How To Find Out If Someone Was In The Service
We alive in a world where trust is not easily granted. We've all heard stories most scam artists, phonies, and those that pretend to be something they are non.
Unfortunately, this is also very common in the earth of the U.S. Military. There are sorry individuals that exaggerate what they did while in service, or prevarication altogether about being a soldier or veteran.
For this reason, it'southward sometimes necessary to verify if someone actually served or is serving in the Us armed services.
Reasons include employment verification, checking the background of a relative (like a grandfather) or fellow / girlfriend.
Unfortunately, in that location aren't any public war machine database records that one tin can easily search online.
We've gotten a lot of questions most this. Questions similar:
How do you do a armed forces lookup past name? Is there a costless military background check available online?
Fortunately, you have some options.
Beneath are 6 ways to verify someone's military service.
Jump To A War machine Verification Service
#1 – DFAS
The first method that you'll come up beyond when doing a search for something similar "verify armed services service" is the Defense force Finance and Accounting Service, otherwise known as DFAS.
DFAS is an bureau of the Department of Defense that was originally established in 1991 with the sole purpose of managing the DOD's finances.
Since then, it has morphed into providing numerous other services, including you guessed it…military service verification.
Using their Defence force Manpower Data Center'due south service, you tin quickly and somewhat easily go proof of armed forces service for both active duty and retired armed forces personnel.
Related Article: xv Best States For Military machine Retirees and Veterans
Nonetheless, it does have some limitations, which we'll get into below.
Here'south how to utilize their system:
Step 1: Visit the Service members Civil Relief Act (SCRA) website hither.
When I originally wrote this commodity, registration wasn't necessary for a single tape asking.
Withal, as of recent, they now require you to create an account to run any type of search.
It's really easy to do, and takes less than a minute.
Simply click on the 'Create an business relationship' push button in the upper right hand corner, make full out the required fields, create your challenge questions, add your additional info., and you'll be in concern.
Once y'all've washed all that, keep to step 2 below.
Step ii: Submit for a Single or Multiple record request
Click on either "Unmarried tape request" if you're trying to ostend armed services service for 1 individual, or "Multiple Record Requests" if yous're looking for several.
Notation that multiple record requests volition crave you to annals for their service (which is free).
For the purposes of this article, we'll just use the "Single Record Request".
Step 3: Enter in all pertinent information in the required fields, then click "Submit".
This is where the service is a flake lacking, in my stance.
For starters, unless yous know the social security number AND / OR the birth date of the person whose military machine status you're trying to verify, the search won't piece of work.
Additionally, you will need to know the date(southward) that the person was serving in an active duty function.
If you don't have that info, you're out of luck.
Lastly, if you actually have this information and get the report, it's lacking in detail.
Here'due south a snapshot of what the study looks similar:
Every bit you can see, all information technology shows is the Agile duty start and end dates for the private, and the military branch they served in.
For some, this may be plenty.
For others, they may demand more than detailed information like what the person actually did in the military, what schools they attended, awards, etc.
If this is you lot, then yous demand to exercise what's known as a "Freedom of Information Act Request", or FOIA.
#2 – Liberty Of Information Act (FOIA) Request
Ane of the most accurate ways to cheque proof of military service is via a FOIA asking.
Public armed services records are available to citizens only like other pieces of regime documentation.
Our founding fathers established public records to offer total transparency between U.Due south. citizens and the U.S. authorities, which is why matters of public health and safety are made readily available.
Most public records request require no personal information or caption on your office.
If yous're an American citizen that would like to search a military machine public records database, you have that right.
Public records availability is still supported through pieces of legislation such as the Freedom of Information Act. Since 1967, the Freedom of Data Act (FOIA) has provided the public with the opportunity to request access to records for any federal agency, including the U.Southward. War machine.
nine Exemptions And iii Exclusions
Federal agencies are required by law to disclose any information that is requested by U.S. citizens (or not U.S. citizens) under the FOIA, unless it falls under i of nine exemptions.
These exemptions are in place to protect things like personal privacy, police enforcement, and national security.
Certain pieces of information related to the military may non exist made available considering it is a matter of national security. The exclusion protects the existence of foreign intelligence or counterintelligence, or international terrorism records that are classified.
Nonetheless, if you are simply looking to verify the identity of someone that claims they served in the U.S. Military machine, this information is made readily bachelor to the public.
How To Brand A FOIA Request
Below is a simple step-by-step process for obtaining a valid FOIA request:
Step one: Fill up Out A FOIA Request Letter
In that location is no official authorities form that you need to fill out to make a FOIA request.
You can literally just write or type it out on a sheet of newspaper, however, information technology should contain some pertinent info.
We here at OMK accept fabricated a couple sample FOIA request messages for your convenience, see them below:
Click Here if you lot're a member of the news media looking to verify someones military machine records.
Click Here if you're an private that is just seeking information regarding someones military status or past.
Click Here if you're affiliated with a private corporation and are seeking to verify someones military service for employment purposes.
Click Here if you're affiliated with a college, university, or educational institution.
Footstep two: Snail Mail service / Email Your Request To The Appropriate Agency
Later on filling out and printing your FOIA request, you will so simply send information technology to the appropriate bureau.
Each co-operative of the military machine has their own FOIA section, whereby you lot tin either send information technology via Snail mail (IE a handwritten or typed letter), or via email.
I've presented both options beneath for each branch of the armed forces:
Air Force FOIA Request Details
JoAnne Collins – FOIA Contact
Section of the Air Force
SAF/AAII (FOIA)
1000 Air Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330-thousand
Telephone – (703) 693-2735
If y'all would similar to e-mail your request, send to the following email address: [electronic mail protected]
Alternatively, yous tin submit your FOIA request via this link.
They volition have public service records of every United states Air Force personnel listed in their database, including their discharge status, service number, appointment of enlistment, and more.
Army FOIA Request Details
Alecia Bolling – FOIA Contact
Section of the Regular army
Freedom of Information Human action Office Suite 144
7701 Telegraph Road, Room 150
Alexandria, VA 22315-3905
Telephone – 703-428-7128
Email your asking to the following: [email protected]
Alternatively, you can submit your FOIA request via this link.
They will be able to accurately tell yous if someone ever served in the Usa Army, or is currently serving.
They can rapidly search Regular army discharge records for anyone that has always served, going all the style back 62 years.
Additionally, they can also verify if that particular person received an honorable or dishonorable discharge.
Navy FOIA Request Details
Robin Patterson – FOIA Contact
DNS-36
2000 Navy Pentagon
Washington, DC 20350-2000
Telephone – 202-685-0412
Email your request to the following accost: [email protected]
Alternatively, you can submit your FOIA request via this link.
Merely like with the other military branches, you can easily find out if someone served in the US Navy via their database.
They'll provide y'all with pertinent info such as the personnel's service number, belch status, enlistment info, and much more.
Marine Corps FOIA Request Details
Sally A. Hughes – FOIA Contact
Headquaters US Marine Corps (ARSF), FOIA/PA Department (ARSF)
3000 Marine Corps Pentagon
Washington, DC 20350-3000
Telephone – (703) 614-4008
Email your request to the post-obit address: [electronic mail protected]
Alternatively, you tin submit your FOIA asking via this link.
They have the ability to lookup US Marines service records past proper name, and provide you their personnel service records and discharge status.
Declension Guard FOIA Asking Details
Commandant (CG-611)
Attn FOIA Officeholder
US Coast Guard End 7710
2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE
Washington, D.C. 20593-7710
Telephone – (202) 475-3522
Email your request to the following address: [electronic mail protected]
Step three: Await
Each federal bureau handles its own public records differently. Thus, the response fourth dimension may vary. The U.Southward. Military is a busy branch of the federal government, so a response is rarely immediate.
Your response will receive the quickest possible response if directed to the advisable bureau or FOIA office. At that place is no central office in the authorities that handles FOIA requests for all federal agencies and departments.
Information technology is of import to note that the FOIA does not require agencies to create new records for a request, behave extra research regarding the inquiry, analyze data, or respond specific questions you have. Their only obligation is to provide the public records already available to them, and you.
What Happens After I Make My Request?
Subsequently submitting a request, the FOIA will traditionally transport you a letter acknowledging they received the asking. They may besides provide a tracking number for the public records military request.
Related Article: How to Check If Someone is Navy SEAL
The U.S. Military by and large processes your request, searches for public records, then determines what (if any) information they are able to disclose. A simple name verification is usually no problem at all.
However, information technology does accept some time to exercise a war machine lookup by name which makes FOIA requests non the fastest ways for proof of armed forces service online.
There is no initial fee required to submit an FOIA request. However, charges may apply in particular circumstances. In general, an FOIA asking will cost goose egg if the search takes less than two hours, and less than 100 pages demand to get duplicated. You may include in your request alphabetic character how much you are willing to pay in fees, if anything.
The U.South. Military processes requests in the lodge they were received. A simple request, that is i of merely a few pages of requested documents, usually takes a shorter amount of response fourth dimension compared to detailed requests.
All in all, you're looking at about 4 – 8 weeks to receive a response to your FOIA request.
For more information regarding the Liberty of Information Human action (FOIA), please visit this oftentimes asked questions page.
#three – Search The National Personnel Records Middle
The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) is located in St. Louis, Missouri. For those that are not able to attend NPRC in-person, the national athenaeum are also available to request online.
The repository contains millions of war machine personnel, wellness, and medical records of discharged as well as deceased veterans of all services during the 20th century.
According to the website, records that were prior to WWI are located in Washington, D.C.
NPRC also hosts medical treatment records related to retirees from all services, and records for dependent and other persons treated at naval medical facilities. The site is provided to anyone that would like more information regarding military personnel, medical, or health records.
The information is made bachelor upon written request to the National Personnel Records Center.
How To Asking Military Records From The NPRC
- Step 1: Visit the National Personnel Records Eye official website.
- Pace 2: Download and print a copy of the SF-180.
- Step 3: Fill out the form SF-180.
- Step 4: Mail the grade SF-180 to the National Personnel Records Center. (Address beneath, curl down a bit)
- Step 5: Wait for a response from the NPRC regarding the status of the request. Later 10 days file an Online Status Update Request grade.
An alternative to filling out and mailing a grade SF-180 is to simply write a letter of asking to the NPRC.
The alphabetic character does not need to be long, just only outline as many specifics most the asking you lot are seeking.
Try to include as much of the following info as possible:
- Veterans complete name while he / she served
- Social Security Number
- Branch of the military he / she claimed to serve in
- Relative dates of service
- Date of birth of the person whose information you're requesting
- Place of birth of the person whose information you're requesting
Then, y'all need to sign and date the letter.
The mailing address for written request messages or form SF-180 is:
National Personnel Records Middle
1 Athenaeum Drive
St. Louis, Missouri
63138
The NPRC asks individuals that brand a request to the archives wait at to the lowest degree 10 days before following upwards with the center. It takes fourth dimension for the NPRC to receive and procedure your request given their workload.
You may check the condition of your request past using the Online Condition Update Request class. Y'all may besides contact the NPRC directly through a toll free telephone number: 1-866-272-6272.
The National Personnel Records Center is open Mon through Friday, 8 am to iv pm, CST. The national archives are airtight on weekends and Federal holidays.
In club to contact the NPRC for more data, please phone call 314-801-0800. The FAX number to the center is 314-801-9195.
It reports that peak calling fourth dimension occur between x am and 3 pm CST, Monday-Fri. Staff is available for phone inquires M-F from vii am to 5 pm, CST.
#iv – Ask to come across his or her DD-214 or military ID card
Some other way to find out if someone is a veteran or non is to ask him or her for a copy of their DD-214.
The DD Form 214, or DD-214, is a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. It is provided to every service member of the U.S. Military upon discharge.
The document is provided by the U.s.a. Department of Defense and is presented to the service fellow member when he or she retirees, gets separated, or discharged from agile duty in the U.Due south. Armed forces.
It includes every branch of the U.Southward. Armed services including the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy.
A DD-214 is available in 2 dissimilar versions for review. The "short" version, or redacted copy, provides basic information like the nature and blazon of belch, as well every bit a re-enlistment lawmaking.
The Fellow member Copy four, or "long" version of a DD-214 contains far more information that details the type of service also as reason for separation. The U.S. Military only provides one copy of this form, and offers no replacement copies.
For authentication purposes, a legitimate DD-214 can prove that someone did in fact serve in the U.S. Military. However, you need to ask the individual straight for this documentation.
Furthermore, it is non always crystal clear to the untrained centre to notice the difference between a legitimate DD-214 and one that has been falsely created.
For this reason checking a DD-214 is usually not your best option for doing a free military background check.
Here are some common errors of DD-214 copies that are false, or doctored up:
- Grammatical Errors: There are spelling or typo errors. Official government records should never contain these errors.
- Discrepancies: There are discrepancies between type of service and schooling or training received. For instance, a U.Southward. Army Ranger should have attended Ranger Schoolhouse.
- Service Dates: Double check service dates on the course with the person's memory. A legitimate service fellow member should accept no trouble reciting the dates of his or her time in service quickly and accurately. Whatsoever delays in verifying the data on a DD-214 by spoken word is a major red flag.
- Verify the reason for discharge: Once again the Armed Forces member should have no problem providing a clear and accurate reason compared to the DD-214.
- Official Verification: Request that the person also verify the DD-214 by getting an official record from the National Archives in St. Louis. It takes some time, just is the all-time way to verify that the DD-214 is in fact legitimate.
If you accept questions or concerned most the DD-214, you may also request to see the military ID card or Veteran ID card of the individual.
#5 – Search For Claimed Citation Medals
There are better ways to verify the authenticity of someone that claims they served in the U.S. Armed Forces, however, if you want a quick and like shooting fish in a barrel style to conduct a complimentary armed forces groundwork check it is worth a shot.
For those service members that claim they received citation medals such as a Purple Center or Argent Star, there are bachelor databases online that can verify this information.
Medal of Honor
The official database of Medal of Honour recipients is available at: http://world wide web.cmohs.org/recipient-archive.php
You may search the full annal or narrow down a search based on categories like recently added, living recipients, recently departed, or double recipients.
Purple Heart
Go a full list of Imperial Heart recipients by visiting the official database: https://www.thepurpleheart.com/
You tin can search for a recipient by proper noun, as well as discover out info like:
- The conflict the person was involved in
- What branch of service they served in
- Hometown city and country
Information technology is important to note the website notes that the list of recipients is not entirely complete, so information regarding the military laurels is non 100% verifiable.
Other Armed services Awards
Still hitting out with your proof of war machine service online? You should visit this database for one terminal military lookup by name:
https://valor.militarytimes.com/avant-garde-search
The detailed search form has custom fields for first name, last name, conflict, honor blazon, military branch, and rank.
#6 – Utilize An Online Military Background Check Service
The practiced news about online armed services groundwork cheque services is that they provide very detailed, quick, and authentic information. The biggest flaw is that they cost coin to use the service.
So you lot need to decide if finding proof of armed forces service online is that important to you or not.
Online armed services background checks can get you most instant results which is smashing in certain situations, such as a blind date where someone needs to find out quickly if the person they are seeing is being 18-carat or already lying to their confront.
TruthFinder.com
TruthFinder.com is one of the most well known groundwork checks on the web. The website advertises that they do a people search that includes a dark spider web browse. Information technology also checks for public records.
Though you are very likely to find the war machine background you are seeking through TruthFinder.com, you will demand to pay a fee for its services. In order to begin a search, create a new business relationship and sign up for a subscription.
BeenVerified.com
Another highly reputable online background service to consider, BeenVerified.com also charges a fee for its services.
There are a number of dissimilar ways to do a military lookup by name, or even accost or phone number. Been Verified advertises that people have used their services for over 7 meg downloads.
PeopleFinders.com
PeopleFinder.com is some other online people search that tin go y'all access to military records that are available for public use.
Similar the other services it produces results in a matter of minutes, making it extremely convenient. You will accept to pay, but for those that demand quick and accurate results – information technology is very reliable.
Frequently Asked Questions – Proof of Armed forces Service Online
Hither are your answers to some other questions frequently asked nigh free military machine background check and military lookup by proper noun services:
Is there an online database of military members I can search?
Unfortunately, at that place is no specific database that exists on the web as a people search only for members of the military. It is actually a slap-up idea for verification purposes, but every bit of now no such matter exists.
I'm a veteran. How can I bear witness my military service to a potential employer?
There are many different ways that you can prove your military service to potential employers every bit well as to receive government benefits. The all-time way is to provide a DD-214 to the employer.
Y'all may asking additional documentation past contacting the National Archives. In sure cases, a military ID may be sufficient enough for an employer. In general though, a DD-214 is the most suitable.
Are at that place any free military background check services?
No, unfortunately at that place are no free war machine background check services. The best online background checks toll a fee and could help recover military records, if any prove upward in public tape searches. Nonetheless, in that location is no free service dedicated 100 per centum to military checks.
Are military service records public?
Short answer, yeah AND no. Information technology all depends on when the service member served. For example, you can admission the military records of anyone who served 62 years or more agone. However, you cannot access the military records of anyone prior to that.
How tin I verify military machine service?
You take several options, including using the DFAS website, making a FOIA asking, or searching the NPRC files. All of these options are discussed in thorough detail above.
Is faking military service a law-breaking?
The Stolen Valor Deed of 2013, which has been hotly contested in the top Us courts, makes it a federal crime to merits certain military awards, commendations, or medals, in return for personal or fiscal gain.
What is a DD214?
A DD214 is an official document that is issued to a service-member upon completion of their service. It lists things like the engagement they entered service, what their ultimate rank was, schools they attended, and awards received.
Where are armed services records kept?
All armed services records are kept at the National Personnel Records Center (or NPRC), which is located in St. Louis, Missouri.
Conclusion
There are many means to check to see if someone was in the war machine. Some may takes days or weeks to get verified. Others, like online groundwork checks, may produce results in minutes notwithstanding cost a fee.
Regardless, it is important for employers to confirm military service, or for someone like a pregnant other that wants to make sure someone is not lying to them.
Perchance in the future the US authorities volition provide a free publicly searchable database of everyone who has served or is currently serving in the US military online.
It would certainly make verifying prior military service way quicker, equally well as salvage the authorities time and coin processing FOIA requests.
Until that point, nosotros'll take to rely on the military records provided by the methods listed above.
- Author
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Rob Five. is the founder of OperationMilitaryKids.org. While he never actually served in the US Military, he has a passion for writing almost military related topics.
Born and raised in Woodbridge, NJ, he graduated from the New Bailiwick of jersey Institute Of Technology with an MBA in eCommerce.His hobbies include beach volleyball, target shooting, and lifting.
Rob is besides a Commercially rated pilot and Certified Flying Instructor (CFI), with over one,500 hours of flight time.
Chapter Disclosure: This post may comprise affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no actress cost to yous. I only recommend products I have personally vetted. Acquire more.
Source: https://www.operationmilitarykids.org/verify-military-service/#:~:text=National%20Personnel%20Records%20Center,-1%20Archives%20Drive&text=You%20may%20check%20the%20status,am%20to%204%20pm%2C%20CST.
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