How to get a copy of Military Orders online

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Required Information:

Your request must contain certain basic information for us to locate your service records. This information includes:

• The veteran's complete name used while in service
• Service number
• Social Security number
• Branch of service
• Dates of service
• Date and place of birth (especially if the service number is not known).
• If you suspect your records may have been involved in the 1973 fire, also include:
  • Place of discharge
  • Last unit of assignment
  • Place of entry into the service, if known.
• 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.

Recommended Information (optional):

While this information is not required, it is extremely helpful to staff in understanding and fulfilling your request:

• The purpose or reason for your request, such as applying for veterans benefits, preparing to retire, or researching your personal military history.
• Any other specific information, documents, or records you require from your Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) besides your Report of Separation (DD Form 214).

For additional details on what information may or may not be included, please see the Special Notice to Veterans and Family Members regarding requests for copies of military personnel and/or medical files.

You can mail or fax your signed and dated request to the National Archives' National Personnel Record Center (NPRC). Be sure to use the address specified (either in the instructions on the SF-180 or in our online system, eVetRecs). Most, but not all records, are stored at the NPRC. (See full list of Locations of Military Service Records.)

NPRC Fax Number :
FAX: 314-801-9195

NPRC Mailing Address: National Personnel Records Center Military Personnel Records 1 Archives Drive St. Louis, MO 63138 PHONE: 314-801-0800* *Our peak calling times are weekdays between 10:00 a.m. CT and 3:00 p.m. CT. Staff is available to take your call as early as 7:00 a.m. and as late as 5:00 p.m. CT.

Please note that requests which are sent by Priority Mail, FedEx, UPS, or other "express" services will only arrive at the NPRC sooner. They will not be processed any faster than standard requests. See the section above on emergency requests.

Other potential methods to obtain your records include:

• Writing a letter
• Contacting your state or county

See Other Methods to Obtain your Military Service Records for more details, or see more information on access to the general public. 

Special Note on Contacting by Email: Requests for military personnel records or information from them cannot be accepted by email at this time. The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) and Department of Defense directives require a written request, signed and dated, to access information from military personnel records. Our email address should only be used only to request general information (hours of operations, procedures and forms) or to submit compliments, complaints, or concerns.

NOTE: If you send messages using WebTV or a free-email service, you will not receive our response if your mailbox is full. Messages sent to full mailboxes are returned to us as "undeliverable." You may wish to include your mailing address in your message so that we may respond via the U.S. Postal Service.

Allow us time to receive and process your request, then you may check on the status.  If you know your request number, click the Check Status button below to go to the check status page.

Check Status

If you do not know your request number, please provide the following information using the Online Status Update Request form.

Please provide:

• the name, address and phone number of the requester, and
• the veteran's branch of service to aid us to finding your request in our system.

You may also telephone the NPRC Customer Service Line (this is a long-distance call for most customers): 314-801-0800.  Note: Our peak calling times are weekdays between 10:00 a.m. CST and 3:00 p.m. CST. Staff is available to take your call as early as 7:00 a.m. and as late as 5:00 p.m. CST.

Need Help?

What happens when you submit a request? View our process.

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