SF180
Request Pertaining to Military Records
Standard Form 180 (SF 180), Request Pertaining to Military Records, is used to request information from military records, such as a DD Form 214 or equivalent, the Official Military Personnel File (OMPF), and medical and dental records. The form is prescribed by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) under 36 CFR 1233.18(d). GSA hosts a copy in its forms library, and the form says it is also available on the NARA website.
The form says requests can also be submitted online using eVetRecs at archives.gov. A paper SF 180 goes to the records office listed on page 2 of the form, which depends on the branch of service and on when the member was discharged, retired or died. The form says not to send completed forms to the NARA address in its burden statement.
NARA estimates about five minutes per request. You can fill it out free in your browser on this page and download the result without an account.
Name used during service, Social Security number, date and place of birth, and all active, reserve and National Guard service with branch, dates entered and released, officer or enlisted, service number and DoD ID / EDIPI number.
Last duty station, whether the person is deceased and the date of death, whether they retired from military service, and whether they filed a VA claim, with the VA claim or file number if known.
Boxes for a DD Form 214 or equivalent, the Official Military Personnel File, medical records, dental records only, or other. Inpatient records need the facility and the year last treated.
An undeleted copy is sent unless you check the box for a deleted copy. A deleted copy blacks out items such as the authority and reason for separation, the reenlistment eligibility code and the separation code.
Benefits, employment, VA loan programs, medical, genealogy, correction, personal or other. The form says a purpose is required unless the request is from the veteran, a government agency under routine use, or for information releasable under FOIA.
Requester name, relationship to the veteran, which kind of requester you are, the address to send the records to, and a signature under penalty of perjury that authorizes the release.
The instructions ask you to answer each item. If you do not have and cannot get the information for an item, write NA for not available. The form says incomplete information may delay the response.
Check the documents you want in Section II, say whether you want a deleted DD Form 214 or inpatient records, and pick a purpose.
Next of kin attach proof of death, such as a death certificate or an obituary. A legal guardian attaches the court appointment, and an authorized representative an authorization letter or power of attorney.
The form marks the signature as required and says not to print it. It also says no signature is required if the request is for archival records.
Page 2 has a chart by branch and by discharge, retirement or death date. Each row gives a code number for the personnel record and the medical record that matches an address at the bottom of the page.
Send the form to the matching address. The form also says requests can be submitted online with eVetRecs at archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records.
You get the real form, filled in a browser tab, with nothing standing between you and the finished PDF.
To the office whose code matches the branch and date in the page 2 chart, such as the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis (code 14), a service department records office, or the Department of Veterans Affairs (code 11).
The form says there is no charge for most services to service members or next of kin of deceased veterans, and a nominal fee for certain services. Archival records are offered as copies for a fee. If a fee applies, you receive an invoice.
Personnel records of members discharged, retired or died in service 62 or more years ago are archival records at NARA. Service completed before World War I uses National Archives Trust Fund (NATF) forms instead.
The instructions say a veteran or dependent who wants medical records sent to a third party fills out a DD Form 2870.
The form shows OMB No. 3095-0029, expiring 05/31/2027, and says the previous edition is unusable.
The instruction sheet describes who can see what in a military record and whose signature the request needs.
No tool matches that search.
The form says requests can be submitted online using eVetRecs at archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records. It also says recent veterans may be able to request a DD Form 214 through milConnect.
Page 2 of the form has a chart by branch of service and by the date the member was discharged, retired or died. Each row gives a code number that matches an address at the bottom of the page. The form says not to send it to the NARA address in its burden statement.
The form says there is no charge for most services to service members or next of kin of deceased veterans, and a nominal fee for certain services. Copies of archival records are offered for a fee. If a fee applies, you receive an invoice.
The form says next of kin may get greater access than the general public, and lists the unmarried or surviving spouse, father, mother, son, daughter, sister or brother. It asks for proof of death, such as a death certificate, an obituary or a DD Form 1300 Casualty Report.
A copy with some items blacked out, such as the authority and reason for separation, the reenlistment eligibility code and the separation code, and for separations after June 30, 1979, the character of separation and dates of time lost. The form says an undeleted copy is sent unless you ask for a deleted one.
The instructions say to write NA, meaning not available, for any item you do not have and cannot get, and to include as much information as you can. Incomplete information may delay the response.
Yes. The form calls them archival records, held by NARA. They are open to the public, written authorization is not required, and copies are offered for a fee. Some information may still be withheld under the personal privacy exemption of FOIA.
