can be any of the following:
- Surviving spouse who has not remarried
- Father
- Mother
- Son
- Girl
- Sister
- Brother

Public admission depends on the discharge date:

What information do I need for the asking?

Required Information:

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

The veteran's complete name used while in service
Service number
Social Security number
Branch of service
Dates of service
Engagement and place of nascency (especially if the service number is non known).
If you lot suspect your records may accept been involved in the 1973 burn, also include:
- Identify of discharge
- Last unit of consignment
- Place of entry into the service, if known.
All requests must exist signed and dated by the veteran or next of kin.
If you are the adjacent of kin of a deceased veteran, you must provide proof of death of the veteran such as a copy of death certificate, letter from funeral home, or published obituary.

Recommended Information (optional):

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

Thepurpose or reason for your asking, such as applying for veterans benefits, preparing to retire, or researching your personal military history.
Any other specific information, documents, or records you crave from your Official War machine Personnel File (OMPF) besides your Study of Separation (DD Class 214).

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

Where to Transport My Request

You lot can post or fax your signed and dated request to the National Archives' National Personnel Record Center (NPRC). Be certain to utilize the address specified (either in the instructions on the SF-180 or in our online system, eVetRecs). Near, but not all records, are stored at the NPRC. (See total list of Locations of Military Service Records.)

NPRC Fax Number :
FAX: 314-801-9195

NPRC Mailing Address:
National Personnel Records Eye
Military Personnel Records
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis, MO 63138
Telephone: 314-801-0800*
*Our peak calling times are weekdays between ten:00 a.1000. CT and 3:00 p.thou. CT. Staff is bachelor to take your call as early every bit vii:00 a.m. and every bit belatedly every bit 5:00 p.m. CT.

Please note that requests which are sent past Priority Post, FedEx, UPS, or other "express" services volition but arrive at the NPRC sooner. They will not exist candy whatsoever faster than standard requests. See the section above on emergency requests.

Other Methods to Obtain Armed forces Service Records

Other potential methods to obtain your records include:

Writing a letter of the alphabet
Contacting your state or county

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

Special Annotation on Contacting by Email: Requests for war machine personnel records or information from them cannot be accustomed by email at this time. The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) and Department of Defense directives require a written request, signed and dated, to access information from military personnel records. Our e-mail address should merely be used only to asking general information (hours of operations, procedures and forms) or to submit compliments, complaints, or concerns.

NOTE: If y'all send messages using WebTV or a gratis-email service, you lot will not receive our response if your mailbox is full. Messages sent to full mailboxes are returned to u.s. equally "undeliverable." You may wish to include your mailing accost in your message so that we may respond via the U.S. Postal Service.

How Tin can I Bank check on the Status of My Request?

Let us time to receive and process your request, then you may check on the status. If you lot know your request number, click the Check Condition push button below to go to the bank check status folio.

Check Status

If yous do non know your request number, please provide the following information using the Online Condition Update Request form.

Please provide:

the name, address and phone number of the requester, and
the veteran'due south branch of service to aid the states to finding your request in our system.

You may also telephone the NPRC Client Service Line (this is a long-distance call for most customers): 314-801-0800. Note: Our peak calling times are weekdays between 10:00 a.thou. CST and iii:00 p.m. CST. Staff is available to accept your call equally early as 7:00 a.m. and as late as 5:00 p.m. CST.

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