text: This service is ONLY for those who would like information about a veteran, but you are not related to the veteran. You are in the right place if you are merely a member of the general public but would like to know a little bit more about a particular veteran. You are considered a member of the general public if you are asking about a veteran who is not related to you, or a veteran who is a relative but you are NOT the next-of-kin. Next-of-kin is defined as the unremarried widow or widower, son or daughter, father or mother, brother or sister of the deceased veteran.
  Veterans' records are protected by privacy laws. If you are the veteran, next-of-kin of a deceased veteran, legal guardian of the veteran, are acting under a power of attorney or are otherwise legally entitled to access the veteran's record, you should visit our .
  If you are NOT the veteran or otherwise legally entitled to the veteran's complete record, then you're in the right place. Keep reading. Limited information from Official Military Personnel Files is releasable to the general public without the consent of the veteran or, if the veteran is deceased, the consent of his or her next-of-kin.
  The type of information releasable to you as a member of the general public is intended to strike a balance between the public's right to obtain information from Federal records, as outlined in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and the veteran's right to privacy as defined by the Privacy Act. Information will not be released if requested for unethical purposes.
  Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act (FOIA)
  The public has access to certain military service information without the veteran's authorization (or that of the next-of-kin of deceased veterans). Examples of information which may be available from Official Military Personnel Files without an unwarranted invasion of privacy include:
  Name
  Service Number
  Dates of Service
  Branch of Service
  Rank and Date of Rank
  Salary *
  Assignments and Geographical Locations
  Source of Commission *
  Military Education
  Promotion Sequence Number *
  Awards and decorations (Eligibility only, not actual medals)
  Duty Status
  Photograph
  Transcript of Court-Martial Trial
  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 maintained by the various records repositories.
  Please remember, a military record acquired under a FOIA request will have certain private information expunged. Also, with a FOIA request and unlike our Express Service - since with FOIA we are not working directly for the veteran - we cannot access the record itself. We will submit your FOIA request to the government, but it is the government that will process the request: a government employee will review the record, copy pertinent records that are permitted by FOIA, and will ship the results to us. We will then review the results, recommend other potential research avenues, and forward the results and our recommendations to you. This entire procedure will take approximately 6 to 8 weeks, possibly longer.
  How to Order
  Click the Add to Cart button below, Checkout and then create your account.
  You'll be given several shipping options. Select your shipping method of choice, from overnight FedEx to 2-4 day Priority Mail.
  Finally, after you've paid and completed your order, there will be a download link at your Order Page. Log Into your account and download the PDF form from there. Follow the form's simple instructions: complete the form, sign it and fax it back to us ASAP so that we’ll have the necessary information and your authorization to commence our search for the records that you desire. We cannot begin until we have a faxed (or scanned) copy of your signed form in-hand.
  Questions? Or order by phone!
  How can our researchers get you your record so fast? We encourage you to read our FAQ (Click HERE) for any questions or concerns.
  The simplest and easiest way to obtain your DD214 is to order it here, online 24/7. But if you still have any questions or concerns ... you can access our on-line chat by clicking the chat button at left. Or call us toll-free: 800-At DD214 (800-283-3214).
  Our call center hours are M-F 08:30am to 11:00pm Eastern time, but is closed federal holidays. Our back-office operations are working 24/7 to move your order forward. The earlier you place your order, the sooner we will retrieve your documents.