Where and when did you serve and when were you discharged.Sometime during the late 1960’s a fire occurred in a document storage facility in St.Louis and a lot of DD-214’s were lost.
This is how I received my entire service record.
Hope it helps you:
http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/
Check out:
http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/public/faqs.html
More Info on the fire:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Personnel_Records_Center_fire
T47, Join the American Legion or VFW they will have a rep who will help you with what ever you need including DD-214.
Didn’t you file it with your county when discharged?
Once you get a copy, see if your County Clerk can record it for you. They recorded mine when I got my Marriage License.
Now when I need a copy the County Clerk can print me one out. The recording and the first 2 copys are free.
Contact your Congressman and hope that He She It is not liberal. Contact your county Veterans Services Coordinator for help. Request replacement of awards and citations and get another request into the system. I know of one guy it took years to find his file. If you are requesting benefits form VA go ahead and apply at VA and county Veterans Services Coordinator with all you have. Agent Orange benefits include almost 20 medical problems and all you need to prove is that you stepped foot on Vietnam. DAV, VFW, Legion, and other veterans organizations have people to help and have been through things like this many times.
There was a time, I think in the 70s where a bunch of DD214s were lost due to fire or water in the storage facility where they kept them before the digital age...I think this was in St. Louis.
My best advice is to go back and search all your records, you should have been given a copy. You should also review any orders you may have gotten. These may contain citations to a DD214.
When I got out, some volunteer veteran’s group actually sold us each a miniaturized, laminated DD214. I carry this in my wallet to this day.
If it truly can’t be located, contact the military installation where you out processed to see if they can locate it. Some things don’t get sent when they are supposed to, we found part of my hubby’s missing medical records by contacting the medical records section at the last place he was stationed, they were not supposed to be there- they should have been sent off for storage.
.....it took about 10 months to get mine. I received what they consider the replacement. A form typed out saying when and where you where assigned “as proof” of boots on the ground...according to that same form their request was forwarded to “others” for the replacement itself....that is now going on three years, still nothing that looks like the DD214.
When you fill in the forms, send copies of anything you have...schooling,training,squadron, medical records,dates are important as from when to when...anything old pay stubs
At your closest VA hospital you will find service officers from American Legion, VFW, and similar organizations. I got a LOT of help from the American Legion guy. Very helpful. And free. Things like this are what they do for a living.
I was a Navy Radioman. Vietnam 67-71. When I tried to get a copy of my DD-214 they said they couldn’t find one. The problem was that my service number began with a B (Bravo). When I resent the request WITHOUT the leading “B”, POOF, it showed up in short order.
I kept the one they gave me on 28 August ‘64, along with the Certificate of Service wallet card. It’s been copied and recopied until ragged. The envelope it came in is in tatters. I dread trying to retrieve anything from any bureacracy, so I keep it safe as I can!
Good luck!
Ck Google “National records fire St Louis” wikipedia gives you dates and % of records lost
Hmmm, I made sure I had copies of everything in my file, service-related and medical, before I left...never was told to or thought to file with the county as since then, I haven’t lived there in 30 years. VA knows of discharge disability so I have a “Go To VA Hospital” card if I need it.
They ought to have the record...but good luck.
Remember, this IS the federal govt........
Thanks for all the replies. I was a member of the 101st airborne division from 1983 to 1992. I had a copy of my DD 214v but it was destroyed in a flood. Unfortunately, I did not file with the county. I had no idea about this service. I submitted for a copy at vetrecs and was informed that my file is missing and may never be recovered. I submitted a second request today. I’m wanting to attempt to qualify for a VA loan but Ive hit a wall here. I am lost at this point. I do appreciate all of the support from fellow vets. You all are wonderful.
