By Larry Dandridge
As mentioned in last week’s article, the National Archives “National Military Personnel Records Center” (NPRC) in St. Louis is the official repository of millions of military personnel records of veterans of all military services who served during the late 19th and 20th centuries.
The National Archives in St. Louis is also the repository for other documents, including Selective Service System registration cards, military draft records between 1940 and 1975, Army Court Marital case files, and trade cards describing civilian work in Naval shipyards during the late 19th and 20th centuries. Also, in storage in St. Louis are personnel files of civil servants.
Most important to veterans is the fact that the National Archives at St. Louis maintains Official Military Personnel Files of service members who were discharged, retired, or deceased 62 years from the current date. These records belong to the National Archives and are archived 62 years after the service member’s separation from the military.
For more information on the National Archives in St. Louis, read the VA News article titled “Accessing Veterans’ records from the National Archives or National Personnel Records Center (Everything you need to know about accessing Veterans’ records from the National Archives or NPRC),” dated May 9, 2023, by Theresa Fitzgerald, NPRC Employee, which is found at https://bit.ly/3OyXtN7.
VA Webpage on Requesting Military Records
According to the US Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), webpage titled “Request your military service records (including DD214),” which is found at https://bit.ly/41ydmaU and the instructions on Standard Form 180, veterans and eligible family members (and eligible others) can get their military service records from:
- Their respective Military Department Custodian (Medical and Personnel Records) or
- The National Archives & Records Administration (NARA), or the National Archives National Personnel Records Center (NPRC).
Records can be requested by submitting military records request to one or more of the custodians listed on page 2 of Standard From 180, titled Request Pertaining To Military Records. Find SF 180 at https://bit.ly/3OKq6a8.
Information found on the VA Request your military service records (including DD214) webpage
This web page https://bit.ly/41ydmaU will tell you how to sign up for milConnect and request your military service records. It also tells you what types of records you can request, what happens after your request your records, other ways to request your records, how to get someone else’s military records, the information needed to reconstruct your records, and more.
SF 180 Form Requested information
Section 1 of the SF Form asks the requester for military records to provide the name used during service, social security number, date of birth, place of birth, service past and present (branch, active, reserve, National Guard, Public Health Service, Merchant Mariner), last four duty stations (id known), deceased or living, date of death, did the person retire. Section 2 asks what items you are requesting (DD214 or equivalent, military personnel records, medical records, dental records, other) and the purpose of the request (benefits, employment, VA Loan, medical, genealogy, correction, personal, or other). Section 3 asks for the requestor’s name, relationship to the veteran, (military service member or veteran, deceased veteran’s next of kin, veteran’s legal guardian (must submit court appointment or letter of power of attorney, or other) who and were to send information, daytime phone, FAX, email address, and signature
Seven ways to request your military service records
1. Online thru milConnect. Go online through the Department of Defense milConnect website https://bit.ly/3WHL4Zy. With milConnect, DoD affiliates and beneficiaries manage their benefits and records through a convenient self-service portal. Integrated applications give them secure access to many of their personal and personnel records held in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). To use milConnect from the VA website, you will need a Premium DS Logon account. Your My HealtheVet or ID.me credentials will not work on the milConnect website. Go to milConnect to sign in, register, or upgrade your DS Logon account to Premium.
You can request the following documents from your Official Military Personnel File through milConnect:
- DD214, DD215, Report of separation, other release form service papers, orders.
- Endorsements, performance reports, awards, decorations, and other commendatory items.
- Qualifications, licenses, certificates, and security clearance.
After you request your military records through milConnect, you will receive an email letting you know your request is being processed. You will receive a second email when your request is complete and your files are ready for you to review and download.
You can also check the status of your military records request by signing in to milConnect and going to the Personnel File tab within the Defense Personnel Records Information (DPRIS) section. This is also where you’ll review and download your files once they’re ready.
2. Mail a Request to NPRC. You can also mail a Request Pertaining to Military Records (Standard Form SF 180) to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) or one of the other 13 Custodians of Records listed on page 3 of the SF Form 180. Read about and own load the form at https://bit.ly/43dXWsB.
3. FAX a Request to NPRC. You can also mail a Request Pertaining to Military Records (Standard Form SF 180) to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC). Read about and own load the form at https://bit.ly/43dXWsB.
4. Write a letter to NPRC. Send the letter to The National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Drive, Saint Louis, Missouri 63138.
5. Ask a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) to help you. Find S.C. County VSOs at https://bit.ly/3qbLVSL. Find Ga. VSOs at https://bit.ly/44KMVA7. Search for VA-accredited representatives nationwide at https://bit.ly/3QnCk5M. Search for VA-accredited representatives at VA Regional Offices at https://bit.ly/3TahNn1.
6. Visit the National Personal Records Center (NPRC) in person. NPRC is located at 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138. Phone 314-801-0800. FAX 314-801-9195.
7. Hire an independent researcher. The above six ways to request your military records are free. However, you can hire an independent researcher to request your records for you.
You may want to read two articles from The Island News titled How to get your VA (and DOD) medical records online that were published on November 30, 2022, and December 7, 2022, which are found at https://bit.ly/3ouHlSp and https://bit.ly/3C2ILqk.
Two final things
Do not forget that your local VA-certified Veterans Service Officer will be glad to help you request your military service records, and there is normally no need to pay anyone to help you request your, your next of kin’s, or your ward’s records.
Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior, disabled veteran, ex-Enlisted Infantryman, ex-Warrant Officer Pilot, and retired Lt. Colonel. He is a past Veterans Service Officer, a Patient Adviser at the RHJ VA Hospital, the Fisher House Charleston Good Will Ambassador, and the VP for Veteran Affairs for the local Army Association Chapter. Larry is the author of the award-winning book Blades of Thunder and a contributing free-lance writer with the Island News. Contact him at LDandridge@earthlink.net or 843-276-7164.
