Military or Veterans- how to find service record?

[95DRGT]

I know my Dad served briefly in the late 50's but we have no record of it. He has dementia and can't recall. Trying to find out if he has any eligibility for benefits but can't seem to find an easy way to get his service records.

Any help is to the right place or link is appreciated.

I've been to the Veterans Admin site but can't find and easy way to search by SS or DOB.

[Maddhattter]

You can request a copy on line from the National Archives...

http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/

A lot of records were lost in a fire in 1973, so the SRB you get may be incomplete.

[95DRGT]

Thank you!

[LANTIRN]

X2 on that fire; my grandfather's entire record was lost and it took me years of research to find out what he did during the war.

[Maddhattter]

My initial contract was thicker than the stack of papers I got back when I requested my grandfather's records.

[Lone Sailor]

You can also contact Veterans Affairs to get copies of documents such as his DD-214. VA.gov is the web address, but it's faster to call them directly.

[95DRGT]

Thanks all- I'll keep digging

I'm having a difficult time using the online features as it requires you to be the veteran or deceased next of kin.

I'm also missing key info- service #, branch, where served and time frame. All I have is my Dad's DOB and SS and think it was in Kentucky sometime in the late 50's.

I know my Dad would not touch mustard all his life due to him telling me about some Mustard Gas thing he had to go through in boot camp and puked his guts out after.

[LANTIRN]

I dug for years and came up with nothing. My Grandfather was a glider pilot in WWII and we only had 1 paper from his service which had his service number on it. I ended up contacting the Glider Pilot's Association and a gentleman who was in his late 80's or early 90's responded back to me; he had dug into their records and was able to provide me with his squadron, where he was stationed in the Pacific, and a few other details we never knew about. I got more info from a private organization than my mom and I ever came close to getting from the government thanks to the fire.

[Forever_frost]

Thanks all- I'll keep digging

I'm having a difficult time using the online features as it requires you to be the veteran or deceased next of kin.

I'm also missing key info- service #, branch, where served and time frame. All I have is my Dad's DOB and SS and think it was in Kentucky sometime in the late 50's.

I know my Dad would not touch mustard all his life due to him telling me about some Mustard Gas thing he had to go through in boot camp and puked his guts out after.

http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/public/general-public.html

Without the consent of the veteran or next-of-kin, the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) can only release limited information from the Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) to the general public. You are considered a member of the general public if you are not the veteran, asking about a veteran who is of no relation to you or seeking information about a veteran who is a relative but for whom you are not the next-of-kin. The next-of-kin is defined as any of the following: the un-remarried widow or widower, son, daughter, father, mother, brother or sister of the deceased veteran.

Such access is intended to strike a balance between the public's right to obtain information from Federal records, as outlined in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and the veteran's right to privacy as defined by the Privacy Act. Information will not be released if requested for unethical purposes.

Different release procedures apply for records 62 years and older, see Archival Records.

[line-em-up]

X2 on that fire; my grandfather's entire record was lost and it took me years of research to find out what he did during the war.

x3 and 4 on the fire. My coworker's dad was told that all of his records burned in a fire. My dad was also told the same thing when he filed for benefits. The govt told him that he wasn't even in the army. Fortunately, he kept every single paper and commendation from his 10 years in the army. When he submitted them as proof, they accused him of counterfeiting them. After years of giving them hell, they finally relented. That is reason 1,005 why I hate and distrust the govt like a do.