You may use services provided by the National Archives to request a variety of military service records.
They may be requested online using the eVetRecs system or by MAIL or FAX using the SF-180 Form.
Visit the National Archives website for more information and/or read the excerpted text from their website below.
From the National Archives website:
Military personnel records can include DD 214s/Separation Documents, service personnel records found within the Official Military Personnel File (OMPF), and medical records. Military personnel records can be used for proving military service or as a valuable tool in genealogical research.
Please note that NPRC holds historical Military Personnel Records of nearly 100 million veterans. The vast majority of these records are paper-based and not available on-line.
Our online eVetRecs system creates a customized order form to request information from your, or your relative’s, military personnel records.
Online Requests Using eVetRecs
Our online eVetRecs system creates a customized order form to request information from your, or your relative’s, military personnel records.
You may use this system if you are:
You may use this system if you are: a military veteran, or next of kin of a deceased, former member of the military. The next of kin can be any of the following:
- Surviving spouse that has not remarried
- Father
- Mother
- Son
- Daughter
- Sister
- Brother
Who Can Request Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF)
Access depends on the discharge date:
OMPF Archival record – discharge date of 1953 or prior*
These records are archival and are open to the public.
Any archival OMPF can be ordered online for a copying fee.
See Access to Military Records by the General Public for more details.OMPF Federal (non-archival) record – discharge date of 1953 or after*
These records are non-archival and are maintained under the Federal Records Center program. Non-archival records are subject to access restrictions.
- the military veteran, or
- the next-of-kin (un-remarried widow or widower, son, daughter, father, mother, brother or sister)
- Use the link at the top of this page to get started using eVetRecs or Standard Form 180(SF 180).
* Please note: Records are accessioned into the National Archives, and become archival, 62 years after the service member’s separation from the military. This is a rolling date; hence, the current year, 2015, minus 62 years is 1953.