The Secretary of Defense shall develop guidelines regarding the use by the Secretaries of the military departments of unofficial sources of information, including eyewitness statements, to determine the eligibility of a member or former member of the Armed Forces for decorations when the service records of the member are incomplete because of damage to the records as a result of the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri, or any subsequent incident while the records were in the possession of the Department of Defense.
Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army 105 Army Pentagon Washington, DC Email: USARMY Ft Belvoir HQDA Mailbox TIOH Webmaster. The current price of replacement for awards is available on the HDH&R website. These prices may change without notice. Once receipt of an award is acknowledged, the CF unit or responsible civilian organisation has 30 days to inform DH&R of any initial damage or errors in the engraving. Requests for replacement medals, decorations, and awards should be made to the veteran’s respective branch of service, with the exception of Army and Air Force (including Army Air Corps) veterans; requests should be sent to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis where the records will be reviewed and verified. The person making the request may instead purchase a copy of the veteran’s OMPF to determine awards due and obtain the medal via commercial sources. If the veteran separated from the military after 1957: The Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard will accept the next-of-kin request at no charge.
Submit a military records request to get your DD214 or other military service records through the milConnect website.
You’ll need to sign in to milConnect to get your military service records
To use this feature, you'll need a Premium DS Logon account. Your My HealtheVet or ID.me credentials won’t work on the milConnect website. Go to milConnect to sign in, register, or upgrade your DS Logon account to Premium.
Once I’ve signed in to milConnect, how do I request my DD214 or other military records?
Follow the steps below to submit a military records request.
- From your signed-in homepage, click or tap on Correspondence/ Documentation. Then select Defense Personnel Records Information (DPRIS) from the drop-down menu.
- Choose the Personnel File tab.
- Select Request My Personnel File.
- Fill out the form. In the Document Index section, check the boxes next to the document(s) you'd like to request.
- Click or tap on the Create and Send Request button.
What types of records can I request with this tool?
You can request documents from your Official Military Personnel File to view and download.
You can request your:
- DD214
- DD215
- Report of Separation
- Other release papers
You can also request documents with information about your service, such as your:
- Orders and endorsements
- Performance reports
- Awards and decorations (commendatory items)
- Qualifications, licenses, and certificates
- Security clearance
Award Decoration Requests
What happens after I request my military records?
You’ll receive an email letting you know we’re processing your request. You’ll receive a second email when your request is complete and your files are ready for you to view 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 view and download your files once they’re ready.
Are there other ways to get my military records?
Yes.
You can request your military records in any of these ways:
- Mail or fax a Request Pertaining to Military Records (Standard Form SF 180) to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC).
Download Form SF 180 (PDF) - Write a letter to the NPRC. Send it to:
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63138 - Visit the NPRC in person
- Contact your state or county Veterans agency
- Hire an independent researcher
How do I request someone else’s military records?
If you’re a family member planning a burial for a Veteran in a VA national cemetery
Call our National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117. We can help you get the Veteran’s DD214 or other discharge documents you may need.
Get more information about planning a burial
If you’re the next of kin of a Veteran who has passed away
You can request a copy of the Veteran’s military records in any of these ways:
- Mail or fax a Request Pertaining to Military Records (Standard Form SF 180) to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC).
Download Form SF 180 (PDF) - Write a letter to the NPRC. Send it to:
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63138 - Visit the NPRC in person
- Contact your state or county Veterans agency
- Hire an independent researcher
You may be considered the next of kin if you’re related to the Veteran in any of these ways:
- Surviving spouse who hasn't remarried, or
- Parent, or
- Child, or
- Sibling
If you’re not the Veteran’s next of kin
If the Veteran was discharged more than 62 years ago, you can order a copy of their military records. The National Archives opens all records to the public 62 years after discharge.
Learn how to access archived records
If the Veteran was discharged less than 62 years ago, you may be able to request limited information from their Military Personnel File.
Find out about general public access to military records
Award Decoration Requested
Information to reconstruct your records
Reconstruct military records destroyed in NPRC fire
Find out if your records may have been destroyed in the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri, and how to reconstruct your records to support a VA disability compensation claim.
Other records information
Get your VA medical records online
Set up your personal health record, and download medical records, reports, and images to share with your VA and non-VA doctors.
Change your address in your VA.gov profile
Find out how to change your address and other contact information in your VA.gov profile. This will update your information across several benefits and services.
Get Veteran ID cards
Find out which Veteran ID cards you may need, and how to request them.
Download your VA benefit letters
Download copies of letters, like your award letter, for certain benefits.
Learn how to apply for a discharge upgrade
Answer a series of questions to get step-by-step instructions on how to apply for a discharge upgrade or correction. If your discharge gets upgraded, you'll be eligible for the VA benefits you earned during your period of service.