This question comes up frequently, and a few things have improved. However, one area that hasn’t is their response. Although frequently recorded with the Clerk & Recorder (or similar), DD214s are considered confidential and available only to the veteran. Spouses or other next-of-kin cannot receive a DD214.
However, the near equivalent information is available from the Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF). See below for details.
The address is:
National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Dr., St. Louis, MO 63138
The main customer service number is: (314) 801-0800
The request fax number is: (314) 801-9195
Veterans and spouses of deceased veterans can request these records online. The start page for all requests is National Archives Military Personnel FOIA Information. Note that requests cannot be emailed, only faxed or mailed.
The required form is SF-180, and veterans can order it online at VetRecs Archives. Once you have sent your request, you can email mprstatus@nara.gov or call the customer service number.
How long might this request take?
Requests are currently expected to be completed in about 12 weeks (3 months). If you have a deadline, include a statement explaining the deadline date and urgency, and fax it to the emergency fax number at (314) 801-0764. They will try to prioritize your request.
The public has access to certain military service information without the veteran’s or next-of-kin’s authorization (next-of-kin includes the un-remarried widow or widower, son, daughter, father, mother, brother, or sister of deceased veterans). Examples of information available from Federal (non-archival) Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF) without causing an unwarranted invasion of privacy include:
- Name
- Service Number
- Dates of Service
- Branch of Service
- Final Duty Status
- Final Rank
- Salary*
- Assignments and Geographical Locations
- Source of Commission*
- Military Education Level
- Promotion Sequence Number*
- Awards and Decorations (eligibility only, not actual medals)
- Photograph
- Transcript of Courts-Martial Trials
- Place of Entrance and Separation
If the veteran is deceased:
- Place of Birth
- Date and Geographical Location of Death
- Place of Burial
Items marked with an asterisk are rarely available in the records we maintain.
FOIA and Official Personnel Folders (OPF)
Most information in a Federal (non-archival) Official Personnel Folder (OPF) is not releasable to the general public without the written consent of the individual whose record is involved. However, under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), certain information can be released without the individual’s consent. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has determined that the following information is releasable to the public:
- Name
- Past and present positions
- Past and present titles
- Past and present salaries
- Past and present grades
- Past and present job locations
