Form SF 180 SF 180 Request Pertaining to Military Records

INSTRUCTION AND INFORMATION SHEET FOR
SF 180, REQUEST PERTAINING TO MILITARY RECORDS
1. Information needed to locate records. Certain identifying information is necessary to determine the location of an individual's
record of military service. Please try to answer each item on the SF 180. If you do not have and cannot obtain the information for an
item, show "NA," meaning the information is "not available." Include as much of the requested information as you can.
2. Restrictions on release of information. Release of information is subject to restrictions imposed by the military services
consistent with Department of Defense regulations and the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy
Act of 1974. The service member (either past or present) or the member's legal guardian has access to almost any information
contained in that member's own record. An authorization signature, of the service member or the member's legal guardian, is needed
in Section III of the SF180. Others requesting information from military personnel/health records must have the release
authorization in Section III of the SF 180 signed by the member or legal guardian, but if the appropriate signature cannot be
obtained, only limited types of information can be provided. If the former member is deceased, surviving next of kin may, under
certain circumstances, be entitled to greater access to a deceased veteran's records than a member of the public. The next of kin may
be any of the following: unremarried surviving spouse, father, mother, son, daughter, sister, or brother. Employers and others
needing proof of military service are expected to accept the information shown on documents issued by the military service
departments at the time a service member is separated.
3. Where reply may be sent. The reply may be sent to the member or any other address designated by the member or other
authorized requester.
4. Charges for service. There is no charge for most services provided to members or their surviving next of kin. A nominal fee is
charged for certain types of service. In most instances service fees cannot be determined in advance. If your request involves a
service fee, you will be notified as soon as that determination is made.
5. Health and personnel records. Health records of persons on active duty are generally kept at the local servicing clinic, and
usually are available from the Department of Veterans Affairs a week or two after the last day of active duty. (See page 2 of SF180
for record locations/addresses.)
6. Records at the National Personnel Records Center. Note that it takes at least three months, and often up to seven, for the file
to reach the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis after the military obligation has ended (such as by discharge). If only a
short time has passed, please send the inquiry to the address shown for active or current reserve members. Also, if the person has
only been released from active duty but is still in a reserve status, the personnel record will stay at the location specified for
reservists. A person can retain a reserve obligation for several years, even without attending meetings or receiving annual training.
(See page 2 of SF180 for record locations/addresses.)
7. Definitions and abbreviations. DISCHARGED -- the individual has no current military status; HEALTH -- Records of physical
examinations, dental treatment, and outpatient medical treatment received while in a duty status (does not include records of
treatment while hospitalized); TDRL – Temporary Disability Retired List.
8. Service completed before World War I. National Archives Trust Fund (NATF) forms must be used to request these records.
Obtain the forms by e-mail from [email protected] or write to the Code 6 address on page 2 of the SF 180.
PRIVACY ACT OF 1974 COMPLIANCE INFORMATION
The following information is provided in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(3) and applies to this form. Authority for collection of
the information is 44 U.S.C. 2907, 3101, and 3103, and Public Law 104-134 (April 26, 1996), as amended in title 31, section 7701.
Disclosure of the information is voluntary. If the requested information is not provided, it may delay servicing your inquiry because
the facility servicing the service member's record may not have all of the information needed to locate it. The purpose of the
information on this form is to assist the facility servicing the records (see the address list) in locating the correct military service
record(s) or information to answer your inquiry. This form is then filed in the requested military service record as a record of
disclosure. The form may also be disclosed to Department of Defense components, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS, U.S. Coast Guard), or the National Archives and Records Administration when the
original custodian of the military health and personnel records transfers all or part of those records to that agency. If the service
member was a member of the National Guard, the form may also be disclosed to the Adjutant General of the appropriate state,
District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico, where he or she served.
PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT
Public burden reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be five minutes per response, including time for reviewing
instructions and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other
aspect of the collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to National Archives and Records
Administration (NHP), 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001. DO NOT SEND COMPLETED FORMS TO THIS
ADDRESS. SEND COMPLETED FORMS AS INDICATED IN THE ADDRESS LIST ON PAGE 2 OF THE SF 180.

Standard Form 180 (Rev. 4-07) (Page 1)
Prescribed by NARA (36 CFR 1228.168(b))

Authorized for local reproduction
Previous edition unusable

REQUEST PERTAINING TO MILITARY RECORDS

OMB No. 3095-0029 Expires 9/30/2008

To ensure the best possible service, please thoroughly review the
accompanying instructions before filling out this form. Please print
clearly or type. If you need more space, use plain paper.

SECTION I - INFORMATION NEEDED TO LOCATE RECORDS (Furnish as much as possible.)
2. SOCIAL SECURITY NO.

1. NAME USED DURING SERVICE (last, first, and middle)

5. SERVICE , PAST AND PRESENT
BRANCH OF SERVICE

3. DATE OF BIRTH

4. PLACE OF BIRTH

(For an effective records search, it is important that all service be shown below.) SERVICE NUMBER
CHECK ONE
DATES OF SERVICE
DURING THIS PERIOD
DATE ENTERED
DATE RELEASED
OFFICER
ENLISTED
(If unknown, write “unknown”)

a. ACTIVE
SERVICE

b. RESERVE
SERVICE
c. NATIONAL
GUARD

6. IS THIS PERSON DECEASED? If “YES” enter the date of death.
NO
YES

7. IS (WAS) THIS PERSON RETIRED FROM MILITARY SERVICE?
NO
YES

SECTION II – INFORMATION AND/OR DOCUMENTS REQUESTED

1. REPORT OF SEPARATION (DD Form 214 or equivalent). This contains information normally needed to verify military service. A copy may be
sent to the veteran, the deceased veteran's next of kin, or other persons or organizations if authorized in Section III, below. NOTE: If more than one
period of service was performed, even in the same branch, there may be more than one Report of Separation. Be sure to show EACH year that a Report of
Separation was issued, for which you need a copy.
An UNDELETED Report of Separation is requested for the year(s)
This normally will be a copy of the full separation document including such sensitive items as the character of separation, authority for separation, reason
for separation, reenlistment eligibility code, separation (SPD/SPN) code, and dates of time lost. An undeleted version is ordinarily required to determine
eligibility for benefits.
A DELETED Report of Separation is requested for the year(s)
The following information will be deleted from the copy sent: authority for separation, reason for separation, reenlistment eligibility code,
separation(SPD/SPN) code, and for separations after June 30, 1979, character of separation and dates of time lost.
2. OTHER INFORMATION AND/OR DOCUMENTS REQUESTED

3. PURPOSE (Optional – An explanation of the purpose of the request is strictly voluntary. Such information may help the agency answering this
request to provide the best possible response and will in no way be used to make a decision to deny the request.)

SECTION III - RETURN ADDRESS AND SIGNATURE
1. REQUESTER IS:
Military service member or veteran identified in Section I, above

Legal guardian (must submit copy of court appointment)

Next of kin of deceased veteran

Other (specify)
(relation)

2. SEND INFORMATION/DOCUMENTS TO:
(Please print or type. See item 3 on accompanying instructions.)

3.
AUTHORIZATION SIGNATURE REQUIRED (See item 2 on
accompanying instructions.) I declare (or certify, verify, or state) under penalty
of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the information
in this Section III is true and correct.

Name

Signature

Street
City

Apt.
State

Zip Code

(Please do not print.)

Date of this request

(

)

Daytime phone

Email address

RESET
** This form is available at http://www.archives.gov/research/order/standard-form-180.pdf on the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) web site.**

Standard Form 180 (Rev. 4-07) (Page 2)
Prescribed by NARA (36 CFR 1228.168(b))

Authorized for local reproduction
Previous edition unusable

OMB No. 3095-0029 Expires 9/30/2008

LOCATION OF MILITARY RECORDS
The various categories of military service records are described in the chart below. For each category there is a code number which indicates the address
at the bottom of the page to which this request should be sent. Please refer to the Instruction and Information Sheet accompanying this form as needed.
BRANCH

AIR
FORCE

COAST
GUARD

MARINE
CORPS

ARMY

NAVY

PHS

ADDRESS CODE
Personnel
Health
Record
Record

CURRENT STATUS OF SERVICE MEMBER
Discharged, deceased, or retired before 5/1/1994
Discharged, deceased, or retired 5/1/1994 – 9/30/2004
Discharged, deceased, or retired on or after 10/1/2004
Active (including National Guard on active duty in the Air Force), TDRL, or general officers retired with pay
Reserve, retired reserve in nonpay status, current National Guard officers not on active duty in the Air Force, or
National Guard released from active duty in the Air Force
Current National Guard enlisted not on active duty in the Air Force
Discharge , deceased, or retired before 1/1/1898
Discharged, deceased, or retired 1/1/1898 – 3/31/1998
Discharged, deceased, or retired on or after 4/1/1998
Active, reserve, or TDRL
Discharged, deceased, or retired before 1/1/1905
Discharged, deceased, or retired 1/1/1905 – 4/30/1994
Discharged, deceased, or retired 5/1/1994 – 12/31/1998
Discharged, deceased, or retired on or after 1/1/1999
Individual Ready Reserve or Fleet Marine Corps Reserve
Active, Selected Marine Corps Reserve, TDRL
Discharged, deceased, or retired before 11/1/1912 (enlisted) or before 7/1/1917 (officer)
Discharged, deceased, or retired 11/1/1912 – 10/15/1992 (enlisted) or 7/1/1917 – 10/15/1992 (officer)
Discharged, deceased, or retired 10/16/1992 – 9/30/2002
Discharged, deceased, or retired on or after 10/1/2002
Reserve; or active duty records of current National Guard members who performed service in the U.S. Army
before 7/1/1972
Active enlisted (including National Guard on active duty in the U.S. Army) or TDRL enlisted
Active officers (including National Guard on active duty in the U.S. Army) or TDRL officers
Current National Guard enlisted not on active duty in Army (including records of Army active duty performed
after 6/30/1972)
Current National Guard officers not on active duty in Army (including records of Army active duty performed
after 6/30/1972)
Discharged, deceased, or retired before 1/1/1886 (enlisted) or before 1/1/1903 (officer)
Discharged, deceased, or retired 1/1/1886 – 1/30/1994 (enlisted) or 1/1/1903 – 1/30/1994 (officer)
Discharged, deceased, or retired 1/31/1994 – 12/31/1994
Discharged, deceased, or retired on or after 1/1/1995
Active, reserve, or TDRL
Public Health Service - Commissioned Corps officers only

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ADDRESS LIST OF CUSTODIANS (BY CODE NUMBERS SHOWN ABOVE) – Where to write/send this form

6

National Archives & Records Administration
Old Military and Civil Records (NWCTB-Military)
Textual Services Division
700 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20408-0001

2

Air Reserve Personnel Center /DSMR
HQ ARPC/DPSSA/B
6760 E. Irvington Place, Suite 4600
Denver, CO 80280-4600

3

Commander, CGPC-adm-3
USCG Personnel Command
4200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1100
Arlington, VA 22203-1804

1

Air Force Personnel Center
HQ AFPC/DPSRP
550 C Street West, Suite 19
Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4721

4

5

Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps
Personnel Management Support Branch
(MMSB-10)
2008 Elliot Road
Quantico, VA 22134-5030
Marine Corps Reserve Support Command
(Code MMI)
15303 Andrews Road
Kansas City, MO 64147-1207

11

Department of Veterans Affairs
Records Management Center
P.O. Box 5020
St. Louis, MO 63115-5020

7

U.S. Army Human Resources Command
ATTN: AHRC-PAV-V
1 Reserve Way
St. Louis, MO 63132-5200

12

Army National Guard Readiness Center
NGB-ARP
111 S. George Mason Dr.
Arlington, VA 22204-1382

8

U.S. Army Human Resources Command
ATTN: AHRC-MSR
200 Stovall Street
Alexandria, VA 22332-0444

13

The Adjutant General
(of the appropriate state, DC, or Puerto Rico)

9

Commander USAEREC
ATTN: PCRE-F
8899 E. 56th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46249-5301

14

National Personnel Records Center
(Military Personnel Records)
9700 Page Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100

10

Navy Personnel Command (PERS-312)
5720 Integrity Drive
Millington, TN 38055-3130

15

Division of Commissioned Corps Officer Support
ATTN: Records Officer
1101 Wooton Parkway, Plaza Level, Suite 100
Rockville, MD 20852