The DD Form 214, often referred to as DD-214, is one of the most important documents a Veteran receives throughout his or her time in the armed services. Here are four important things you should know about your DD-214.
Source: Wikihow, American Legion
1. All Veterans Need Access to Their DD-214
You may be asking yourself: “Why do I need access to my DD-214?” The answer to this question is very simple; you need your DD-214 for almost everything. Your DD-214 verifies all you did while in active service with the military. Without it, you can’t get access to military benefits, retirement, employment, or membership in veterans’ organizations.
2. How to Get Access to Your DD-214
Now that you realize the importance of your DD-214, you might be asking yourself: “How do I get access to my DD-214?” Well, there are two ways. The first is to go to eVetRecs.com to request to receive your DD-214 online. The second is to use the Standard Form 180 (SF-180). Print it out online, fill it out, then mail or fax it to the address given on the Standard Form 180. Filing out the Standard Form 180 (SF-180) and mailing it yourself is free, but using eVetRecs.com will cost a flat fee of $25.
3. It May Take a Long Time to Get Your DD-214
The National Personal Records Center (NPRC) holds all federal documents for military personnel. Because the DD-214 is so important, the NPRC gets thousands of requests every day for it. This means that it can take upwards of two weeks for you to receive a copy of your DD-214. Make sure to make your request well before you need it!
4. What to Do After You Get Your DD-214
The first thing you need to do is to make sure your DD-214 is safe. As you can see, losing or damaging this document may cause problems in different areas of a Veteran’s life. With VetCV, Veterans, family members, active-duty, and patriots can safely store all of their medical, service, and personal records online. Click here to create an account.
Links: eVetRecs.com; A copy of a Standard Form 180