How to Find People Who Used to Be in the Military
Veterans, or people who used to be in the military, can be found in several different ways. If you are looking for the actual service record of an ancestor, parent or spouse, you may wish to start your search with the National Archives. If you're looking for an old friend who has left the service but you don't know where they are currently, you can use a private service. And if you're searching for a POW/MIA, start with the Library of Congress.
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Instructions
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Locate a Veteran through the National Archives
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Log on to the eVetRecs System if you are the veteran's next of kin. Follow the instruction on the page to confirm your relationship to the veteran. You will be notified of the results of your search by the Archives.
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Download and print form SF-180 if you are not the next of kin. Fill out the veteran's complete name, service number, social security number, branch of service, date of birth, place of birth and dates of service. If you do not have this information, fill out as much as possible. Check the boxes in Section II of the form pertaining to which documents you would like to receive copies of and for what purpose.
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Fill out Section III of the form. This will verify your name, address and relationship to the veteran.
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Sign and date the form in the fields provided. It will not be processed otherwise.
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Send the form by mail to:
National Personnel Records Center
Military Personnel Records
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Or send the form by fax to 314-801-9195.
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Wait for the response. The response time may vary according to a few factors: the technicality of request, the availability of records and the amount of work done.
Find a Veteran or POW/MIA Through an Online Search Services
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Go to an online military search engine such as Free People Search or Military Connections.
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Enter the name, service branch (Army, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard), gender, state of origin and military status into the fields provided. Click the "Search" button.
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Search for POW/MIA personnel by typing their name into the Library of Congress POW/MIA Database.
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Tips & Warnings
Bear in mind that the more details you know about the person, the easier it will be to get positive results.Obtain basic data such as the veteran's social security number and service number if possible.
Most requests to the National Archives can be processed for free. A fee may be charged if there are extra costs for research, processing and copying purposes. You may send a follow-up request after 90 days.
Resources
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