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| Larry Maggi reviews the DD214 process with his friend John Rheel, an Air Force veteran from South Strabane Township. |
As we honor those who have served in our nation’s military, it’s a great time to remind everyone of the importance of locating their
military paperwork. So, if you are a veteran, go find your DD214.
What is a DD214? It is the Certificate of Release or
Discharge from Active Duty, issued by the U.S. Department of Defense when a service
member retires, separates, or is discharged. It’s a very important document that
contains the details of your military service. It is needed when funeral
arrangements are made; when applying for veterans’ medical benefits; when
applying for assistance if the veteran or surviving spouse is admitted to a
long-term care facility; and to obtain discounts at stores and restaurants.
If you plan to have a military funeral service, you will
need a copy of your DD214 to prove that you served in the military: medals,
pictures, and old uniforms don’t count. You need the DD214. Period.
I can personally attest to this because when my father, Carl
Maggi, passed away in 2014, we couldn’t find his DD214. Instead of being able to
focus on my family and my grief, I had to spend countless hours rummaging
through papers and making phone calls to track it down. Finally, with the help
of the Washington County Veterans Office, we were able to locate the document
and give my father the proper military funeral he deserved.
I’m sure many people aren’t aware that when a veteran
passes away, this document is needed to determine eligibility:
- to obtain a burial flag;
- to request the respective branch of service for military funeral honors;
- for burial in a federal veteran’s cemetery, if desired;
- to obtain, at no charge, certified copies of a death certificate
- to apply for any county or federal burial benefits; and
- to apply for survivors’ benefits.
If the DD214 cannot
be located, you can use these options to obtain or apply for a copy:
The County Recorder of Deeds office: when the veteran
was released from service, they were advised to record a copy of their DD214
with the Recorder of Deeds office in the county they were returning to. The
Recorder of Deeds can only give this information to the veteran or, if they
have passed, to the funeral director handling the final arrangements. If this is
not possible, please contact your local veterans’ office. Below is the contact
information for a few Recorder’s offices in our area.
o
Washington County: 724-228-6806
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Allegheny County: 412-350-4299
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Greene County: 724-852-5369
o
Fayette County: 724-430-1238
Veterans service organizations in your area (i.e.,
American Legion, VFW): When applying for membership, the veteran may have had to
provide proof of military service. The organization may have a copy on file.
The National Archives: This federal department records and files DD214s. A request for a copy can be submitted by mail, fax, or online. For more information and directions, visit their website: www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records. Please keep in mind that a catastrophic fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) destroyed approximately 16 million to 18 million Official Military Personnel Files (OMPFS) on July 12, 1973. Most of the documents destroyed were Army (80 percent of the records from Nov. 1, 1912 to Jan. 1, 1960) and Air Force (75 percent of the records from Sept. 25, 1947 to Jan. 1, 1964). Visit this website for information about having a record reconstructed: https://www.va.gov/records/get-military-service-records/reconstruct-records/
These other options are great, but it would be best to have
the document in hand before the need arises. So, as soon as you have time, go
look in your file cabinet or in that box of papers under your bed to see if you
can find your DD214. If you find it, please give a copy to your funeral
director and file a copy with the Recorder of Deeds in your county. If you can't find your paperwork, start contacting these other agencies
and remember that these other options take time.
For more information, visit this link provided by the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs https://www.va.gov/records/get-military-service-records/
Larry Maggi is a
retired trooper with the Pennsylvania State Police, a former Washington County
Sheriff, and a member of the Washington County Board of Commissioners, serving
over 209,000 constituents in Southwestern Pennsylvania. He served in the U.S. Marine
Corps and is very active in veterans' causes. He was recently appointed by the National
Executive Committee of the American Legion to serve on the Youth Cadet Law
Enforcement and the Law and Order & Homeland Security committees.
Larry
Maggi
