How To Verify Military Service

Request For A Single Or Multiple Record

You should choose a Single record if you want to confirm just one persons military service the Multiple is for if you are seeking more than one. You will have to register for the latter, but it is free of charge.

When you click on Single record or Multiple records, the page will navigate to another space, where you must put in the information for the required field. After that, you can click Submit.

Here is a sample of the screen for a Single record. The required fields are the ones with a red asterisk. You must fill these out in order to click Submit.

You will get a report that looks something like this:

You can get information on when a persons active duty started and ended, and the branch they were in. As such, you can check if a soldier is real. However, if you want to get more detailed information, like the schools the person attended, the awards they received, etc, the second option will be better.

It’s Your Country Take One Minute To Protect It

When you register with the Selective Service, you’re helping ensure a secure future for your community and the United States of America.

While there is currently no draft, registration with the Selective Service System is the most publicly visible program during peacetime that ensures operational readiness in a fair and equitable manner. If authorized by the President and Congress, our Agency would rapidly provide personnel to the Department of Defense while at the same time providing an Alternative Service Program for conscientious objectors.

Federal Law requires nearly all male US citizens and male immigrants, 18 through 25, register with Selective Service.

• Verify Registration

How Do I Get A Military Plan

We’ll need to verify your military status using the steps in the next section to get a Military plan.

• If you’re not a T-Mobile customer, call 1-800-TMOBILE or visit your nearest T-Mobile store to activate a Magenta Military plan.
• If you already have a T-Mobile account, contact us to change your plan to Magenta Military.
• If the military member is not currently the primary account holder, you may need to complete a Change of Responsibility. See Transfer account or line ownership for more information.

• U.S. Air Force – Active Duty, Veteran, Retiree
• U.S. Air Force Reserve – Reservist, Veteran, Retiree
• U.S. Air National Guard – Reservist, Veteran, Retiree
• U.S. Army – Active Duty, Veteran, Retiree
• U.S. Army National Guard – Reservist, Veteran, Retiree
• U.S. Army Reserve – Reservist, Veteran, Retiree
• U.S. Coast Guard – Active Duty, Veteran, Retiree
• U.S. Coast Guard Reserve – Reservist, Veteran, Retiree
• Gold Star Family – Gold Star
• U.S. Marine Corps – Active Duty, Veteran, Retiree
• U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve – Reservist, Veteran, Retiree
• U.S. Navy – Active Duty, Veteran, Retiree
• U.S. Navy Reserve – Reservist, Veteran, Retiree

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Ask To See His Or Her Dd

Another way to find out if someone is a veteran or not is to ask him or her for a copy of their DD-214.

The DD Form 214, or DD-214, is a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. It is provided to every service member of the U.S. Military upon discharge.

The document is provided by the United States Department of Defense and is presented to the service member when he or she retirees, gets separated, or discharged from active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces.

It includes every branch of the U.S. Military including the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy.

A DD-214 is available in two different versions for review. The short version, or redacted copy, provides basic information like the nature and type of discharge, as well as a re-enlistment code.

The Member Copy 4, or long version of a DD-214 contains far more information that details the type of service as well as reason for separation. The U.S. Military only provides one copy of this form, and offers no replacement copies.

For authentication purposes, a legitimate DD-214 can prove that someone did in fact serve in the U.S. Military. However, you need to ask the individual directly for this documentation.

Furthermore, it is not always crystal clear to the untrained eye to notice the difference between a legitimate DD-214 and one that has been falsely created.

For this reason checking a DD-214 is usually not your best option for doing a free military background check.

Search The National Personnel Records Center

The National Personnel Records Center is located in St. Louis, Missouri. For those that are not able to attend NPRC in-person, the national archives are also available to request online.

The repository contains millions of military personnel, health, and medical records of discharged as well as deceased veterans of all services during the 20th century.

According to the website, records that were prior to WWI are located in Washington, D.C.

NPRC also hosts medical treatment records related to retirees from all services, and records for dependent and other persons treated at naval medical facilities. The site is provided to anyone that would like more information regarding military personnel, medical, or health records.

The information is made available upon written request to the National Personnel Records Center.

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Troubleshoot Military Status Verification

If you are prompted to submit your .mil email address after you submit your information, follow the prompts and a verification link will be sent to the .mil email address you provide. Select the link in that email , and your Military status will be verified.

If you are prompted to upload a document, visit this help article How do I upload my military documentation? for detailed instructions.

Mail Your Foia Letter To:

National Personnel Records Center1 Archives DriveSt. Louis, Missouri 63138

Note:A fire destroyed many of the Army and Air Forces 1947 to 1963 service records, according to the NPRC. If you are looking for personnel files between this year gap, provide as much information as possible so the records center can piece together whats still available.

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How To Make A Foia Request

Below is a simple step-by-step process for obtaining a valid FOIA request:

Step 1: Fill Out A FOIA Request Letter

There is no official government form that you need to fill out to make a FOIA request.

You can literally just write or type it out on a sheet of paper, however, it should contain some pertinent info.

We here at OMK have made a couple sample FOIA request letters for your convenience, see them below:

if youre a member of the news media looking to verify someones military records.

if youre an individual that is simply seeking information regarding someones military status or past.

if youre affiliated with a private corporation and are seeking to verify someones military service for employment purposes.

if youre affiliated with a college, university, or educational institution.

Step 2: Snail Mail / Email Your Request To The Appropriate Agency

After filling out and printing your FOIA request, you will then simply send it to the appropriate agency.

Each branch of the military has their own FOIA department, whereby you can either send it via Snail mail , or via email.

Ive presented both options below for each branch of the military:

Air Force FOIA Request Details

JoAnne Collins FOIA ContactDepartment of the Air ForceSAF/AAII Washington, DC 20330-1000

Telephone 693-2735

If you would like to email your request, send to the following email address:

Alternatively, you can submit your FOIA request via this link.

Army FOIA Request Details

Step 3: Wait

Get Help Contacting Navy Marine And Air Force Service Members

Three service branches provide military personnel locator services:

• U.S. Marine Corps – Scroll down to “Miscellaneous” and select “Personal Locator.”

• U.S. Navy – Scroll down to “How do I find a friend or family member in the Navy?”

You may need to provide the military member’s Social Security number for the locator to help you. If they find the member, they’ll forward your request to them. Each locator has its requirements.

The U.S. Army and the U.S. Coast Guard no longer provide military locator services.

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What Happens After I Request My Military Records

Youll receive an email letting you know were processing your request. Youll receive a second email when your request is complete and your files are ready for you to review 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 section. This is also where youll review and download your files once theyre ready.

Foia And The Privacy Act

To request any part of an official military personnel file, youll need to send a Freedom of Information Act request to the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis.

The NPRC safeguards more than 70 million service records from the Department of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

FOIA allows anyone with a statutory right to view executive branch information to request some service documents without consent from a veteran or next-of-kin.

These documents include the veteran or service members:

Military separation documents , replacement records and medical records are not open to the public.

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Why Should You Give Personalized Offers To The Military

Leverage the Military Identity

Eighty-five percent of the military strongly identify with being part of the military community, and more than half say it influences how they see the world. Giving members of the military an exclusive offer rewards a deep part of themselves and creates a lasting emotional connection.

Create a Halo Effect

When you reward the military community with an exclusive offer you not only win the affection of the military, you stand out in the eyes of everyone who supports them. This raises awareness and generates goodwill for your brand.

Generate Incredible Word of Mouth

Members of the military trust their fellow service members and turn to them for brand recommendations. In fact, 76% of the military say that they learn about military discounts through word of mouth.

Engage High-Value Customers

With 37M members, the military community is a large group. And they possess a relatively high income: the average household income of an active duty servicemember is $74,500. But, most importantly, military customers are loyal. Reward them with an exclusive offer to gain a lifelong customer and a new, ongoing revenue stream.

Get Help Contacting A Veteran

The Department of Veterans Affairs may be able to put you in touch with a veteran. The VA will forward your written message to the vet if they have their current address on file.

• Draft your message to your friend and place it in an unsealed, stamped envelope.

• Include a note to the VA explaining who youre trying to reach. Add as much identifying information as you have.

• Enclose all this in another envelope and address it to the nearest VA Regional Office.

You can also find a list of other resources that may help you find a veteran.

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There Are Many Ways To Prove Military Service

The situation above is tricky, and sometimes there are no clear cut answers. But Ill do my best to answer this readers questions and give a few more ways veterans and others can verify military service. What follows are different official and unofficial ways to prove military service. Each government or veterans organization should have a list of acceptable forms or proof of service requirements.

How To Find Military Records

Its important that you get correct, verifiable personnel records when you do your search. Many people do not know where to start when searching for a clients military record. The National Personnel Records Center on Archives Drive in St. Louis Missouri is part of the National Archives and Records Administration, and many people search here for information about military records or service records.

While this government website can be useful for some purposes, it states that an active duty military member must be separated from the military for 62 years before the records become public. So in 2020, only records from 1958 and before are accessible to the public. As you can imagine, this type of information may not be very helpful for todays lenders and business owners.

Othersmay search for a DD214 request for their clients. This document is issued by the Department of Defense when a military member retires, separates or is discharged from the military. However, you can only request your own DD 214 you may not request someones elses. Each DD 214 request is investigated and verified before the information is divulged.

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What Types Of Records Can I Request With This Tool

You can request documents from your Official Military Personnel File to review and download.

You can request your:

You can also request documents with information about your service, such as your:

• Orders and endorsements
• Awards and decorations
• Qualifications, licenses, and certificates
• Security clearance

Exemptions And 3 Exclusions

Federal agencies are required by law to disclose any information that is requested by U.S. citizens under the FOIA, unless it falls under one of nine exemptions.

These exemptions are in place to protect things like personal privacy, law enforcement, and national security.

Certain pieces of information related to the military may not be made available because it is a matter of national security. The exclusion protects the existence of foreign intelligence or counterintelligence, or international terrorism records that are classified.

However, if you are simply looking to verify the identity of someone that claims they served in the U.S. Military, this information is made readily available to the public.

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Once Ive Signed In To Milconnect How Do I Request My Dd214 Or Other Military Records

Follow these steps to submit a military records request.

Delay Of Court And Administrative Proceedings

The SCRA allows active duty servicemembers who cant appear in court due to their military duties to postpone the case. Servicemembers should make the request in writing, specifying how their military duty affects their ability to appear. They should also tell the court when they will be able to appear. This should be accompanied by a letter from their commanding officer, attesting to the veracity of their statement. If the court denies the delay, it must appoint the servicemember a lawyer.

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Search For Claimed Commendation Medals

There are better ways to verify the authenticity of someone that claims they served in the U.S. Armed Forces, however, if you want a quick and easy way to conduct a free military background check it is worth a shot.

For those service members that claim they received commendation medals such as a Purple Heart or Silver Star, there are available databases online that can verify this information.

Eviction For Nonpayment Of Rent

Although the SCRA does not excuse soldiers from paying rent, it may provide some relief. Landlords must get a court order to evict a military member or their dependents. The court will consider whether the servicemembers military service has materially affected their failure to pay. If it is, the court may stay the eviction when the military member or their dependents request it. The stay is usually three months.

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How To Verify Military Service

The question about how to verify military service comes up quite a bit. Although we have discussed this in previous posts, here is a guide to help walk you through the process.

There are two ways to verify military service, depending on whether the person is an active member of the military or a veteran. Given that the active military service verification is a quick and easy online service, your best bet is to start there.

What Is The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act protects military personnel from various court actions, including evictions and repossessions. It can come into play with issues such as rental agreements, security deposits, prepaid rent, eviction, installment contracts, credit card interest rates, mortgage interest rates, mortgage foreclosure, civil judicial proceedings, domestic relations cases, and income tax payments.

The SCRA covers those who are recently retired from the military as well as those on active duty. It also protects reservists, members of the National Guard called to active duty and sometimes dependents of military members as well .

The idea behind this law is that servicemembers should be able to perform their duties in the field without having to worry about personal matters at home, such as making car payments.

Because of these protections, plaintiffs who file suit against debtors must deliver a military verification to the court. This is a document that says whether the defendant is a servicemember. The court wants to know if the person is on active duty. If they are not, the case can go forward. But if they are, the correct steps must be taken so the servicemembers SCRA rights are not violated.

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How To Verify Military Service Of An Inactive Member

There are many times lenders, business owners or others may need to verify a clients military service. The reasons are many, but they are oftentimes related to complying with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act is a federal law that protects active duty members of the military from certain court actions. The purpose of the law is to allow servicemembers to concentrate on protecting the country without having to deal with undue stress from back home, including paying bills on time.

The law, however, does not exempt servicemembers from living up to the contracts they signed. It requires those who wish to bring suit against them to follow certain procedures, including getting a court order before proceeding with their case.