How to Get Your DD-214 — Three Ways in 2026

Option 1 — milConnect (fastest for post-2000 separations)

1. Go to milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil and sign in with DS Logon, CAC, or login.gov.
2. Open Correspondence/Documentation → Defense Personnel Records Information (DPRIS).
3. Request DD-214 or other service documents. Most post-2000 records are available digitally and download within minutes.
4. Older records may be routed to NARA and take longer.

Option 2 — eVetRecs (National Archives self-service)

1. Go to eVetRecs.archives.gov and start a new request.
2. Complete the online wizard with veteran information, branch, dates of service, and reason for request.
3. Print and sign the signature verification page (NARA cannot release records without a wet signature).
4. Mail or fax the signed signature page to the National Personnel Records Center; record release follows in two weeks to two months.

Option 3 — SF-180 by mail or fax

1. Download Standard Form 180 (Request Pertaining to Military Records) from archives.gov.
2. Complete sections I and II with veteran details and the records requested (check the DD-214 box). Section III is for next of kin.
3. Sign and mail or fax to the address listed on the SF-180 instructions for your branch and separation date — typically the National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138.
4. Allow 30-90 days. SF-180 is the only option for some Reserve / Guard and pre-1953 records.

Next-of-kin and third-party requests

After the veteran has passed, next of kin (surviving spouse, parent, sibling, or child) can request the DD-214 with proof of relationship (marriage certificate, birth certificate) and proof of death (death certificate). General-public access to a DD-214 is restricted for 62 years after separation; older records are open in the National Archives.

If the veteran is living, only the veteran or someone with a notarized authorization can request the record.

Fire-damaged records from the 1973 NPRC fire

A July 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center destroyed an estimated 16-18 million Army and Air Force records covering 1912-1964. If your records are affected, NPRC will reconstruct from alternate sources (morning reports, pay records, unit rosters) but the process takes longer and may require the veteran to provide dates, units, and locations to guide the search.

Where these claims break down

• ×Submitting an SF-180 without signing it — unsigned requests are returned and add weeks of delay.
• ×Sending the request to the wrong NPRC address — the correct address depends on branch, separation date, and whether the record is health vs. personnel.
• ×Assuming a copy from a county recorder substitutes for the certified NARA copy — VA usually accepts either, but lenders and state benefits offices may not.
• ×Waiting until you need the DD-214 to file — request it the week you separate and store digital copies in two locations.

Frequently Asked Questions