DD Form 214 Copy: How to Get Military Service Records After a Veteran Dies

Why the DD Form 214 Matters After a Veteran's Death

The DD Form 214 — Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty — is a key record for verifying military service and discharge status. It is not the only way to verify eligibility: VA and the National Cemetery Scheduling Office may verify service through their records systems.

If the veteran kept the original in a safe deposit box or filing cabinet, that solves the problem immediately. Families may have trouble locating discharge papers after a death, and funeral homes or agencies may need proof of service to confirm eligibility.

Here is exactly how to get a copy — fast.

The Emergency Fax Route (Burial Pending)

When a funeral is scheduled within days, the standard request process may be too slow. For a burial outside a VA national cemetery, the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) accepts urgent burial requests by fax. For a VA national cemetery burial, call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office; it works with VA to verify service.

Step 1: Download Standard Form 180 (SF-180) from the National Archives website. Fill it out completely — you need the veteran's full legal name, Social Security number, branch of service, approximate dates of service, and date of birth.

Step 2: Fax the completed and signed SF-180, including the next of kin's signature, with proof of death to 314-801-0764. In the Purpose section of the cover sheet, write "Emergency Request - Funeral on [Date]" and mark it "ATTN: URGENT BURIAL."

Step 3: For help submitting the request, call NPRC customer service at 314-801-0800. Processing time depends on the available records and request details.

This route is for burials outside VA national cemeteries when the funeral home needs service records to confirm eligibility or coordinate military honors.

The National Cemetery Shortcut

If the veteran is being interred in a VA national cemetery, you can skip the SF-180 entirely. Call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117. The scheduling staff can verify the veteran's service eligibility electronically by working directly with the National Archives records system — no physical DD-214 needed.

The scheduling office can verify eligibility without waiting for a mailed DD-214. Processing time and available burial dates depend on the case and cemetery.

The Standard eVetRecs Route (No Urgency)

When the immediate funeral is handled and you need the DD-214 for long-term benefit claims — DIC, Survivors Pension, education benefits — the online eVetRecs system is the simplest option.

Go to the National Archives eVetRecs page and submit your request electronically. You will need:

• The veteran's full name and Social Security number
• Branch of service and approximate service dates
• Your relationship to the veteran
• A signature (the system accepts electronic signatures from next of kin)

Processing time depends on the records available and the volume of requests. NPRC provides copies of available records; it may need additional time to reconstruct records affected by the 1973 fire.

What If the Records Were Destroyed?

A 1973 fire at the NPRC facility destroyed approximately 16–18 million military personnel files, primarily Army records from 1912 to 1964 and Air Force records from 1947 to 1964. If your veteran served during those years, the original DD-214 may not exist.

The NPRC reconstructs records using alternative sources — Surgeon General's Office records, organizational morning reports, pay records, and state adjutant general records. Request a reconstruction through the same SF-180 process. Note "1973 fire — requesting reconstruction" in the remarks section.

Reconstructed records take longer, but the VA accepts them for benefit eligibility determinations.

Who Can Request the Records?

Next of kin — surviving spouse, children, parents, and siblings — can request a deceased veteran's DD Form 214, subject to the access rules for the record. The general public can access DD-214s for veterans separated 62 or more years ago (a rolling window).

For records less than 62 years old, access to unredacted copies is restricted. A next-of-kin request generally needs proof of death and proof of relationship, such as a death certificate and marriage or birth certificate.

Organizing the Records for Benefit Claims

Once you have the DD-214, keep a copy for your records and provide a copy where an agency requests service documentation. You may also use other discharge or service records when accepted by the agency. Potential uses include:

• VA burial benefit applications (VA Form 21P-530EZ)
• DIC or Survivors Pension claims (VA Form 21P-534EZ)
• CHAMPVA enrollment (VA Form 10-10d)
• Life insurance claims (SGLI/VGLI)
• State veteran benefits (property tax exemptions, tuition waivers)
• Social Security survivor benefit coordination

The Veteran's Death Benefits & Survivor Claims toolkit includes a Document Organizer Checklist that tracks which agencies have received copies and which are still pending — so nothing falls through the cracks during the weeks when grief makes paperwork feel impossible.

Key Contacts

Getting the DD-214 sorted early clears the path for every survivor benefit claim that follows. If you are managing multiple agencies, forms, and deadlines simultaneously, the complete survivor claims toolkit walks through each step in the order it needs to happen.