Request Copies of Military Personnel Records

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

DH managed to lose almost all his records from his service in 'Nam. When he was being discharged he saw that his DD214 wasn't complete, but he would have had to get in another line to get it straightened out. One time I asked him how many guys were in that other line & he said none, but he still wouldn't get in it. He wasn't spending another minute in the army.

Now of course, the records are important to him. He signed up with the VA & without the records showing that he has a Purple Heart he has to pay for his meds. Even though it's a nominal fee he still wanted his DD214 to show that he got one. Funnily enough, the VA accepts that he has service related injuries because he has a letter a General sent to his Mom describing how he was injured & that he would recover.

So, to make a long story short, we've tried 2 different times to get copies. Both times I think I just found a phone number in the telephone directory under Veteran's & called. Both times we got a form letter to fill out & mail in. This time I googled & found this site. He sent it in on 6/29/07. Yesterday he got a call. The guy said that he's got the records right there & which ones did DH want? DH asked if there was a copy of his Silver Star & the guy said it was right in front of him & he'll just send copies of everything. Wooohooo!

Here's the link in case there's anyone else here having as much trouble as we did. (Or was a clueless as us in how to find them.)

http://www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs/index.html

And here's the site for replacing medals:

http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/replacement-medals.html#army

And thank you all for your service.

:hug:

[NavyDavy]

i sent a request for my records in 2001 after discharged in

1998 and they still can't find them or they just didn't look........

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

2. We sent them in twice & got nothing too.

How can they be so screwed up? How can they not find those records?

DH thought it was because he was transferred out of one company & into another one after he's been in country for about 7 months. And then there was a fire (or a bomb-can't remember which) at HQ. Obviously, that wasn't why they couldn't find the records. They just weren't looking.

While he hasn't actually received anything yet, the guy who called said he would send them off. And DH has a case number & the guy's phone number. Hopefully the third time is the charm.

When you tried for your records did you use this link? Can you try again? You deserve a copy of your records.

:hug:

[NavyDavy]

3. no not yet...but i will i had a friend in our admin section that let me make

copies of the some of the most important stuff before an officer caught us and told us to stop.....it was funny....but thanks for the link

[BOSSHOG]

4. I'm extremely anal about such things

I got all my LES's, 24 years worth; and everything pertinent to my existence in the Navy. About two years after I retired I weeded through the records and got rid of some stuff but I can document damn near every minute of my career. And that Officer was out of line stopping you from copying parts of your record.

I hate to hear stories like the OP when a servicemember says fuck it and just leaves. The DD214 is gold. Mine got a nice bath thanks to Katrina, but its in good shape, with just a slight musty smell.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

5. I never really ragged on DH because he was pissed at himself.

But, he was 21, just spent a year in 'Nam & really didn't care. He didn't think he would need or want the records. And there was enough there to qualify for a VA home loan, plus school, plus he is getting VA care.

When he talked to the guy from the archives he said that his DD214 wasn't complete & the guy said something like "oh yeah, it happens". Makes me think that DH isn't the only one who didn't take the time to get it straightened out.

:thumbsup: for making sure yours was complete. And good job keeping the records dry.

Thank you for your service.

:hug:

[BOSSHOG]

6. There was a lot of "admin stuff" to go through

before I retired. There was an error and incompletion on my 214 but I had a cooperative clerk at PSD who redid it until I was satisfied (lest I chuck my khaki clad ass over the counter.) Perspectives are incredibly different between a 21 year old just wanting to get out of uniform and a 48 year old concerned about locking down that pension. I hope all works out well for him.

My 214 was in a safe deposit box in a bank which got flooded by Katrina. Stuff was a little soggy but all recoverable. I laid it all out in the garage for a week. The savings bonds were all stuck together.

[NavyDavy]

1. sorry hit the enter button twice

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

7. ***********UPDATE**********

He just got it in the mail today. All of the records for his medals including the Purple Heart. And another copy of his DD214, but they didn't amend the DD214 to show the medals. So, now we have to find out if he just needs to carry the copy of the PH or if we need to follow up & get the DD214 updated.

He's closer than he's been in years though. And I just realized that his meds are up to $48 a month so that should save us some money. Leaves me a bigger poker fund. :rofl: