Every field explained in plain English — what it means, why it matters, and how it affects your VA benefits eligibility.
Your full legal name exactly as it appears in your military service record. This is the name used to identify all your records at the National Personnel Records Center.
If you have had a legal name change since separation, your original service name still appears here. When requesting benefits, you may need to provide documentation linking your current name to your service name.
Identifies which branch of the U.S. Armed Forces you served in, and whether you were Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard.
Why it matters: Different branches have different records-keeping systems and benefit structures. The VA uses this to verify your service and route your claims appropriately.
Your Social Security Number as it appeared in your military records. Used by the VA and National Archives to uniquely identify your service record.
⚠️ Privacy Warning: Your DD-214 contains your full SSN. Do not share photos or scans of your DD-214 publicly — it can lead to identity theft. When agencies ask for proof of service, ask if they accept a redacted copy (the "Member 4" copy often has the SSN partially masked).
Your military rank or rating at the time you separated. This appears as both the full title (e.g., "Sergeant") and the abbreviation (e.g., "SGT").
Why it matters: Higher rank generally means higher retirement pay if you qualify for retirement benefits. It also affects your VA disability compensation base rates and helps establish credibility in civilian job applications.
Your pay grade at separation (e.g., E-5, O-3, W-2). Enlisted grades run E-1 to E-9; Warrant Officers are W-1 to W-5; Officers are O-1 to O-10.
Why it matters: Pay grade affects retirement calculations, VA dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) for surviving family members, and civilian federal hiring preferences. It also tells employers roughly where you were in the military hierarchy.
Your date of birth as recorded in your official military record. Along with your SSN (Box 3) and name (Box 1), this is used to verify your identity when requesting records or filing VA claims.
The date your military service obligation — including any required time in the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR) — ends. Most enlistment contracts include an 8-year total obligation, even if active service was shorter.
Until this date, you can theoretically be recalled to active duty. After this date, the obligation is fully discharged.
The Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) or other location where you formally entered active military service. Typically a city and state (e.g., "Fort Sam Houston, TX").
Used for records verification and state veterans' benefits — some states base eligibility partly on entry location.
The permanent home address you provided when you entered service. Important for determining which state's veterans' benefits programs you may be eligible for, particularly if you served in a different state from where you currently live.
Your final unit assignment and major command (e.g., "1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, KS" or "USS Enterprise, CVN-65"). This establishes context for your final period of service.
Useful for establishing combat deployment history and connecting with unit-specific veterans' organizations.
The military installation where you were officially separated from service. This is where your discharge paperwork was processed. May differ from your last duty assignment (Box 8a) if you were administratively separated at a different location.
If you transferred into the reserves after active duty, this box shows the reserve unit. Many veterans are transferred to the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR) without formally joining a drilling unit.
May be blank if you fully discharged from all military service obligations.
The amount of SGLI coverage you had at separation. Maximum was $400,000 for most separating service members.
Important: SGLI coverage ends 120 days after separation unless you convert to Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI). If you've recently separated, check your VGLI eligibility immediately — you have a 1-year window to apply without a health exam.
Your primary Military Occupational Specialty (Army/Marines), Air Force Specialty Code, Navy Enlisted Classification, or Coast Guard rate. This is your military job title and code.
Why it matters for benefits: Your MOS can establish your exposure history for disability claims (e.g., combat MOS, chemical units, aviation). It also directly maps to civilian careers.
🔍 Translate Your MOS to Civilian Jobs →The exact date you entered active duty for this particular period of service. Veterans who re-enlisted or had breaks in service may have multiple DD-214s, each with its own entry date.
The official date you were separated, discharged, released, or retired from active duty for this period. Combined with Box 12a, this calculates your total service time for this period.
Shown as years, months, and days (e.g., "03 06 15" = 3 years, 6 months, 15 days). This is the total active duty time for this period.
Generally qualifies you for most VA benefits including disability compensation, VA home loan guarantee, GI Bill education benefits, and VA healthcare.
You may still qualify if you were discharged due to service-connected disability, hardship, early out/RIF, or if you served during certain wartime periods. Check VA eligibility rules.
Cumulative active duty time from all periods of service before this DD-214. If this is your only DD-214 (or your first enlistment), this may show zeros.
Add this to Box 12c to get your total lifetime active duty service for VA eligibility calculations.
Cumulative inactive service (Reserves, IRR, or National Guard) from all previous periods. Generally does not count toward the 24-month active duty threshold for VA benefits but may count toward retirement points.
Total time served outside the continental United States (OCONUS), shown in years, months, and days.
Foreign service in certain locations creates presumptive eligibility for specific conditions. Vietnam-era service (with herbicide exposure), Southwest Asia service, and certain other locations trigger VA presumptive disability ratings without requiring proof of a specific incident.
If you served in Vietnam, Korea (Korean DMZ era), Southwest Asia, or other designated locations, your foreign service time combined with your MOS (Box 11) and deployment dates can significantly strengthen disability claims.
⚖️ Check PACT Act Eligibility →A complete list of all military awards, decorations, badges, and service ribbons you received during this period of service.
Awards such as the Purple Heart, Combat Action Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, Air Medal, or campaign medals can corroborate combat exposure and support PTSD, TBI, and other disability claims. List them explicitly when filing with the VA.
If awards are missing, you can request a correction through the National Personnel Records Center or your branch's awards office.
All formal military training courses and schools you completed during this period, including duration and location.
College credit: Many military training courses have been evaluated by the American Council on Education (ACE) for college credit equivalency. Visit ACE Military Guide (acenet.edu/military) to see how your courses translate. Many veterans receive 30+ college credits from military training alone.
This information also strengthens job applications in technical fields — military training is rigorous and directly transferable.
Box 15a indicates whether you contributed to VEAP (the predecessor to the modern GI Bill, for veterans who served 1977–1985). Box 15b shows whether you requested that a copy of your DD-214 be sent to your state's approving agency.
Most veterans today are under Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill) or Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill) rather than VEAP. If you served in the late 1970s to mid-1980s, check whether you have VEAP benefits remaining.
The number of days of unused leave (vacation days) you sold back to the military upon separation. The military pays out unused leave at your daily base pay rate, up to a maximum of 60 days per career.
If this is 0 but you had leave days saved, you may have taken terminal leave instead — using leave days before your official separation date.
Indicates whether you received a complete dental examination within 90 days before separation.
VA dental benefits tie-in: If this box shows "No" (you were NOT provided a dental exam), you may be eligible for a one-time dental treatment from the VA within 180 days of separation. This is a time-sensitive benefit — check with your local VA dental clinic immediately after separation.
A free-text field that can contain critical information about your service. This is one of the most important sections of your DD-214 for benefits purposes.
COMBAT SERVICE: Notes like "SVC IN IRAQ" or "OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM" establish combat service for certain benefits.
PTSD/TBI: Any notation of mental health treatment or traumatic brain injury supports disability claims.
INJURIES: References to in-service injuries, hospitalizations, or medical treatment create a service connection nexus.
DEPLOYMENTS: Deployment dates and locations are often listed here and cross-reference with foreign service (Box 12f).
If your remarks are blank but you believe relevant information is missing, request an amendment to your DD-214 through the Board for Correction of Military Records.
The mailing address you provided at separation. This is where benefit correspondence was initially sent. Not updated automatically if you move — always keep your VA address current through VA.gov or your regional VA office.
The name and address of your nearest relative as reported at separation. Used for emergency contact purposes and relevant if a surviving family member needs to claim benefits on your behalf.
Indicates whether you elected to have a copy of your DD-214 sent to your state's veterans' affairs office. Many states offer benefits (property tax exemptions, education benefits, hiring preferences) to veterans, and this facilitates that process.
If this is "No," you can still register your DD-214 with your county clerk or state veterans' agency at any time.
Your signature at the time of separation, acknowledging the information on the DD-214. If errors exist, signing does not waive your right to request corrections later.
If you believe information is incorrect: File a DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record) with the Board for Correction of Military Records (BCMR) for your branch.
The signature, name, grade, and title of the military official who certified your DD-214. This authenticates the document as an official government record.
The DD-214 is a legal document. Certified copies can be obtained from the National Personnel Records Center.
The administrative type of your separation from service:
Note: The type of separation (Box 23) is different from the character of service (Box 24), which determines VA benefit eligibility.
This single box determines whether you can access most VA benefits. Read it carefully.
Full access to all VA benefits: disability compensation, healthcare, GI Bill, VA home loan, pension, and more. The most common and most beneficial character of service.
Access to most VA benefits. Some restrictions may apply to specific programs. Generally treated similarly to Honorable for most claims.
Limited VA benefits. The VA conducts a "Character of Discharge" review. You may still qualify for healthcare if the OTH is related to MST, PTSD, or certain other circumstances. Upgrade is possible — particularly under liberal consideration policies for mental health.
Very limited VA benefits. BCDs result from special courts-martial. You can apply for an upgrade to the Discharge Review Board (DRB) within 15 years, or the Board for Correction of Military Records at any time.
No VA benefits. Results from general courts-martial for the most serious offenses. Appeals are possible through the BCMR, though success is rare.
The specific legal authority (usually an Army Regulation, MILPERSMAN, or AFI section) under which you were separated. For example: "AR 635-200, Chapter 14" indicates separation for misconduct.
Why it matters: The separation authority is the legal basis for your discharge and is specifically cited in discharge upgrade applications and appeals. Understanding this regulation helps you and your attorney argue whether the separation was applied correctly or unjustly.
Look up your specific regulation — many are publicly available and can reveal whether proper procedures were followed in your separation.
A 3-character code that identifies the specific reason for your separation. This code, combined with Box 24, determines your VA benefit eligibility in detail.
| Code | Meaning | VA Benefits Status |
|---|---|---|
| LBK | Completion of Required Service | ✅ Eligible |
| MBK | Completion of Required Service | ✅ Eligible |
| KBK | Completion of Required Service | ✅ Eligible |
| JFC | Unsatisfactory Performance | ⚠️ Conditional |
| JPD | Personality Disorder | ⚠️ Conditional — often upgradeable |
| JFX | Misconduct — Drug Abuse | 🚫 At Risk — consider upgrade |
| JFV | Misconduct — Drug Abuse (Urinalysis) | 🚫 At Risk — consider upgrade |
| JKK | Misconduct — Pattern of Misconduct | 🚫 At Risk — consider upgrade |
| JDG | Misconduct — Commission of Serious Offense | 🚫 At Risk — consider upgrade |
This is not a complete list. Many other SPE codes exist. If your code isn't listed, search "SPE code [your code]" or consult a VSO.
📋 Discharge Upgrade Guide →A code that indicates whether you are eligible to rejoin the military. RE codes also affect some hiring preferences and benefit applications.
Eligible to reenlist without any waiver. No restrictions on future military service.
Can reenlist with an approved waiver. Reason for waiver varies by specific RE-2 sub-code.
Requires a specific waiver to reenlist. May indicate a disqualifying condition that could be waived in some circumstances.
Generally ineligible for reenlistment. Often accompanies an OTH or misconduct discharge. Can impact certain federal hiring processes. May be changeable through the BCMR.
A plain-language description of why you were separated. This is the human-readable version of Box 26 (the SPE code). It's one of the most important boxes for discharge upgrades.
Expiration of Term of Service: Normal end of enlistment — full benefits.
Reduction in Force: Involuntary separation due to military drawdown — full benefits.
Hardship / Dependency: Separated for family hardship — generally favorable.
Medical: Service-related medical separation — creates strong disability claim basis.
Personality Disorder: Frequently misdiagnosed, especially for veterans with PTSD. The DoD's 2014 instruction requires special consideration. Many "Personality Disorder" separations have been upgraded.
PTSD (added 2017+): Since 2017, PTSD can be listed as a separation reason. If your PTSD wasn't recognized at the time, this may support an upgrade claim.
Misconduct: May limit benefits. Review with a VSO to determine if underlying mental health issues (PTSD, TBI, MST) could support an upgrade.
Commission of Serious Offense: Most serious — consult a veterans' law attorney.
Try searching by box number (e.g. "Box 24") or a keyword like "discharge" or "rank".