Military Records Request
Request military service records, personnel files, discharge papers, and related military records.
Build the request around the records job, not a vague request for “everything.”
A strong records request identifies the agency, record type, time period, and identifiers or custodians that make the records searchable. Official agencies commonly ask for practical inputs such as addresses, parcel or case numbers, dates, permit numbers, custodians, and a clear description of the records sought. This workflow turns those inputs into a structured request.
Turn the search into a request that an agency can act on.
Enter what you know, identify the records, review the generated scope, and preserve the final request. The goal is a clear, searchable description of the records you want and the information that helps the custodian find them.
Receiving files is not the same as verifying a complete production.
Preserve the original request, organize the response, and review the production for missing categories, references to records that were not produced, duplicates, identifier inconsistencies, timeline gaps, and redaction or withholding language.
Military Records Request FAQ
Answers focus on the practical search and request questions people ask before submitting a records request.
Identify the agency (NPRC, VA, or branch of service), the veteran full name, service number, and approximate dates of service.
A DD Form 214 is the certificate of release or discharge from active duty, listing service dates, rank, assignments, and characterization of service.
The veteran or next of kin generally can. Some records are available under FOIA.
Most military service records are held by the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), a division of the National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri.
Explore adjacent records searches.
Turn this search into an actual request.
Start with the objective in plain English. The workspace handles the structure.
Request military records →