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. U.S. federal law names six armed forces: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and the Coast Guard. Since 1949, all of the armed forces, except 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 department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, t ...

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 (United States) of 1966 * F ...

and

Privacy Act of 1974 Privacy (, ) is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves, and thereby express themselves selectively. The domain of privacy partially overlaps with security, which can include the concepts of ...

. 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 National Archives facilities#Federal Records Centers, federal recor ...

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)
-

National Archives and Records Administration The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States government within the executive branch, charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It is also task ...

References

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