How do I find someone that was in the army?

How to Locate U.S. Military Personnel and Veterans
  1. By phone at 1-877-272-7337.
  2. Through an online request (You'll first need to create an account.)
  3. Using its Hero Care app on your mobile device.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on usa.gov


Can you look up past soldiers?

You can find veterans' military service records from World War I to the present from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC). The NPRC houses many types of records, including Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF).
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on usa.gov


Are military records public?

If the Veteran was discharged more than 62 years ago, you can order a copy of their military records. The National Archives opens all records to the public 62 years after discharge. If the Veteran was discharged less than 62 years ago, you may be able to request limited information from their Military Personnel File.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on va.gov


How do I look up someone's military record?

FOIA and the Privacy Act. To request any part of an official military personnel file, you'll need to send a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on veteran.com


Can you look up someone in the US Army?

Find Active Duty Military Personnel. The quickest way to find someone in the military is to visit the official Servicemembers Civil Relief Act website. The form can be used to request a certificate that verifies active duty status on a specified date.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on einvestigator.com


Finding Someone in the Military



How do I get my military service records online?

Recent military service and medical records are not online. However, most veterans and their next of kin can obtain free copies of their DD Form 214 (Report of Separation) and the following military service records any of the ways listed below.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on archives.gov


How do I find a ww2 veteran?

Contact organizations like the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, or American Ex-Prisoners of War to ask for a vetera's application, or to find people who might have known your veteran. VFW applications include a copy of the discharge papers form DD-214.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on familysearch.org


Where are military records stored?

If you've been discharged from military service, your personnel files are stored here at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). We are the official repository for records of military personnel who have been discharged from the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on archives.gov


How can I find my dad's military photo?

The most likely source for images would be the Soldiers' Individual Service Records file. The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) is the official repository for such records.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on usawc.libanswers.com


How can I find my father's ww2 service record?

Visit the GOV.UK website for information about how to request a summary of a service record from the Ministry of Defence (MOD). These are available to next of kin and members of the general public on request to the MOD, provided the subject is no longer living. An administrative fee applies.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on nationalarchives.gov.uk


How long are military records sealed?

* Military personnel records are open to the public 62 years after the service member's separation from the military. (To calculate this, take the current year and subtract 62.)
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on archives.gov


Can you check if someone was honorably discharged?

Discharge status ranges from honorable - this covers most veterans - to bad conduct and dishonorable discharges, which can indicate serious problems. The simplest way to find out discharge status is to ask a prospective employee for their military discharge records.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on work.chron.com


How do I find my ancestry military records?

From any page on Ancestry®, search all military records by clicking the Search tab and selecting Military. If your search results contain more records than are helpful, try adding information to your search one field at a time until you get results you can use.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on support.ancestry.com


How do I trace WW2 Army records?

To get started with searching for World War Two records, the best place to start is the CWGC casualty database. This contains commemoration details about every identified WW2 casualty, and can give you a lot of additional information, such as rank, regiment and honours.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on cwgc.org


How do I find someone in the military for free?

How to Locate U.S. Military Personnel and Veterans
  1. By phone at 1-877-272-7337.
  2. Through an online request (You'll first need to create an account.)
  3. Using its Hero Care app on your mobile device.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on usa.gov


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

Step 1: Visit the National Personnel Records Center official website. Step 2: Download and print a copy of the SF-180. Step 3: Fill out the form SF-180. Step 5: Wait for a response from the NPRC regarding the status of the request.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on operationmilitarykids.org


Can grandchildren request military records?

All requests must be signed and dated by the veteran or next-of-kin. 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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on wral.com


How many years do you have to serve to be a veteran?

"Anyone who has reached 20 years of service, even if they were never activated on a [federal] order for more than 180 days outside of training, will now be considered a veteran," he said. The change in law, said Krenz, simply recognizes those who serve.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on army.mil


What is a DD-214?

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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on dd214.us


Can I view my DD-214 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.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on northampton.edu


Are WW2 service records available?

Unfortunately, all official 'Service Records' for WW2 personnel are still restricted and only held by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) as they are still protected under the UK Data Protection Act and the MOD's own Policies.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on forces-war-records.co.uk


Does Family Search have military records?

FamilySearch has two main record collections for military cemetery records. One is for the period 1925–1949, and the other is for 1879–1903.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on familysearch.org


Is military service number Same as SSN?

Since that time, social security numbers have become the de facto military service number for United States armed forces personnel.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on en.wikipedia.org


How do I trace my family military history?

Start by gathering information from mementoes, medals, letters and documents that you or other family members may still have. Look for clues about which units the person served with, what ranks they held and their service number, to help you find and search the right records.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on iwm.org.uk
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