U.S. Military Service, FREE Copies of your Awards, Records, History and More.

[MGD1961]

Originally Posted by Jonnybow

This is all excellent info and I advise all past military members to get all of your records and use any and all benefits that are available.

I retired in 2004 and wasn't interested in any VA claims about my health, at that time there were friends who had suffered great loss in Iraq and I was pretty healthy and didn't think I deserved anything after my service to my country.

18 years later, my declining health was getting evident and I re-thought my initial feelings on VA claims and started my journey. As many of you know, the VA is a difficult agency to deal with, they don't talk to you about anything face to face and they sometimes make really bad decisions based on their "doctors" given advice.

please get some help with VA claims, from the folks at the VFW or even a lawyer if need be. Don't give up, that's what they hope you will do.
Good luck everyone and thank you for your service.

I take slight offense at the notion that “they” want you to fail.

My father was one of very few 3 war veterans and retired after 32 years of service. He then went to work as a VA councilor at TOGUS . His job was to do everything he could to say yes to disability claims and I never met anyone at that Hospital whose job it was to say no.

I don’t know who “they” are.

[cavanaugh2408]

Hello, i am very interested in obtaining my fathers military history. I have tried a couple of on line sites but no joy. I DO NOT have his DD214. I have tried useing his social security number but again no luck with that either. Is there a process by which i could obtain a copy of his DD214 ?? I would appreciate any information and help you may be able to provide. Thank you, Rick Cavanaugh

[DogMan635]

Originally Posted by cavanaugh2408

Hello, i am very interested in obtaining my fathers military history. I have tried a couple of on line sites but no joy. I DO NOT have his DD214. I have tried useing his social security number but again no luck with that either. Is there a process by which i could obtain a copy of his DD214 ?? I would appreciate any information and help you may be able to provide. Thank you, Rick Cavanaugh

Cavanaugh2408

The DD-214, is one thing every former service member should hang onto as you may have already been informed about. That said, Understand the access to military records ticket is the DD-214, or anyone could say they are related, so it makes it difficult but "MAY NOT BE IMPOSSIBLE". First, think about your father's YEARS of service, as there was a Fire in Sait Louis, MO that burned a respectable number of service member's records.

The VFW has a group within that helps veterans and family Advocacy. They may be able to help click for more info HERE It's important to understand in Sait Louis, MO is only a U.S. Military record depot center. You may need to call one of the Armed Forces branches Personnel HQ offices. But also read and pan down to view others helpful Q&A that may help Click HERE

Seeking replacement of lost Honorable Discharge Certificate HERE

You can also try "HISTORY HUB" searching for any military but you will need to sign in at the top RIGHT is a Silhouette click and ask for military history Q&A click HERE

[DogMan635]

Originally Posted by Nick Danger

I probably have a copy of every piece of paper ever created on me during my time in service. Color me crazy; but, I had a feeling I would need to prove something to someone eventually and I didn't want to count on the VA.

Nick Danger,

I read both of your posts and like you I kept everything. Not sure how long I was out of the U.S. Air Force, but only served my first enlistment. In the 90s I joined my unit Click Here after about a year of reading the post in our newsletter. I did receive two extra Awards, as the country of NAM gave all troops another service award and one from Korea, (but I was also not into keeping track as some were. Then I was never given Page 2, of my DD-214 which had codes I did not understand and called Randolph AFB HQ Personnel and learned what the new codes meant. I was also not given a copy of my military history, meaning what others had written about me. Turned out I was a good guy, the funny thing was that from 1971 to 1975 half was typed and the last part was computer-typed.

And that divorce thing, yes kept all my paperwork. Doing one better as I filed with the court and paid through the court system. One day I got a visit by a sheriff's deputy for non-payment of child support. I kept the checks and called the state where I had to pay child support and retrieved a copy. of my payments all on time and up to date. I learned the guy she left me for, left her. At that time I filed for custody and won custody. The guy she left me for was my partner and he had left her. In any case, I DO UNDERSTAND you keeping things as I did and still do. Plus 8 not 7 years of TAX records. But not doing so I'm sure as with me there were things you were not given and hey this's all 100% Government FREE and belongs to you and your grandchildren.
But Hey, Trust me I do believe in keeping your records and I can't tell you how many times it has helped me as well. But they have stuff I know you were not given during and after discharge.

And thank you all for your Military Service and more over Welcome back Home.

[CA Fisherman]

Thank you DogMan635. I used the link to request information on awards I was unaware of which I might be eligible for. My exit from Vietnam was a bit atypical and I know some things normally handled were missed. A few days later I received a letter stating I would be receiving four awards. I checked on the status yesterday and learned it is anticipated the awards will be sent to me in January or February of 2028.

[DogMan635]

I hope that everyone reading this POSTING will understand it's NOT about the VA or what the VA can or can't do for you.

This POSTING I made at the top is only about obtaining your Military Records. Some of what I got in my request was interesting and helpful. Like Page 2, of my DD-214, which had codes not shown on my issued DD-214.
All my Aways and some I had not known I earned. Then my Military history records and what was written about I had never seen prior.

So, it's NOT about the VA, It's about getting your Military RECORDS and AWARDS NOTHING MORE!