Home → Veterans Guide to VA Benefits → Appendix II - Military Records → Your DD-214
2. Your DD-214
One of the most commonly requested military document from the Archives is a veterans Report of Separation. The Report of Separation is issued on DD (Department of Defense) Form 214 and is frequently referred to as a DD-214. A DD-214 is usually issued when a service member performs active duty or at least 90 consecutive days of active duty for training purposes. If an individual dies while on active duty a DD-214 is not always issued.
The DD-214 contains a wealth of information including the veterans:
- Date and place of entry into active service
- Home address at time of entry
- Date and place of release from active duty
- Home address after separation
- Last duty assignment and rank or rate
- Military job specialty or rating
- Military education
- Decorations, medals, badges, citations, and campaign awards
- Total credible service
- Foreign service
- Separation/Discharge information such as:
- type of separation,
- character of service,
- reason for separation and
- reenlistment eligibility codes
Who Can Request a DD-214?
There are a number of categories of people who can request a DD-214 from the archives. The first and primary category is the veteran or if deceased their next of kin. The next of kin includes the veterans surviving spouse that has not remarried, father, mother, son, daughter, sister or brother. If you are the next of kin of a deceased veteran you must provide proof of death such as a death certificate, letter from the funeral home or mortuary or a copy of an obituary that was published in a newspaper.