The DD214 - What if I lost it?
The DD214 - The Vet’s Golden Ticket… what if I lost it?
In school, you get a transcript. In the military you get a DD214.
The DD214 indicates everything that a service member has done in their time with the U.S. military, all the schools attended, deployments completed, accomplishments and locations served… Your V.A. benefits all require your DD214.
But what if you lost your DD214?
When you are in the service, it’s always easy to re-print paperwork (well… sort of… but that’s a different gripe session for those of us who had our time with the S1)... but did you know that you could request a new DD214 from the National Archives?
Spc. Ashley Lubo confers with Transition Leads Patricia Sierra (left) and Bertha Dennis during unit mobilization/demobilization processes in the transition section at Fort Bliss, Texas. The transition section is responsible for ensuring accuracy and authentication for National Guard and Reserve Soldiers’ DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, and other critical documents prior to their return to home station. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Sgt. Christopher A. Hernandez/ Mobilization and Deployment Brigade, DPTMS Fort Bliss)
Requiesting a new DD214
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Requiesting a new DD214 -
First of all, if you are in Harris County, we (Harris County Veterans Services Department) help veterans request their DD214 for free, so that is the easiest solution.
However if you are outside of Harris County, one of the most universal ways for veterans and surviving family members requesting a DD214 is through the U.S. National Archives [https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records].
Using the form SF180 to request a DD214 is actually not too hard, but it requires patience and potentially some know-how. If you can, request a letter of benefits from the VA (honorable discharge) with dates and time frames that you served will make the process easier.
Family members can also request a DD214 for a veteran, but typically this requires information such as their name / date of birth / social security number / birthplace / locations served / branch of service, etc. The more information the better so the staff at the national archives can do their job easier.
Like many government processes, a DD214 request will take some time. We have had veterans who wait for 6-8 months before they receive their documentation (as of early 2022).
A sample DD214.
So I have my DD214, what now?
If you have your DD214, it’s best to ensure that you never ever ever have to go through a multi-month timeframe to wait for federal government employees to find it for you. Consider the following:
Make multiple copies of your DD214
Tell your spouse / family where to find the DD214
File your DD214 with the county courthouse ( https://www.cclerk.hctx.net/PersonalRecords.aspx#FeeSchedule )
And that’s it! Of course, as we said at the beginning, we are your easy solution if you are in Harris County, so send us an email or give us a call if you need help!
-Harris County VSD
281-876-6600