Requesting Copies of Your Military Records
Personnel records for veterans who served after 1997 should be accessible online and are usually retrievable within hours of a request through the Defense Personnel Records Information Retrieval System (DPRIS).
To obtain one’s personnel records from DPRIS:
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Go to https://www.dpris.dod.mil/,
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then select “Individual Veteran Access” on the left side of the website and follow the instructions.
Veterans will need to register for access and verify their current mailing address before requesting records.
Those who served prior to 1997 or for whom electronic records are not available from DPRIS can request their records from the National Personnel Records Center using the eVetRecs website at: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/ or via mail or fax.
You can mail or fax your signed and dated request to the National Archives' National Personnel Record Center (NPRC). Use the address specified (either in the instructions on the SF-180 or in their online system, eVetRecs). Most, but not all records, are stored at the NPRC. (See full list of Locations of Service Records | National Archives.)
NPRC Fax Number:
FAX: 314-801-9195
NPRC Mailing Address:
National Personnel Records Center
Military Personnel Records
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis, MO 63138
PHONE: 314-801-0800*
*Peak calling times are weekdays between 10:00 a.m. CT and 3:00 p.m. CT. Staff is available to take your call as early as 7:00 a.m. and as late as 5:00 p.m. CT.
Please note that requests which are sent by Priority Mail, FedEx, UPS, or other "express" services will only arrive at the NPRC sooner. They will not be processed any faster than standard requests.