Losing your DD-214 or discharge certificate is a common and fully solvable problem, since the National Archives and the military services maintain permanent copies of these records independent of whatever paper copies you kept at home.
The primary source for replacement DD-214s is the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), part of the National Archives, located in St. Louis, Missouri. You can request a replacement several ways: through the online portal at archives.gov/veterans (the eVetRecs system), by mail using Standard Form SF-180 (Request Pertaining to Military Records), or in some cases through a VA regional office. The online request through archives.gov is generally the fastest method and lets you track the status of your request.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
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Analyze my claim free →If you have a va.gov account, you can also request or view your DD-214 directly through the VA website, since VA often already has a copy on file from a prior claim or enrollment, especially if you've ever filed a disability claim, enrolled in VA health care, or used education benefits. This can sometimes get you a copy faster than going through NPRC.
For other lost records, such as your full Official Military Personnel File (OMPF), which includes performance evaluations, awards, and orders, you request this through the same NPRC channels using SF-180. Be aware that a fire at the NPRC in 1973 destroyed many Army and Air Force records from that era, so if your original service was affected by that fire, reconstruction may rely on alternate sources like pay records, unit morning reports, or state National Guard files; NPRC staff can advise on alternate record sources if your specific file was affected.
If you are currently pursuing a VA disability claim, you generally do not need your paper DD-214 in hand before filing, since VA can independently verify service dates and discharge characterization through its own systems once you submit VA Form 21-526EZ, or through the Veterans Benefits Administration's internal record-sharing with the Department of Defense. Losing the paperwork will not by itself delay or jeopardize a pending or future claim, though having the documents on hand will speed up address changes, loan eligibility, and state veteran benefit applications.
The concrete next step is to visit archives.gov/veterans and submit an eVetRecs request for a replacement DD-214, and simultaneously check your va.gov profile, since VA may already have a digital copy available for immediate download.
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