Your military records are the foundation of every VA benefits claim. Without your DD-214, Service Treatment Records, and personnel file, the VA cannot verify your service or connect your injuries to your military duty. This guide explains every type of military record that exists, where it's stored, how to request it — by mail using Standard Form 180 (SF-180) or online at vetrecs.archives.gov — and what to do when records have been lost or destroyed.
The term "military records" covers a broad range of documents accumulated during a service member's career. Understanding which record you need — and which agency holds it — is the first step to getting it efficiently.
Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Primary proof of service. Held by NPRC and accessible via eBenefits or vetrecs.archives.gov.
Medical records created during military service. Held by NPRC for most veterans. Recent separations (post-2012) may still be held by the service branch.
Official Military Personnel File — includes assignments, evaluations, awards, and promotions. Held by NPRC.
If you received care at a VA facility after separation, those records are held by the VA — not NPRC. Request via MyHealtheVet or your VA medical center.
MOS training, school records, and specialty qualifications. Held by individual branch records centers (e.g., Army HRC, AFPC for Air Force, HQMC for Marines).
National Guard discharge document — the Guard equivalent of the DD-214. Held by the state Adjutant General's office, not NPRC.
Most veterans will need their DD-214, STRs, and personnel records for a VA disability claim. The VA uses STRs to establish an in-service event or injury — one of the three required elements of service connection. Without them, your claim rests entirely on lay evidence and a nexus letter, which is a harder evidentiary hill to climb.
The National Personnel Records Center is the primary repository for military service records in the United States. Operated by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the NPRC holds tens of millions of records for veterans from all five branches dating back to World War I.
Physical address:
National Personnel Records Center
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis, MO 63138
Phone: 314-801-0800
Toll-free: 1-866-272-6772
Online request portal: vetrecs.archives.gov
The NPRC does not process walk-in requests. All requests must be submitted online or by mail. If you call, staff can answer questions about your request status but cannot process new requests over the phone.
If you're filing a VA disability claim, request your records from NPRC before submitting your VA claim. The VA will request them on your behalf, but having them in hand speeds up the rating process and gives you a chance to review them for errors that could hurt your claim.
The fastest and most efficient way to request military records is through eVetRecs, NARA's online records request system at vetrecs.archives.gov. This is the officially recommended method for most veterans.
Visit vetrecs.archives.gov and create a free account using your email address. You'll verify your identity with basic personal information.
Provide your full name (including any name changes), date of birth, Social Security number, branch of service, and approximate service dates. Accuracy here directly affects processing speed — even minor discrepancies can trigger manual review.
eVetRecs lets you choose from DD-214, Service Treatment Records, complete service record, or specific documents. If you're not sure, select "complete service record" to cast a wide net — though this may increase processing time.
Electronic delivery (PDF to your account) is fastest. Certified mail is available for official hard copies. For VA claims, PDF delivery is fully acceptable.
Write down your confirmation number. You can use it to check request status. Standard DD-214 requests are typically fulfilled in 1–3 business days. Other records may take several weeks.
Veterans who separated after approximately 2000 will often have digital records available almost immediately. Older records (especially pre-1980) may require archivists to pull physical files, adding days or weeks to processing.
Standard Form 180 (SF-180) — officially titled "Request Pertaining to Military Records" — is the paper-based alternative to eVetRecs. It's the right choice for veterans who don't have internet access or who need an attorney or fiduciary to submit the request on their behalf with proper authorization.
The form is available for download on the National Archives website or you can use our pre-filled SF-180 tool at claim.vet/tools/sf180-request/ to fill it out correctly and generate a ready-to-mail PDF.
Completed SF-180 forms should be mailed to:
National Personnel Records Center
Military Personnel Records
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis, MO 63138
Send via USPS certified mail with return receipt requested so you have proof of delivery. Processing time for SF-180 requests is typically 10 or more weeks, significantly longer than the online method.
The SF-180 has three sections. Completing them accurately is critical — incomplete forms are returned, adding weeks to your wait.
Check every box that applies to your needs. For a VA disability claim, you should typically request:
Don't be shy about checking multiple boxes. The NPRC will provide everything they have in their holdings that matches your request.
Provide your full legal name, any alternate names used during service (maiden name, previous legal name), your Social Security number, date and place of birth, branch of service, and dates of service entry and separation. If you served multiple enlistments, note each period separately.
Provide the address where records should be mailed. If you are an authorized representative requesting records on behalf of a veteran, provide your own address and attach the appropriate authorization (power of attorney or VA Form 21-22).
Missing signature (the form must be signed and dated by the veteran or authorized representative); incorrect SSN or service dates; no return address; failure to specify which records are needed. Any of these will result in your form being returned unprocessed.
On July 12, 1973, a catastrophic fire broke out in the NPRC's records storage building in St. Louis, Missouri. The fire — believed to be caused by spontaneous combustion — destroyed an estimated 16 to 18 million military personnel records. The building had no sprinkler system, and firefighting efforts were hampered by the tightly packed paper records. The damage was irreversible.
The records most severely affected were:
Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard records were held in a separate building and were not affected by the fire.
The destruction of your records does not disqualify you from VA benefits. The NPRC and VA have established processes for reconstruction using what are called "Alternate Records." These include:
If your records were destroyed in the 1973 fire, your VA claims process will require submitting VA Form 21-4142a (Authorization to Disclose Information to the Department of Veterans Affairs) to authorize the VA to request records from non-VA federal sources — including the National Archives, the service branch records centers, and state adjutant general offices. This form is submitted alongside your disability claim.
When official records are destroyed or missing, lay evidence from fellow service members (called "buddy statements" or lay statements, submitted on VA Form 21-10210) can help establish key facts: that you served in a specific unit, were present during a specific event, or exhibited symptoms of a condition during service. These are not substitutes for medical evidence, but they can corroborate your account of service events.
Unit histories and command diaries — available through the National Archives — may document operations, engagements, or environmental exposures relevant to your claim. A DD-214 decoded guide can help you identify which boxes on your discharge document may contain clues about your unit assignments.
When submitting a claim with reconstructed records, always include a cover letter explaining the 1973 fire and identifying which records were destroyed. VA rating officers are familiar with this situation, but flagging it proactively helps ensure your file gets proper attention from the start.
Your Service Treatment Records (STRs) are arguably the most important documents in a VA disability claim. They document every sick call, hospitalization, injury, and medical complaint recorded during your time in service. VA raters use STRs to look for in-service events that match your current claimed conditions.
For service connection, the VA requires three elements:
Your STRs are the primary source for establishing element #2. If your STRs note that you complained of knee pain during service, slipped a disc during training, or were treated for hearing loss after a blast exposure, those entries are the evidentiary backbone of your service connection argument.
These are two completely separate record sets, held by two separate systems:
For your disability claim, you need both. VA treatment records after separation provide "current evidence" of your disability. STRs provide the in-service nexus. Together, they build the medical record bridge the VA needs to grant service connection.
It's common for STRs to be incomplete, especially for veterans who served before electronic record-keeping or who deployed to combat zones where records were poorly maintained. If the NPRC reports that your medical records are not in their holdings, options include:
Military records belong to the veteran. Under the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. § 552a), you have the right to access records that federal agencies maintain about you, including your complete military service record. The NPRC is required to process your request at no charge for the first hour of search time and the first 100 pages of records copied.
You do not need to explain why you want your records. You do not need a lawyer, VSO, or VA representative to request them. You simply need to submit the request with your signature and identifying information.
If you believe the NPRC is withholding records without cause, you can file a formal Privacy Act appeal through the National Archives. This is rare but available if initial requests are improperly denied.
If the veteran is deceased, an authorized next-of-kin can request military records. The relationship must be documented. The NPRC generally accepts requests from:
The SF-180 may still be used, but the form must be signed by the next-of-kin rather than the veteran, and proof of the relationship and the veteran's death (death certificate) must be attached. For records of veterans who died 75 or more years ago, records may be publicly accessible under the National Archives' general records access policies without next-of-kin documentation.
For survivors pursuing Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) or other survivor benefits, the VA will often request records directly. However, having them in hand before filing accelerates the process considerably.
| Request Method | DD-214 Only | STRs / Complete Record | Pre-1973 (Fire-Affected) |
|---|---|---|---|
| vetrecs.archives.gov (online) | 1–3 business days | 2–8 weeks | 8–16+ weeks |
| SF-180 (mail) | 4–8 weeks | 10–16+ weeks | 16–26+ weeks |
| NPRC phone request (status only) | N/A — status check only | N/A — status check only | N/A — status check only |
These are general estimates based on NPRC published guidance and veteran community experience. Processing times fluctuate with staffing levels and request volume. During high-demand periods (claims surges, major legislation like the PACT Act), times can be significantly longer.
You do not need your records in hand to file a VA disability claim. File your Intent to File (VA Form 21-0966) immediately to lock in your effective date, then request your records while the claim is being developed. Your effective date is the day you file — not the day your records arrive.
Use claim.vet to gather your evidence checklist, understand nexus requirements, and file with confidence — even before your records arrive.
Start Your Claim →The NPRC does not accept walk-in requests. All requests must be submitted via vetrecs.archives.gov or by mailing an SF-180. Expedited processing is available for urgent needs such as medical emergencies or imminent death.
You can request a correction to your DD-214 using DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) through the Board for Correction of Military Records (BCMR) for your branch. See our DD-214 explained guide for a full breakdown of every field and how to spot common errors.
Yes. The eVetRecs system is operated by the National Archives under federal security standards. Your Social Security number is encrypted in transit and is used solely for record identification.
Yes. An accredited VSO, claims agent, or attorney with a properly executed VA Form 21-22 (Appointment of Veterans Service Organization as Claimant's Representative) or VA Form 21-22a (for attorneys and claims agents) can submit requests to the NPRC on your behalf.