Standard Form 180 (SF-180, the Request Pertaining to Military Records) is a one-page authorization form (plus 2 pages of instructions) of the

U.S. military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is th ...

. The form may be filled out by veterans of the U.S. military or their surviving next-of-kin to view and/or release a person's military record. The SF 180 may also be used to request a one-time replacement of Medals earned in service. The release of information is subject to restrictions imposed by

U.S. Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secu ...

regulations and the provisions of the

Freedom of Information Act Freedom of Information Act may refer to the following legislations in different jurisdictions which mandate the national government to disclose certain data to the general public upon request: * Freedom of Information Act 1982, the Australian act * ...

and

Privacy Act of 1974 The Privacy Act of 1974 (, ), a United States federal law, establishes a Code of Fair Information Practice that governs the collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of personally identifiable information about individuals that is maintained ...

. You can obtain your military records from the

National Personnel Records Center The National Personnel Records Center(s) (NPRC) is an agency of the National Archives and Records Administration, created in 1966. It is part of the United States National Archives federal records center system and is divided into two large Federa ...

or the military if you were discharged recently. You may also find private researchers who will obtain your record for a fee. The National Archives has a list of independent researchers who will undertake a personal search for you.Independent Researchers for Hire (Search the page for DD214 for specialists)
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National Archives and Records Administration The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It i ...

References

The form itself, SF-180 (PDF)
{{US-mil-stub American genealogy Military history of the United States United States military policies