1. This is the completion date of the statutory military service obligation (MSO) incurred by a soldier on initial enlistment or appointment in the Armed Forces. DOD policy requires a soldier with no previous military service who enlisted or was appointed on or after 1 Jun 84 to serve a period of 8 years. The MSO starts on the date of initial enlistment or appointment in the RA, ARNG, or the USAR to include the Delayed Entry Program (DEP).

Number 2. Block 9: Command to Which Transferred

1. Usually this will stipulate a transfer to the Individual Ready Reserve. For a soldier being transferred to the Individual Ready Reserve, you’ll see entered “SUBJECT TO ACTIVE DUTY RECALL AND/OR ANNUAL SCREENING.”

Number 3. Block 10: SGLI Coverage

1. This will indicate how much SGLI Coverage you have previously opted in for.

Number 4. Block 12: Record of Service:

1. You’ll see all of your dates of service. Make sure these are correct if you are reviewing your DD-214 for the first time.

Number 5. Block 14: Military Education (with dates)

1. Self explanatory. This section could be important to point out if your skills can be transferable to the civilian world.

Number 6. Block 15c: Enlisted Under Loan Repayment Program

1. This block is for enlisted only, and if you used this program to help pay back college loans, you’ll be aware of this block annotated.

Number 7. Block 16: Days Accrued Leave

1. If you have days of leave remaining, the local finance office will annotate this amount here, and you’ll be paid out for this remaining leave. If you decided to take terminal leave, then you should see “0” here.

Number 8. Block 20: Where You’d Like Records Sent

1. Make sure the appropriate “state” is annotated here. Usually they will send them to the state of your home of record, but if you are moving elsewhere, be sure this is correct.

Number 9. Block 24: Discharge Status

1. For the type of separation, you could see: retirement, resignation (for officers), release from ADT (meaning a return to the IRR), or discharge.

2. Character of Service Options: HONORABLE, UNDER HONORABLE CONDITIONS (GENERAL), UNDER OTHER THAN HONORABLE CONDITIONS, BAD CONDUCT, DISHONORABLE, DISMISSED, or UNCHARACTERIZED.

Number 10. Block 26: Separation Code

1. There are too many to list here. You can download a copy of all the codes here.

Number 11. Block 28: Narrative Reason for Separation

1. This is based on regulatory or other authority and can be checked against the cross reference in AR 635–5–1.

Now that you’ve seen an example, let’s talk about what a DD-214 is, and why it’s important:

One of the many things we all have to do- no different from our time as active duty service members- is to fill out forms until our eyes bleed. And one of these forms is a DD-214.

Good news though:

The military will complete this form for you, and it will be issued after your separation or retirement.

If you want to know what a DD-214 is and what you need it for, A DD-214 is a Department of Defense form certifying one's military service and release from active duty. It contains information such as military education and specialties, awards and decorations, and the type and reason for a service member's separation from the armed forces. This document can be used when applying for a civilian job, and is required by offices and agencies that offer benefits for veterans.

We'll share with you below more information about your DD-214, what it's used for, and how to get one, so keep reading!

What Is a DD-214?

A DD Form 214, more commonly referred to as DD-214, is a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty that is issued by the Department of Defense for service members of the different branches of the Armed Forces of the United States, namely- the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy- who are separating from the service.

It's one of the most important documents for a military service member to have, especially once you are ready to leave the military life. A DD-214 details your time in the service, such as your specialty and training, any awards and decorations, and the nature and reason of your separation.

So, just why is a DD-214 so important?

Why Is a DD-214 Important?

This document is not simply just a piece of paper that means you can now fully enjoy civilian life. It actually serves a couple of purposes, such as:

Career Advancement

Since a DD-214 details all your specialties during your military career, as well as your military education and training, and most especially the awards, citations, and medals that you have earned, this document acts somewhat like your resumé once you are ready to look for a job in the civilian workforce.

And if you are vying for a career in an industry that is close to what your knowledge and expertise in the military were, then with an official document as proof of your skill set, you will have an undeniable advantage when applying for the job that you want.

Veteran Benefits

Perhaps the most important purpose of a DD-214 is for applying to receive various benefits for veterans like you. Most, if not all veteran benefits offered by the Department of Veteran Affairs as well as other government offices and even private institutions, can only be availed by those who were discharged by reasons other than dishonorable.

Here are some of the many veteran benefits you can apply for:

VA home loans and housing assistance
Automobile loans
Education and training benefits
Employment benefits
Funeral and Burial benefits
Health care
Benefits for spouses, dependents, and survivors
Disability compensation and pension
Life insurance

Now, you might be wondering what sort of information is listed on a DD-214.

Well, here it is:

What Is the Information Listed on a DD-214?

As we mentioned earlier, your DD-214 details your entire military career- from your enlistment up to your separation from service. As such, it lists down several personal and career related information.

Below is an overview of what kind of information is listed on your DD-214:

Basic Personal Information- this includes your name, date of birth, Social Security number, and your Home of Record (HOR) at the time you entered the service
Contact Information- these details how you can be reached after your separation from the military, such as your mailing address, and your nearest relative
Basic Service Information- from your department and service branch component, to your rank and pay grade, it's all listed here. This also includes the locations of where you first entered the service, where you were last assigned, and where you were transferred or separated. Finally, it lists down the date when your reserve obligation ends.
Specialties and Military Education- your DD-214 also details your primary and other specialties (listed down using Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes, and other branch- specific codes for areas of expertise), as well as your military education, such as any special skills training you have attended
Awards and Decorations- this lists any awards, decorations, medals, badges, citations, and campaign ribbons that you have been awarded throughout your military career
Creditable service- the total service creditable to you, as well as any foreign service, are also noted on your DD-214
Type and reason for separation- your DD-214 also states why you separated from service, such as whether you are retiring, or due to other miscellaneous or general reasons, like if your contract of obligation has expired. It goes into detail on the specific reason for your separation, such as disability, pregnancy or parenthood, early release in order to attend school, and so on
Character of Service- finally, the conditions of your discharge, such as if honorable, under honorable conditions, general, or dishonorable, are mentioned in your DD-214

What Does a DD-214 Look Like?

With all the time you have spent in the service, you most definitely have had to deal with seemingly endless paperwork, and are thus familiar with most forms and what they are used for.

A DD-214 is no different. Check out the sample DD-214 we included in the image above.

What are DD-214 Separation Codes?

You may have noticed that we said earlier that your DD-214 details your type and reason for separation. While a narrative reason for your separation from the service may be written down on the bottom part of your DD-214, under the "type of separation," what usually appears is just a separation code (SPN code).

There are dozens of SPN codes listing down all possible reasons on why a service member is leaving the military. You can check the full list through this link.

What is a DD-214 Service Number?

Depending on when you left the service, your DD-214 may display both your Social Security Number and your Service Number, or just the Social Security.

This is because a Service Number is a unique identifier that was assigned to service members back in the late 1910's to the early 1970's. Nowadays, your Social Security Number is typically used as you Service Number as well.

Now that you know what a DD-214 is, what it contains, and what you can use it for, you might find yourself needing one (or more) copies sooner than you think. After all, you definitely do not want to miss out on taking advantage of your hard earned benefits as an honored veteran!

Needless to say, you are issued a DD-214 upon your separation from the service. But if you didn't get one, you lost it, or you need more copies, there is no need to worry.

Here is how you can get a copy of your DD-214:

How do I get my DD-214?

All service members' DD-214 are stored in the National Archives through their eVetRecs system, in more than a hundred repositories throughout the country. You can request a copy of your DD-214 directly from them, which is free of charge.

You can process your request online, via mail, or through fax. Here is how:

Online- go to vetrecs.archives.gov and search for DD-214. Fill out the form and submit. (Or, you can search for the Standard Form (SF) 180, which is a request form for military records)
By mail- you can print out a copy of the Standard Form 180 and send it by mail to this address:

National Personnel Records Center

Military Personnel Records

1 Archives Drive

St. Louis, MO 63138

Through fax- alternatively, you can also fax your request form to 314-801-9195

Note that this may take weeks or even months, as the National Archives get thousands of requests regularly, and have more than a month's worth of backlog.

But, what if you need your DD-214 as soon as possible, and simply do not have the time to wait for such a long time?

We have good news for you:

You can also opt to hire a research company to source your DD-214 for you. There are quite a few companies that work specifically on DD-214 requests, and offer a time frame of one day to one week.

Some DD-214 research companies include DD214 Direct, EzDD214, and Touchstone Research Group. You can also check out the full list provided by the National Archives for hiring help.

So, why must you get a copy of your DD-214 again? In case it's not clear yet, let us summarize and reiterate the main reasons why.

Once I’m out of the military, do I still need a DD-214?

Your DD-214 is a proof of your military service and separation from the force. It details your skills, specialties, and military education, as well as awards and decorations you have received throughout the years. It also states why you were discharged, and whether you were discharged under honorable or dishonorable conditions.

Therefore, you need a DD-214 when applying for a civilian job after your time in the military, and more importantly, to receive veteran benefits, such as home loans, education assistance, and life insurance.

There are thousands of amazing benefits for veterans like you. Find out about the 29,000+ ways you can take advantage of these benefits by going to milversity.com/explore

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Jacob

Jacob is a 12-Year USAF Combat Veteran and F-15 Fighter Pilot. He used his GI Bill to get his Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of North Carolina. He writes articles for Milversity to help other Veterans simplify the GI Bill process, and discover how to use it to enhance their transition from military to civilian life.

DD-214 Example: What It Looks Like (and Why You Need It)

Real Example of a DD-214: