Verifying veteran status...........

[Kirk W]

Does anyone know of a way to determine if someone who claims to be a veteran, actually is? I know of several ways that a vet can prove his status, but what of a claim of vet status by one who seems to be false?

[sushidog]

Have him show you his DD214, old dog tags, military ID, military drivers license (I still have mine), old photos of him in uniform with the troops, old orders, commission certificate (if an officer), shot record, etc.

 

If the vet doesn't have any of the said documentation (unlikely) then have them fill out a SF180 http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/documents/docs/standard_form_180.pdf I don't think anyone but the service member or a descendant can fill it out though.

 

If he claims to be a current service member you can prove it here: http://www.dfas.mil/garnishment/verifyservice.html

 

You can also look here if you want o do it without the vet knowing: http://www.stolenvalor.com/records.cfm

 

Chip

[TCW]

I found this information online:

"you can indeed verify military service claims. For the U.S. military, you can find out:

• Dates of service
• Rank
• Marital status
• Decorations and awards
• Place of induction and separation
• Duty assignments
• Duty status (such as discharged or retired)
• And more

Official military records are stored at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Information about U.S. service personnel is available to the public under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Getting the information is not difficult. To make a request, all you have to do is download a form and mail or fax it in. Include a cover letter requesting the records under FOIA, and ask for all available releasable information. If the person was never in the military, you’ll receive a reply telling you that the center has no record of him or her.

If the person served in a National Guard unit on active duty, the National Personnel Records Center will probably have information. If not, you may need to contact the Adjutant General’s office for the state in which the person claims to have served."

[Cyberdave]

Kirk,

Chip has it right and you can read some info on it here;

 

Military Personnel Records

 

You can also ask for some details... Branch of service, dates, where did he go to basic, what tech school if he went to one. You can bounce the info off us.

 

Fakes are irritating and frustrating. They claim deeds done by real hero's and don't care if it is a lie or not. Some think they are harmless but do a search on fake vets getting VA compensation and healthcare. There are many examples you can find. The cost is on all of us in tax dollars going to these worthless fakes.

[lots2see]

When the Kansas City record center burned down years ago didn't that destroy a lot of this information being available for older vets? I'm thinking of WW2 and Korean guys mostly. Perhaps up into the early '60s too. Fire was in July of 1973.

Oops. The actual fire was in Saint Louis. Apparently Kansas City was the HQ for those records.

[Kirk W]

This is a question which was posed to me by a vendor at Escapade. He is very suspicious of claims being made by someone who is seeking a business association but some of the fellow's stories just seem faked. The vendor himself is not a veteran, but holds veteran status in high esteem and wants no association with a fake. The subject isn't likely to cooperate in the investigation under the circumstances.

[Cyberdave]

Kirk,

 

Have your friend tell him that he has to prove he's a vet with official documents because he does not want any bad publicity. He'll either shoot or scoot.

[WeBeFulltimers]

Kirk,

 

Have your friend tell him that he has to prove he's a vet with official documents because he does not want any bad publicity. He'll either shoot or scoot.

I have to agree with this. Under the circumstances I feel it is his right to know for sure. Or your friend could get someone he knows for sure is a veteran to talk with this person. Wouldn't take but a few minutes and they would know.

[DJW]

The record center that had the fire was at 9700 Page in St Louis, MO, not KC.

 

Dennis

[AlCherry]

If the fella is a real vet, he should be proud to prove it. I have been carded a few times. I'll whip my blue card out in a second!

[chirakawa]

If the fella is a real vet, he should be proud to prove it. I have been carded a few times. I'll whip my blue card out in a second!

 

Just a different perspective. I'm a "real vet". I don't feel the need to prove it to anyone. And, I have no idea what a blue card is.

[Phaeton10]

 

Just a different perspective. I'm a "real vet". I don't feel the need to prove it to anyone. And, I have no idea what a blue card is.

If you don't know what a blue card is this tells me you did not retire from the military. That is what we retirees get when we retire.

 

The family member gets the brown card.

[marspec2003]

 

Just a different perspective. I'm a "real vet". I don't feel the need to prove it to anyone. And, I have no idea what a blue card is.

I don't feel the need to prove my veteran status to "anyone" either but if I wanted to enter into a business association and advertise that status I sure wouldn't be offended if asked to prove it. I also don't feel offended when the cashier at Lowe's wants to see the blue card so I can get the 10% discount.

[Cyberdave]

I don't feel the need to prove my veteran status to "anyone" either but if I wanted to enter into a business association and advertise that status I sure wouldn't be offended if asked to prove it. I also don't feel offended when the cashier at Lowe's wants to see the blue card so I can get the 10% discount

 

Roger That!!

[Second Chance]

If you don't know what a blue card is this tells me you did not retire from the military. That is what we retirees get when we retire.

 

The family member gets the brown card.

One doesn't have to be retired from the military to be a veteran. Just sayin'...

[Kirk W]

If you don't know what a blue card is this tells me you did not retire from the military. That is what we retirees get when we retire.

 

The family member gets the brown card.

He said he is a veteran but didn't say he is retired from the military. There are many veterans who served with honor but didn't stay for 20 or more years to retire.

 

 

Just a different perspective. I'm a "real vet". I don't feel the need to prove it to anyone. And, I have no idea what a blue card is.

[RV_]

 

Roger That!!

I second that Roger Dave!

 

My answer? Nunya. Not "many vets," but most vets served and received honorable discharges. I would tell that person seeking to do business with me based on his veteran status that seeing the DD214, will tell him much more than just an honorable discharge as it will also list the medals earned. Nor all medals are for valor or extreme achievement.

The DD214 is important for any business affiliation based on the assumptions one is a vet, and any credibility they think vet status bestows. More importantly the form is the right document to confirm VA eligibility. See, many who screwed up, but not badly enough to go to jail, were given administrative discharges, and their 214s state "administrative discharge" instead of honorable. It might also state their discharge was bad conduct, and also could be Dishonorable. It is a simple thing to check. Just ask for their branch and dates of service and do the FOIA inquiry. Data considered public access and can be requested by anyone other than the vet, like an employer, is limited, and includes only:

 

From the National Archives military website.

 

FOIA and Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF)

The public has access to certain military service information without the veteran's authorization or that of the next-of-kin (the un-remarried widow or widower, son, daughter, father, mother, brother or sister) of deceased veterans. Examples of information which may be available from Federal (non-archival) Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF) without an unwarranted invasion of privacy include:

 

Name

Service Number

Dates of Service

Branch of Service

Final Duty Status

Final Rank

Salary *

Assignments and Geographical Locations

Source of Commission *

Military Education Level

Promotion Sequence Number *

Awards and decorations (eligibility only, not actual medals)

Photograph

Transcript of Courts-Martial Trials

Place of entrance and separation

If the veteran is deceased:

Place of birth

 

The process is from the national archives and can be started here: http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/foia-info.html

 

I would not work for anybody that asked about my records to another person not in the business I wanted to affiliate with. The same honor many folks associate with vets, is the kind of honor we expect from our employers. Because I respect my brother in arms retired or serving for a lesser time, I point folks straight to the official source. If asked for the information when applying for a job, were that information shared with another. I would sue as my privacy is broached. If it was just campfire talk I would find it laughable that folks would concern themselves.

 

Many of the records from the fire have been partially reconstructed, or enough, to verify service from medical records in military archives just found recently to get VA benefits.

 

It is simple enough to prove or disprove with a simple above board FOIA request. And one might find out they were a vet, but the type of discharge and their status at that time.

[AlCherry]

Interesting conversation. Birds of a feather flock together. At the jobsite, most vets gravitate towards each other. I can spot a vet a mile away, in a group of people. Even after decades of being out, vets still march. I know it may seem funny, but you do. You have a certain posture. Other give aways are haircuts, that old field jacket you just won't give up. Getting to the office 15 minutes early, every day. These characteristics are there whether you served two years or twenty. You can't shake it.

That being said, I salute anyone who served, two years or over twenty.

[Ray,IN]

Another source is Ancestry.com. They have a link to a military service data-base that begins with the civil war up to?

[lots2see]

On this whole question of your military records, when I got out of the Army my uncle (a WWII / Korea guy) insisted I go up to the county courthouse and have them photostat my DD214 and enter it into their records. I still have my original but it's getting pretty fragile these days.

[skp51443]

With all the identity theft issues these days I'd hesitate to stick all the information a DD214 provides in a public record. Not sure if it is even possible to have it removed once it is there either.

[pugsly]

More and more states have an option to place your status as a veteran on your driver license. Also, if you are part of the VA healthcare system you will have a VA card. Neither of these require you to be retired, just to have served. As others have said, I'm not bothered when Cabelas, Home Depot, etc ask for proof before they give me a discount. In fact, I usually just show my ID when I'm asking for the discount.

 

A real veteran understands the issues of stolen valor and is not going to be offended if you ask them to give evidence of their status. Most fakes are pretty easy to spot anyways - if something doesn't feel right there's probably reason to be suspicious.

[Retiredin1993]

One doesn't have to be retired from the military to be a veteran. Just sayin'...

 

 

He said he is a veteran but didn't say he is retired from the military. There are many veterans who served with honor but didn't stay for 20 or more years to retire.

 

[Retiredin1993]

One doesn't have to be retired from the military to be a veteran. Just sayin'...

 

[RV_]

Stan,

That is what we were told to do back in Feb 1998 when I retired. Identity theft or Internet searches were not happening all that much back then. I did not register mine but my retirement date was after all the fires and my 214s are in good shape all in the presentation vinyl display folders my awards and decs for each period came in. But I do need to scan them just in case. I made a mental note. Hope I don't lose the notebook.