How to Get Your Military Discharge Papers

If you’ve been discharged from military service, your personnel files are stored at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). They are the official repository for records of military personnel who have been discharged from the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard.

Recent military service and medical records are not online. However, most veterans and their next-of-kin can obtain free copies of their DD Form 214 (Report of Separation) and other records several ways:

• Use the eVetRecs system to create your request
• Mail or Fax a Standard Form SF-180
• Learn more about requesting military service records

Military personnel records are primarily administrative records and can contain information such as:

• enlistment/appointment
• duty stations and assignments
• training, qualifications, performance
• awards and medals
• disciplinary actions
• insurance
• emergency data
• administrative remarks
• separation/discharge/retirement (including DD Form 214, Report of Separation, or equivalent)
• and other personnel actions.

Detailed information about the veteran’s participation in military battles and engagements is NOT contained in the record.

Most Official Military Personnel Files contain both personnel and active duty health records, but this practice was discontinued by the service branches beginning in 1992. See Military Medical and Health Records for more details.