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    Department of Military and Veteran Affairs

    Request a Veteran's Military Record

    If you need help finding important military records like the DD214 or NGB22, you can ask the DMVA for assistance.

    Download the request form

    Overview

    Veterans transitioning out of the military sometimes forget to keep important papers like the DD214, DD215, or NGB22 safe. The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) helps thousands of veterans and their families find lost military documents each year.

    How to request military records

    The best way to manage your military documents is to keep them in a safe place after leaving the military. The DMVA recommends that veterans file their paperwork with the Prothonotary’s Office at their county courthouse. This way, they will always have access to a copy of their documents and avoid losing the originals.

    If you lose your military paperwork, DMVA can help. Veterans discharged from 2010 to today can get digital copies of their records by creating an account on the  VA e-benefits portal.

    If you are a veteran who was discharged before 2010, your records are likely stored at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). NARA does not store National Guard records. To request a copy of your records, you or a family member can complete Standard Form 180 and follow the mailing instructions. You can also submit the form electronically through the National Archives site.

    Important military documents

    DD214/DD215

    The DD214 is a record that shows a person's time spent in the Armed Forces, including when they leave, are discharged, or change their military status. Government agencies and the Armed Forces use this information for things like jobs, benefits, and reenlisting. The DD215 is used to correct any mistakes or add information to the DD214 after it has been distributed.

    NGB22/NGB23

    Members of the National Guard will have the NGB22 form as their discharge document. The NGB23 form is the retirement points statement. 

    Pennsylvania National Guard Records

    If you have retired or left the PA National Guard in the past year, you can request your service documents, including NGB22 and NGB23 forms, by sending a Standard Form 180 to Retirement Services.

    Or you can fax requests to 717-861-9643 or mail them to:

    Department of Military and Veterans Affairs 
    ATTN: Retirement Services BLDG 14-99 (FTIG) 
    Annville, PA 17003-5002

    For questions about retirement benefits, you can call 717-861-8432 or 717-861-8489.

    The Pennsylvania Army and Air National Guard has service records from 1955-2009. These records include enlistment and discharge documents.

    Veterans or their next of kin can request copies—if you know the discharge year—by filling out the MA-VA 90 Records Request form and either e-mailing it or mailing it to:

    PA Department of Military and Veterans Affairs 
    ATTN: Office of Veterans Affairs, Records Requests (Insert Army or Air) Bldg. 9-26, Sheldon Street,
    Fort Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA 17003

    For records before 1955, contact the Pennsylvania State Archives. They hold records from 1775-1985 and information on state war bonuses for service members from WWI, Korean War, WWII, and Vietnam War.