How to Find Out If Someone Died in the Service
Finding out if a military service member died requires a record search. The best place to start is the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Requesting records is easiest for next-of-kin.
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Instructions
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Search military personnel records. Go to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) website. The NPRC is a governmental organization responsible for archiving records of U.S. military service members and former civil service employees. It is accessible to relatives and the public.
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See "military personnel records." Military records are separated into those that are archived and non-archived. Archived records are for service members who served before the year 1950. Records after the year 1949 are non-archived. Choose the one that applies to the person you are searching.
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Request a military personnel record. The center will need information on the person being searched: complete name, social security number, birth date, birth place, service branch, and dates served. If the service number is unknown it is essential to have the birth date and place. Requests for records can be completed online, by mail, fax or visiting the center.
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Tips & Warnings
Request records online; it is faster. Check the status of your record request by phone. Call 866-272-6272 to speak with a customer service representative. This can also be done via email: mpr.status@nara.gov.
Only certain types of information will be released to the public, those who are not considered next-of-kin. According to the NPRC, next-of-kin are those who are father, mother, siblings, or children of the deceased. A widow or widower that is not remarried is also considered to be next-of-kin.
The NPRC may not have records of recent deaths. Contact the U.S. State Department of Veterans Affairs or search the Social Security Administration Death Master File.
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