Go to https://vetrecs. archives. gov/VeteranRequest/home. html to access the system and follow the prompts to order the record you want. If you are the next-of-kin of a deceased veteran, you can also order their records using this service.

There’s no specific form the veteran or next-of-kin would need to fill out to provide an authorization. You can look at a sample acceptable authorization at https://www. archives. gov/personnel-records-center/sample-authorization.

Complete name they used while in the service Service number Social Security number Branch of service Dates of service Date and place of birth (this is especially important if you don’t know their service number)

You can download the form at https://www. archives. gov/veterans/military-service-records/standard-form-180. html. Although not required, you may also state the reason you want the record on the form. This information may help the NPRC comply with your request.

If your request is urgent, fax your SF-180 form to the NPRC Customer Service Team at (314) 801-0764 rather than mailing it.

Most, but not all, military records are housed at the NPRC. There is a chart on your SF-180 form that lists addresses for records that are not housed at the NPRC. Check the chart and make sure the records you want don’t fit into any of those categories. Make a copy of your form (and authorization, if required) for your records before you mail it. Use certified mail with return receipt requested so you’ll know when your request is received.

If you wait 10 days after your request has been received, you can check the status of your request. Use the online form available at https://www. archives. gov/personnel-records-center/forms, or by calling a customer service representative at (314) 801-0800 or toll-free at 1-866-272-6272. Phone lines are open between 7 a. m. and 5 p. m. CST.

Transcripts of courts-martial trials are available under the FOIA. However, you would be unlikely to get any information about a military arrest that did not lead to a court-martial. You can also find out the veteran’s final rank, final duty status, and any awards or decorations that veteran was eligible for. Being eligible, however, doesn’t mean that veteran received that particular award or decoration.

Type your letter in business letter format. Your word processing app will likely have a template you can use. Your letter can be brief. All it really needs to say is that you’re making a request pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act and list the records that you want. Include the veteran’s name and any other information you have about their service.

Defense Security Service: Defense Security Service (DSS), Office of FOIA and Privacy, 27130 Telegraph Rd. , Quantico, VA 22134 Air Force: HQ AFOSI/XILI, Attn: FOIA Section, 27130 Telegraph Rd. , Quantico, VA 22134 Army: U. S. Army Crime Records Center, Attn: CICR-FP, Russell Knox Building, 27130 Telegraph Rd. , Quantico, VA 22134-2253 Navy/Marine Corps: Naval Criminal Investigative Services, Attn: Code OOLJF, 27130 Telegraph Rd. , Quantico, VA 22134-2253 Coast Guard: Commandant CG-611, Attn: FOIA Officer, US Coast Guard Stop 7710, 2703 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE, Washington, DC 20593-7710

Air Force: AFLOA/JAJM, 1500 West Perimeter Rd. , Suite 1130, Joint Base Andrews, MD 20762 Army: Office of the Clerk of Court, U. S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals, Attn: JALS-CCX, 9275 Gunston Rd. , Fort Belvoir, VA 22060 Navy/Marines: Office of the Judge Advocate General, Criminal Law Division (Code 20), Office of the Judge Advocate General, 1254 Charles Morris Street SE, Suite B-01, Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5124 Coast Guard: CGHQ, Attn: CG-0946, 2100 Second St. , SW, Washington, DC 20593

It can sometimes take months to get records through a FOIA request, especially if you’ve asked for a courts-martial transcript. When records are produced, you usually will have to pay for the copies. You’ll get a letter from the FOIA section or court clerk letting you know how much those copies will cost and what methods of payment are accepted.

At a minimum, you’ll need basic biographical information, including the name of the veteran when they served in the armed forces. If the veteran has a relatively common name, you may need additional information, such as their date and place of birth, to ensure that you’ve found the right records.

Once you’ve set up your account, you can search digital records. When you find the records you want, you can order them online. You’ll have to pay a fee for digital reproductions of records you order. The fee varies depending on the records you order. If you order a complete military file, the fee typically will be less than $100. You can order paper or digital records. If you choose electronic transfer, a link will be emailed to you that you can use to download your records. The link will only be valid for 30 days.

You must include a credit card number on your form. Your credit card will be charged the fees you owe for the records produced. Use a separate form for each separate request. Do not include multiple record requests on the same form, even if they’re related to the same veteran. If you send in the paper form it will probably take longer to get your records than it would if you ordered them online. Additionally, you have no guarantee that you’ll get the records you need.