Would you happen to be a family member planning a burial for a veteran in a VA national cemetery?
Yes, we are, unfortunately, burying our grandfather.
If you will dial 1-800-535-1117, you can get assistance in getting your grandfather's DD214 or other discharge documents.
Will they be able to help me if I believe it has been almost 65 years or so since his military release date?
If he was discharged more than 62 years ago, then the National Archives opens all of those records to the public and ordering a copy will be easy.
If I also want to order my own service records through milConnect, how do I know if my request was successfully received?
After you order your records through milConnect, you will receive an email letting you know we are processing it.
Also, when I attempt to order my grandfather's records in preparation for his funeral, what if I find out it has not quite been 62 years and they are not held as public with the National Archives?
You may be able to have his next of kin place the order or you may still be able to request limited information from their Military Personnel File.
How would his next of kin be able to order the records?
There are several options for the next of kin to be able to do that, but the first way would be to mail or fax a Request Pertaining to Military Records Standard Form SF 180 to the National Personnel Records Center.
Are there other ways besides milConnect to acquire my own records?