Fill Out Standard Form 180 (SF-180) Online
Request Pertaining to Military Records
National Archives and Records Administration
Requests military service records, including the DD Form 214, from the National Archives.
Reviewed July 2026
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Standard Form 180 (SF-180), Request Pertaining to Military Records, is the form used to request copies of military service records held by the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) and other records custodians. The most requested document is the DD Form 214, the separation document needed for most veterans benefits.
You can fill out the SF-180 in the Universal PDF editor and download the completed PDF. Note that the request must carry a handwritten signature, so print the finished form and sign it before mailing or faxing.
What is SF-180 used for
The SF-180 requests military personnel and medical records, including:
- DD Form 214 and other separation documents, commonly needed for VA claims, burial benefits, and employment verification
- Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) documents
- Service treatment and medical records
- Replacement medals and awards documentation, requested through the appropriate service branch
Who files SF-180
Veterans can request their own records. For deceased veterans, the next of kin, such as a surviving spouse who has not remarried, a parent, or a child, can request records but must include proof of death, such as a copy of the death certificate. Other requesters generally receive only limited, publicly releasable information.
Veterans and next of kin can also skip the paper form entirely and submit the request online through eVetRecs at vetrecs.archives.gov.
How to fill out SF-180
The form has three sections:
- Section I, information about the service member: full name used in service, Social Security or service number, date and place of birth, and the branch and dates of service
- Section II, the records requested: specify the documents you need, such as the DD Form 214, and the reason for the request
- Section III, requester information and signature: state your relationship to the veteran, sign in cursive, and date the form; federal law requires record requests to be signed and dated, and the NPRC expects the date to be within the last year
- Check the address table on the form's instruction pages; the correct custodian depends on branch of service and when the person separated
Where to send it
Most records for discharged, retired, or deceased service members are held by the National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138, and completed forms can also be faxed to 314-801-9195. Records for recent separations or current members may be held by the individual service branch, so match your situation to the address table printed with the form.
Routine requests can take time to process, and requests involving records affected by the 1973 NPRC fire, which destroyed millions of Army and Air Force personnel files for periods between 1912 and 1964, may take longer while records are reconstructed.
Frequently asked questions
Complete the SF-180 and send it to the National Personnel Records Center, or submit the request online through eVetRecs at vetrecs.archives.gov. The DD-214 is the most commonly requested record and is needed for most veterans benefits.
The next of kin, such as an unremarried surviving spouse, parent, or child, can request them and must include proof of the veteran's death, such as a death certificate. Others can generally obtain only limited public information.
Yes. Federal law requires written record requests to be signed and dated, and the NPRC asks for a cursive signature dated within the last year. Type the form online, then print and sign it.
Processing times vary with the type of request and the center's workload, and it can take months for complex cases. Requests involving records lost in the 1973 fire can take longer because information may need to be reconstructed from other sources.
The fire destroyed a large portion of Army personnel files for people discharged between 1912 and 1960 and many Air Force files for the mid-century period. If your record was affected, the NPRC will attempt reconstruction from alternate sources, which adds time.
Yes. Veterans and next of kin can use eVetRecs at vetrecs.archives.gov to submit requests online. The SF-180 remains the right route for other requesters and for some specialized record types.
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