How to find your military records

Besides my DD-214, what other records can I request?

How do you find your military records?

After taking off the uniform, many Veterans get on with their lives. However, when issues arise, it is not always easy to find the records you need. This website is designed to help you find your way.

Where do I start?

Begin with your DD-214 or Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. It is the key to obtaining most benefits, and it is not very difficult to obtain.

How much does it cost?

It is available at no charge.

Through the VA premium account http://www.VA.gov

Through the United States Archives at http://www.archives.gov using the E Vet Recs process. This method will provide a reference number which will let you track the status of your record request.

This process has recently been made into an online process, but printing and mailing the SF-180 will work too.

Did you know that you can get more from the National Archives than just your DD-214?

You can request your full 201 or personnel file by asking for it in the remarks.

By requesting your information from the archives for medical reasons you can open up an additional menu. This will allow you to request copies of your medical treatment received in the service.

By doing so you can get information important for more than having a complete medical history, you can get the documentation to support a Veterans Affairs Disability Claim.

It is important to know that there is more than just the medical record that you carry with you to your routine medical appointments. The military calls that record your outpatient record.

You would have a separate record for dental appointments, your dental record.

A third record for mental health treatment. Mental health records have additional legal protections and are stored separately from other types of medical records. Keep in mind that mental health evaluations are a part of the clearance process and may help prove that someone was performing important military tasks.

The last type of military medical record can be a little confusing, but it is often the most important type. It is the inpatient medical record.

The inpatient record is where a surgery or inpatient stay is recorded, but rather than being all grouped together and then put in chronological order, a new record is created for each procedure or hospital stay. The inpatient record does not travel with the Veteran. Instead, the inpatient record is sent to the national archives and stored there until if or when it is requested by the Veteran, the Veteran's family, or another party like a researcher.

Did you know that you can get more from the National Archives than just your DD-214?

You can request your full 201 or personnel file by asking for it in the remarks.

By requesting your information fmedical records for medical reasons, you can get information important for more than a complete medical history, you can get the documentation to support a Veterans Affairs Disability Claim. It will be important to know that there is more than just the medical record that you carried with you to appointments. The military calls that record your outpatient record. You would have a separate record for dental appointments, and a third record for mental health treatment. The last type of military medical record can be a little confusing, but it is often the most important type. It is the inpatient medical record. It is where a surgery or inpatient stay is recorded, but rather than being all grouped together and then put in chronological order, a new record is created for each procedure or hospital stay. The inpatient record does not travel with the Veteran. Instead, the inpatient record is sent to the national archives and stored there until if or when it is requested by the Veteran, the Veteran's family, or another party like a researcher.

Other Resources

Finding People that you served with in the Military

After we leave the military we can lose track of those who served with us at various duty stations. Social media can help you to reconnect with them.

You may find some people on Facebook, or you may consider visiting websites such as www.togetherweserved.com or http://www.LinkedIn.com

I had alot of training in the military, how do I translate that to the civilian world?

One way to translating your military training is to go to the American Council on Education's Website and consult their military guide. The courses listed on your DD214 may either have college credit recommendations or may have earned college credit directly.

http://www.acenet.edu/higher-education/Pages/Military-Students-and-Veterans.aspx

How do I find out about my VA Benefits?

The best way to learn about your VA Benefits is to go to the source. Benefits change, and you owe to yourself to get the most current information.

https://www.benefits.va.gov/benefits/

Where should I go to get help with a VA claim for disability?

If you believe that you have a condition that either began or was aggravated by military service, you may wish to pursue a claim for disability compensation. Go to your local Veterans Service Organizations to assist you with filing your claim.

There are many Veteran Service Organizations (VSO's). The Veterans Administration has a directory on line of the approved VSO's at https://www.va.gov/vso/.

VSO's do not charge for their services.

Some of the best known and most experienced are:

Disabled American Veterans

http://www.dav.org

Veterans of Foreign Wars

http://www.vfw.org

The American Legion

http://www.legion.org

The Military Order of the Purple Heart

http://www.purpleheart.org/

The American GI Forum of Texas

http://agiftx.com/