Public Portion of Military Records

FOIA allows the general public to access military records information that is not considered an “invasion of privacy.” Examples of this type of information include name, dates of service, branch of service, rank and date of rank, assignments and geographical locations, military training and place of entrance and separation. Other information may be available from the records, depending on a veteran’s service record.

Private Portions of Military Records

Certain information can only be accessed by the veteran, the veteran’s next-of- kin or by a veteran’s authorized representative. This type of information includes inpatient and outpatient hospitalization records, mental health records and social security number.

Obtaining Public Military Records

There are several ways to acquire military records. The National Military Archives now maintains a website dedicated to gaining access to military records called eVetReqs. Additional methods of getting these records include writing a letter to the National Military Archives or filling out an SF-80 form and mailing it.