The DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, generally referred to as a "DD 214", is a document of the United States Department of Defense, issued upon a military service member's retirement, separation, or discharge from active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States.

What is a DD 214 used for?

What is a DD214? The Defense Department issues to each veteran a DD-214, identifying the veteran's condition of discharge - honorable, general, other than honorable, dishonorable or bad conduct. You can find a sample DD-214 which can help you determine if a veteran served in armed combat HERE.

Is a DD214 an honorable discharge?

The DD214 provides proof of service and, in most cases, proof of honorable discharge from the military. Having this information in hand is essential if you want to take advantage of a range of benefits and services only available to veterans.

What qualifies you for a DD 214?

Only regular Air Force, or active duty members, will receive a DD Form 214 prior to separating. ... The DD Form 214 captures certain qualifying periods of continuous active-duty service accomplished by a Guard or Reserve member, from the start date of an active-duty order through the release date.

What does DD 214 mean in the military?

Form DD-214 contains separation/discharge information which can be used by employers for screening veterans, determining eligibility of VA benefits and reenlistment.

Explaining the DD214

28 related questions found

Where does my DD214 say honorable?

Most individuals and employers want to see an Honorable Discharge indicated in line 24's Character of Service in the DD 214. This type of discharge also is key to being eligible for a host of veteran's benefits provided by federal, state and sometimes even local governments.

What are the benefits of a DD214?

Information Included on Form DD214

The DD 214 is essential for verifying service and determining eligibility for benefits such as VA disability compensation, medical treatment, and retirement services. Veterans also use the DD 214 to verify service and skills for future employment or reenlisting in the military.

How much does it cost to get your DD214?

Generally there is no charge for basic military personnel and medical record information provided to veterans, next of kin and authorized representatives from Federal (non-archival) records. Some companies advertise DD Form 214 research services and will charge a fee for obtaining copies.

How long do it take to get a DD214 after being discharged?

If you are the next of kin of a deceased veteran, you must provide proof of death of the veteran such as a copy of death certificate, letter from funeral home, or published obituary. DD-214s can be requested either on-line or by mail. You will receive your DD-214 from the Archives in about about three to four weeks.

How do I get my DD 256?

Contact the headquarters of your service branch to request your DD 256 or place an order through the eVetRecs System at the National Archives website. When you create and file an online Standard Form 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records, you will be given a list of forms to choose from.

What are the 5 types of military discharges?

A List Of Military Discharges

• Honorable discharge.
• General Discharge Under Honorable Conditions.
• Other Than Honorable (OTH) discharge.
• Bad Conduct discharge (issued by special court-martial or general court-martial)
• Dishonorable discharge.
• Entry-level Separation.
• Medical Separation.

How do I know if I was honorably discharged?

Your discharge status appears on the separation documents that you received when you left the service. If you can't locate these documents, you can request that they be provided to you by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

How do I get my DD214 for free?

The best way to receive a copy of your DD 214 is get an eBenefits account. Go to and register. Once you have a premium account, click on the "Manage Benefits" tab, and go to the Military Personnel File (DPRIS) link to request a copy of the DD 214.

How long do you have to serve to be a veteran?

"As long as you were deployed on active duty for at least 180 days and you didn't get a dishonorable discharge or a bad conduct discharge coming off those orders, then you could be considered a veteran," said Army Sgt.

Are you still a veteran if you were dishonorably discharged?

Dishonorable discharge makes a veteran ineligible for all VA benefits. A character of service determination remains on your military record unless a discharge review board modifies the character. However, this board may only modify, correct, or change characters of service not imposed by a court-martial.

How many DD214 do you get?

DD214 Copies

Upon separation eight copies of the DD214 are created and distributed as follows: Member 1 Copy (short form) – Sent to the servicemember. Service 2 Copy (long form) – Sent to the military service (service member's records)

Can I view my DD214 online?

Most veterans and their next of kin can obtain FREE copies of their DD Form 214 (Report of Separation) via online access. To use the system, you must be a military veteran, next of kin of a deceased member of the military, or former member of the military.

Does a DD214 make you a veteran?

Am I a Veteran if I Have a DD-214? A DD-214 is a proof of discharge after being deployed under federal orders. If your discharge was due to reasons other than dishonorable, then you are considered as a veteran.

Can I get my DD214 in person?

You can request a DD214 in a number of ways, including online, in-person, or by a hardcopy written request. If you are an active service member or a veteran receiving veteran benefits, you should request your DD214 through the Veteran Affairs and Department of Defense.

Do you have to pay for a DD214?

Is there a fee to get a replacement DD214 from the National Archives? In most cases, no. If a fee is required, the National Personnel Center will let you know as soon as possible. Most veterans and their families will not have to pay a fee to get a replacement DD214.

How can I find out if someone was in the military for free?

You may also contact the NPRC directly through a toll free phone number: 1-866-272-6272. The National Personnel Records Center is open Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4 pm, CST. The national archives are closed on weekends and Federal holidays. In order to contact the NPRC for more information, please call 314-801-0800.

How do I verify military service?

Verification of Military Service

Please use the Defense Manpower Data Center's (DMDC) Military Verification service to verify if someone is in the military. The website will tell you if the person is currently serving in the military. The site is available 24-hours a day.

Is a DD214 the same as discharge papers?

The DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, generally referred to as a "DD 214", is a document of the United States Department of Defense, issued upon a military service member's retirement, separation, or discharge from active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States (i.e. U.S. Army, ...

What is the difference between a DD214 and DD215?

The government issues a corrected form, which is called the DD215. That document is exactly the same as the DD214 other than the corrections, and you can use it in the same way you use the DD214. If you want to seek a change of your dishonorable discharge status on your DD214, then you will have to appeal it.

Do reservists receive a DD 214?

Members of the Reserve Corp only receive a DD Form 214 when they served on active duty – usually after initial training, and after separating from active duty after serving at least 90 consecutive days. If you served in the Guard or Reserves, but were never activated, you may not have a DD Form 214.