How to Search for Military Members
The brave members of our military work hard to protect our country. A common part of their job is relocating to different bases and stations throughout the world. Unless you have constant contact with a military member, it can be difficult to know where the member is currently living. Fortunately, there are several organizations, websites and groups you can contact and utilize to search for military members throughout the world.
Instructions
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Gather as much personal information about the military member as possible. Details such as the member's full name, birth date, the branch of service the member serves in, the specific military unit the member is a part of and where the individual was born can all help you find the person you are searching for.
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Do a general Internet search. You can often find contact information for military members by entering the full name and the branch of the military the member is serving in into an Internet search engine.
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Request a military mailing address from the United States Department of Defense (DOD). The DOD allows individuals to request information on military members for all service branches except the Army. You can make the requests either through the mail or by calling a designated phone number.
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Contact your local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. These two organizations assist individuals in finding members of the military.
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Search the membership lists of other military and veterans organizations. A comprehensive list of these groups can be found at vetfriends.com/organizations.
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Call the Servicemen Group Life Insurance Company at 800-419-1473. This company offers life insurance through the Department of Veterans Affairs. If the military member you are searching for has applied for life insurance, you can request the company to send a letter to the service member notifying him to contact you.
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Request information on the military member from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC). The NPRC is a division of the United States government's National Archives. Its purpose is to maintain personnel, health and medical records of discharged or deceased military members who have served at anytime during the 20th century. You can request that the NPRC forward your contact information to the military member so that he can contact you.
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References
- United States Department of Veterans Affairs: Servicemembers' & Veterans' Group Life Insurance
- The National Archives: Military Personnel Records
- Veterans of Foreign Wars: Find a VFW Post
- The American Legion: Find a Post
- VetFriends.com: US Military & Veteran Organizations by State or Category
- United States Department of Defense: Requests For Military Mailing Addresses
Resources
- Photo Credit military image by Alexey Klementiev from Fotolia.com
