What Is a DD-214? Member 4 Copy Explained

What the DD-214 is

DD Form 214 is issued by every branch of the U.S. armed forces at the time of release from active duty. It captures the legal record of a veteran's active-duty service in a single one-page document (front and back). Reserve and Guard members get a similar NGB-22 (Army National Guard) or DD-256 for shorter periods of active service, but DD-214 is the standard for active duty.

Block-by-block — what's on the form

• Blocks 1-7: Veteran identification (name, service component, branch, social security / DoD ID, grade/rate, paygrade, date of birth).
• Block 12: Record of service — dates of entry and separation, total active service, prior active service, foreign service, sea service, effective date of pay grade.
• Block 13: Decorations, medals, badges, citations, and campaign ribbons awarded.
• Block 14: Military education courses completed.
• Block 18: Remarks (often the longest narrative section — combat deployments, special duties, MOS / AFSC / rate held, awards).
• Block 23: Type of separation (release from active duty, retirement, discharge).
• Block 24: Character of service (Honorable, General Under Honorable Conditions, Other Than Honorable, Bad Conduct, Dishonorable, Uncharacterized).
• Block 25: Separation authority (the regulation under which the separation was processed).
• Block 26: Separation code (SPD code — three-character alphanumeric describing the reason).
• Block 27: Reenlistment eligibility code (RE code — 1 through 4).
• Block 28: Narrative reason for separation (plain-English version of the separation code).

Member 1 vs. Member 4 vs. other copies

• Member 1 (short form) — omits blocks 18, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. Not enough for VA disability claims or VA home loans because character of service and narrative reason are missing.
• Member 4 (long form) — includes all blocks. This is the copy VA, state DVAs, lenders, and most employers want. Always request Member 4.
• Service-2 copy — for the branch's own personnel records, not typically released to the veteran.
• Service-3 copy — duplicate for the branch.
• Member 8 — copy issued to the veteran with the long form. In modern practice 'Member 4' and 'Member 8' often contain the same fields; the long form is the universal request.

Why character of service matters

Block 24 (character of service) is the gate for VA disability benefits. Honorable and General Under Honorable Conditions discharges are eligible for VA benefits without further review. Other Than Honorable, Bad Conduct (special court-martial), and Dishonorable discharges typically bar VA benefits, but the veteran can request a Character of Discharge determination from VA and/or apply for a discharge upgrade through the branch's Discharge Review Board or Board for Correction of Military Records.

Uncharacterized (entry-level separation) usually applies when separation occurred in the first 180 days of service. Eligibility for VA benefits depends on the facts — a service-connected disability incurred during that period can still establish eligibility.

Where these claims break down

• ×Storing only the Member 1 short-form copy — VA and lenders need Member 4.
• ×Filing a VA claim without uploading any DD-214 copy — the claim still proceeds but adjudication is slower while VA requests records.
• ×Treating an OTH or BCD as a permanent bar without exploring the Character of Discharge determination and discharge upgrade pathways.
• ×Losing the only physical copy — request a fresh copy from NPRC and store digital backups in two separate cloud locations.

Frequently Asked Questions