By Larry Dandridge
According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs webpage titled “Complete List of Discharge Documents” (https://bit.ly/42xw98V), if you want to be buried in a national cemetery or get memorial items, veterans or their surviving family member will need to show the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) proof of the veteran’s honorable active military service. Veterans and their survivors may also need one or more of the following documents to get other federal or state veterans’ benefits, like military service-connected disability compensation, VA healthcare, etc.
DD214 and other Department of Defense (DoD) documents
DD 214 — Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty
DD 13 — Statement of Service
DA 1569 — Transcript of Military Record
DD 2A — Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
DD 2AF — Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
DD 2CG — Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
DD 2MC — Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
DD 2N — Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
DD 2NOAA — Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
DD 2 — (Retired) US Uniformed Services Identification Card
DD 214 — Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty
DD 217 — Discharge Certificate
DD 303 — Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge
DD 303AF — Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge
DD 303CG — Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge
DD 303MC — Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge
DD 303N — Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge
DD 1300 — Report of Casualty
DoD documents that must show a period of active-duty service dates
DD 256A — Honorable Discharge Certificate
DD 256AF — Honorable Discharge Certificate
DD 256CG — Honorable Discharge Certificate
DD 256MC — Honorable Discharge Certificate
DD 256N — Honorable Discharge Certificate
DD 257A — General Discharge Certificate
DD 257AF — General Discharge Certificate
DD 257CG — General Discharge Certificate
DD 257MC — General Discharge Certificate
DD 257N — General Discharge Certificate
Documents that must show active-duty service dates
Bureau of Investigation No. 213 Discharge from U. S. Naval Reserve Force — Honorable Discharge Certificate
Documents that must show previous active federal service for something other than training or a minimum of 20 years of total service (for pay)
NGB 22 — Report of Separation and Record of Service, Departments of the Army and the Air Force, National Guard Bureau (NGB)
Other accepted documents
ADJ 545 — Discharge Certificate
Army DS ODF — Honorable Discharge from the United States Army
AGO 525 — Discharge Certificate
AGO 755 — Discharge Certificate
AGO 01252 — Discharge Certificate
AGO 01254 – Transcript of Military Record
AGO 01502 – Discharge Certificate
WD AGO 01502 — Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge Certificate
WD AGO 01504 – Discharge Certificate
WD AGO 0729 — Honorable Discharge from Army of the United States of America
WD AGO 280 — Certificate of Service, AVS
WD AGO 525 — Honorable Discharge from the United States Army
WD AGO 53 — Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge
WD AGO 53-55 — Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge
WD AGO 53-58 — Enlisted Record and Report of Separation General Discharge
WD AGO 53-90 — Certificate of Service
WD AGO 53-98 — Military Record and Report of Separation Certificate of Service
WD AGO 55 — Honorable Discharge from The Army of the United States
WD AGO 755 — Honorable Discharge, Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps
Bureau of Investigation No. 6 — Discharge certificate
Bureau of Investigation No. 53 — Discharge certificate
Bureau of Investigation No. 118 — Discharge certificate
Form No. 6, U.S.N. — Discharge certificate
Navy (no number) — War Service Certificate
NAVCG-2510 — Honorable Discharge, U.S. Coast Guard
NAVCG-553 — Notice of Separation from U.S. Coast Guard
NAVMC-455 — U.S. Marine Corps Certificate of Service (Instead of lost or destroyed discharge certificate)
NAVMC 70-PD — Honorable Discharge, U.S. Marine Corps
NAVMC 78-PD — U.S. Marine Corps Report of Separation
NMC 2571 A&I — Honorable Discharge, U.S. Marine Corps
NMC 258 A&I –– Discharge Certificate
NAVPERS-553 –– Notice of Separation from U.S. Naval Service
NAVPERS-563 — Navy Discharge-Notice of Separation from U.S. Naval Service
NAVPERS-566 — Standard Statement of Service
NAVPERS-660 — Honorable Discharge from U.S. Navy
NAVPERS-661 — Certificate of Discharge, U.S. Naval Service
NAVPERS-663B — Discharge Certificate
NAR 529 — Certification of Military Service
NA 13038 — Certification of Military Service
NA 13041 – Statement of Service
GSA 6851 – Service Information
GSA 6954 – Ceritifcate of Military Service
VA Adjudication 545 — Summary of Record of Active Service
VA 3101 — Request for Army Information; Official Retirement Order; Official Retirement Register; Reserve Retirement Eligibility Benefits Letter; Verification of Service letter from the VA; Summary of Military Service Record from various states
PHS 1867 — Statement of Service-Verification of Status of Commissioned Officers of the U.S. Public Health Service
VA-accredited Veterans Service Officers (VSOs)
VSOs can help you find documents that veterans and their survivors need file for federal and state veterans’ benefits. Military members, veterans, and their families should use a VSO to help them understand and apply for federal and state veterans’ benefits. Learn more about VSOs and veterans’ benefits at the following websites.
- The Island News article “Things you need to know about VSOs”, dated Sep 4, 2024, https://bit.ly/3OgLZwl.
- Find a VA Accredited Representative or VSO (nationwide), https://bit.ly/4g9yGdW.
- Get Help from a VA-Accredited Representative of VSO, https://bit.ly/3WwDXmN.
- VA Accredited Representative Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)’ https://bit.ly/3TcLOoK.
- VA List of VA-recognized Veterans Service Organizations (Also called VSOs)”, https://bit.ly/3MuByo9.
- VA search tool “Find an Accredited Representative or VSO, https://bit.ly/4g9yGdW.
- VA Office of General Counsel “How to Challenge a Fee,” https://bit.ly/47c4jzu.
- Consumer Financial Protective Bureau (CFPB) Warning Article titled “WARNO: They call themselves ‘coaches’ or ‘consultants’ and advertise their ability to assist you with your VA benefits claim but may not be accredited to practice before the VA,” By Joshua Friedman and Krystle Good, dated February 15, 2023, at https://bit.ly/3ZaPqeO.
- Office of General Counsel FAQ, https://bit.ly/4dMBb4q.
- The VA phone question center, 800-698-2411, ext. 0 (TTY: 711).
- The SC Department of Veteran Affairs website, https://scdva.sc.gov.
- Georgia Department of Veterans Service (Find a VSO Near You), https://bit.ly/44KMVA7.
- NC Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (Benefits & Claims), https://bit.ly/4ghZqHW.
- Veterans of Foreign Wars (VA Claims & Separation Benefits, https://www.vfw.org/NVS.
- American Legion (AL) Find Service Officer Directory, https://bit.ly/3CszFHi.
- Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Service Officer Locator, https://bit.ly/4gfK0E8.
- Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Find National Service Officer, https://bit.ly/40RaPKz.
- Paralyzed Veterans of America (PAV), Find a National Service Office or Chapter, https://bit.ly/4jA9i2H.
- American Veterans (AMVETS), VSO Contact List, https://bit.ly/3PUOWno.
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 his local VA Hospital, a Fisher House Charleston Good Will Ambassador, and the past VP for Veteran Affairs for the local Army Association Chapter. Larry is the author of the award-winning Blades of Thunder (Book One) and a contributing freelance writer with The Island News. Contact him at LDandridge@earthlink.net or 843-276-7164.
