Official Military Personnel File (OMPF)

Request your OMPF: the full military record, not just the DD214.

The DD214 is a single page. Your Official Military Personnel File, once called your 201 file, is the whole story of your service: every assignment, award, and evaluation, and for many older records your service medical records too. We prepare your OMPF request, file it with the National Archives, follow up, and deliver your complete military personnel records securely.

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Flat Fee $125 $165 Complete file, 120-day money-back guarantee

Complete file · 120-day money-back guarantee

Right now the complete file costs the same as the DD214 on its own.

Veteran DD214 is a private company, not affiliated with the U.S. government, the VA, the National Archives, or NPRC. Military personnel records are available free from the National Archives if you file the request yourself.

What's inside

The DD214 is one document. The OMPF is the whole file.

Your Official Military Personnel File is the complete record the National Archives keeps on your service. Most people just call it their military service records, their personnel file, or, in the Army, their 201 file. Whatever you call it, it is the same file, and depending on your era it can include:

Awards & decorations

Every medal, ribbon, and citation you earned.

Assignments & duty stations

Where you served, and when, across your career.

Performance evaluations

Your ratings and reviews throughout service.

Training & qualifications

Schools, courses, and certifications completed.

Promotions & rank history

Your advancement through the ranks.

Service medical records

Often inside pre-1992 files, but never guaranteed.

Administrative records

Enlistment, emergency data, and remarks.

Separation documents

Your discharge papers: the DD214, or the NGB-22 for Guard service.

Note: the OMPF does not contain battle or engagement narratives, and health records were filed separately after 1992.

How to get it

How to request your OMPF: two ways.

Your OMPF is held by the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, part of the National Archives. There are exactly two ways to obtain a copy of your military service records, and one of them is free.

1. Request it yourself, free

File an SF-180 by mail or fax, or submit an online request through the National Archives, and be specific that you want the complete OMPF rather than only the DD214. There is no charge from the government. You handle the eligibility proof, the follow-up, and any rejection or resubmission yourself.

Read our free step-by-step DIY guide →

2. Have us do it for you, flat $125

You answer a few questions and sign one form. We prepare the SF-180 for your entire personnel file, submit it within one business day of your signature, chase NPRC on your behalf, handle any rejection or reconstruction, and deliver your records through an encrypted link. Backed by a 120-day money-back guarantee.

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Either way, plan on a wait. NPRC sets the pace, and the full file takes longer to pull than a single separation document.

Why you'd need it

Why veterans request their OMPF records.

VA disability claims

Your service and medical records are the evidence a VA claim runs on. Proving an in-service injury, exposure, or event usually means the full OMPF, not just the DD214.

Records corrections & discharge upgrades

Petitioning a board to correct your record or upgrade a discharge starts with the complete file in hand.

Replacing medals & awards

The OMPF documents every decoration you earned, so you can request replacements for what was lost.

Guard & Reserve retirement points

Verify creditable service and retirement points when the numbers need confirming.

Legal, estate & family matters

A complete record for legal proceedings, settling an estate, or preserving a family legacy.

Replacing a lost record

If your paperwork is gone, the OMPF is the source of truth to rebuild from.

Access

Who can request an OMPF.

The veteran

You can request your own complete file with no restrictions. It is free from the National Archives; our fee is for the done-for-you preparation, filing, follow-up, and secure delivery.

Next-of-kin of a deceased veteran

A surviving spouse, parent, child, or sibling can request the complete file, with proof of death and relationship. Records also become open to the public once they are 62+ years old.

Common situation

Records lost in the 1973 fire?

A 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center destroyed millions of Army and Air Force files from the middle of the last century. If a record was affected, it can often be rebuilt from alternate sources.

You can still start your request with us today. If the file turns up damaged or missing, we handle the reconstruction process on your behalf.

Our part

How we handle your OMPF request.

The full record is larger than a single DD214, so it can take longer to retrieve. We keep the process off your plate and keep you posted the whole way.

We prepare the SF-180

We complete the official form to request your entire OMPF, not just the DD214, and walk you through what to attach.

We submit to NPRC

Within one business day of your signature. We choose the right submission method based on your service era.

We follow up actively

Bi-weekly status emails. Direct calls to NPRC as it ages. Congressional liaison escalation if needed.

We deliver securely

When your file arrives, we send it through an encrypted, expiring link. Never as an email attachment.

Encrypted delivery

Your file contains an SSN. We never email it as an attachment.

A real person handles it

Not a chatbot. Reply to any email and you'll hear from a human.

Updates every two weeks

You'll never wonder where things stand. Even when nothing has changed.

Questions

OMPF questions, answered.

What is an OMPF?

OMPF stands for Official Military Personnel File. It is the complete personnel record the military kept on you, held today by the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. Older veterans, especially in the Army, knew it as their 201 file. It holds your assignments, awards, evaluations, training, promotions, separation documents, and for many pre-1992 files your service medical records.

What is the difference between the DD214 and the OMPF?

The DD214 is one document inside the file: your certificate of release or discharge. The OMPF is the entire file it sits in. If you only need proof of service dates and character of discharge, the DD214 is usually enough. If you need evidence for a VA claim, a records correction, a discharge upgrade, or replacement medals, you generally need the full OMPF.

How do I get my OMPF?

Two ways. You can file an SF-180 or an online request with the National Archives yourself, at no cost, being explicit that you want the complete personnel file rather than only the DD214. Or you can have us prepare, file, and follow up on the request for you for a flat $125, delivered through an encrypted link.

Can I request my OMPF online?

Yes. The National Archives accepts online records requests, and our intake is online end to end: you answer a few questions, sign the SF-180 electronically, and we submit it for you. Nothing has to be mailed by you.

Is the OMPF free?

The record itself is free from the National Archives. Our fee is for the done-for-you work: preparing the request correctly, filing it within one business day, following up with NPRC, handling rejections or reconstruction, and delivering the file securely. If you would rather do it yourself, our DIY guide is free and walks you through it.

How long does an OMPF request take?

NPRC sets the pace. Our DD214 requests typically land in 8 to 12 weeks, and the complete personnel file is a larger pull, so it can run longer. Records archived offsite or affected by the 1973 fire take longer still. We email you a status update every two weeks either way.

Does an OMPF request include military medical records?

Only what NPRC sends with the personnel file. We do not file a separate request for service treatment records, and we cannot promise medical records will be in what comes back. For many pre-1992 records the medical records were filed inside the personnel file, so they often arrive with it. Service treatment records for later service were kept separately and are usually held by the VA, so if medical records are what you need, request them from the VA directly.

How do I get a copy of my military records for a deceased family member?

You can request the file if you are the veteran's next of kin: a surviving spouse who has not remarried, a parent, a child, or a sibling. You will need proof of death and proof of your relationship. Records also open to the general public once they are 62 or more years old.

What if my record was destroyed in the 1973 fire?

A 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center destroyed millions of Army and Air Force files. If yours was affected, the record can often be reconstructed from alternate sources such as pay records and unit rosters. You can still start the request with us, and we handle the reconstruction process on your behalf.

Do I need my full military record for a VA claim?

Often, yes. Service and medical records are the evidence a VA disability claim runs on, and proving an in-service injury, exposure, or event usually takes more than the DD214 alone. We are not a claims agent and cannot file a VA claim for you. We get you the records.

Are you the National Archives?

No. Veteran DD214 is a private company with no affiliation to the National Archives, NPRC, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or any government agency. Military personnel records are available free directly from the government.

More questions? See the full FAQ or email help@veterandd214.com.

Ready when you are.

A short intake form gets your request started. We prepare and file it for your complete record, then keep you posted until it arrives.

Questions first? Email help@veterandd214.com. A real person reads every message.

Full record, one flat fee $125

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Rather handle the paperwork yourself? Our free DIY guide walks you through requesting your records step by step.

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