DA Form 4162, the Army’s Volunteer Service Record, is a one-page form that captures who you are, what you can do, and every position, training, award, and hour you log through the Army Volunteer Corps. You fill it out once at registration and it stays with you for the length of your volunteer service, updated over time by you and your coordinator. The form is governed by AR 608-1, and while a blank PDF is still available through the Army Publishing Directorate and installation Army Community Service centers, most volunteers now generate their completed form directly from the Volunteer Management Information System (VMIS).
What the Form Is For
The stated purpose is to record essential background information on volunteers so coordinators can match people to positions and maintain a running record of their service.1Army MWR. DA Form 4162 Volunteer Service Record Disclosure is voluntary. Declining to provide the information can keep you out of the Army Community Service Volunteer Program entirely. The current version is the July 2003 edition, with 19 numbered fields split between personal information filled in at registration and a service record that grows as you serve.
Register Before You Fill Anything Out
You cannot complete DA Form 4162 as a standalone document. Start by contacting the Army Volunteer Corps Coordinator at your local Army Community Service center to learn about available positions. At registration you complete two documents together: DD Form 2793, the Volunteer Agreement, and DA Form 4162.2Army MWR. Army Volunteer Corps (AVC) DD Form 2793 has to be signed by you and a government accepting official before you begin any work.3Department of Defense. DD Form 2793 Volunteer Agreement
You can also register online through the Army OneSource website. Log in, find the volunteering section under Family Programs and Services, and use the Opportunity Locator to search open positions. Once you apply, the local coordinator has to accept your application before it shows up on your record.4Army OneSource. Volunteer Management Information System Army Volunteer Corps Volunteer User Guide Your VMIS profile has to be fully complete, with every required field filled in, before you can log hours or access your service record.
What Each Field Asks For
Personal Information: Fields 1 Through 14
Fields 1 through 7 cover the basics: your name (last, first, middle initial); home address; email; home, work, and fax numbers; sex; date of birth in YYYYMMDD format; and your sponsor’s name and unit address if you’re connected to a service member.1Army MWR. DA Form 4162 Volunteer Service Record
Field 8 is demographic data, with checkboxes for service member, civilian employee, adult family member, youth family member (under 18 and unmarried), unaffiliated civilian, branch of service, rank category, and component (active duty, reserve, guard, retired, deceased). Check every box that applies.
Field 9 asks about children at home (none, preschool, or in school). Field 10 records your initial commitment, chosen from a one-day event, one month, three months, six months, or nine months. Field 11 is education (high school, college, or advanced degree). Fields 12 and 13 capture work experience and prior volunteer experience. Field 14 covers special skills, interests, and hobbies.
Fields 8 through 14 are what coordinators actually read when matching you to a position. Be specific. “Bilingual Spanish” or “CPR certified” will open doors that a vague entry closes.
Service Record: Fields 15 Through 19
Field 15 records positions held, with start date, end date, and type of position. Field 16 lists awards and special recognition (date, type, and where presented). Field 17 tracks training (date, type, and hours). Field 18 is the annual hour record. Field 19 is your signature and date.
If you use VMIS, Fields 15 through 18 populate automatically from your certified hours and approved records. When you download the form, VMIS pulls your seven most recent certified awards, certified trainings, and positions, ranked by the most recent date of certified hours.4Army OneSource. Volunteer Management Information System Army Volunteer Corps Volunteer User Guide
Logging Hours So the Form Fills Itself
The Service Record fields are only as good as the hours behind them, and hours live in VMIS. There are two ways to log them. The dashboard method is fastest: open your Volunteer Dashboard, find the Log Hours table listing your active positions, and enter hours for each day of the week. Entries save automatically as you type, with a minimum of 0.25 hours (15 minutes).5Fort Campbell Army MWR. Volunteer Management Information System
The Service Log is the second method. You pick a position and month, then enter hours for individual dates with optional notes and file attachments. If you’ve fallen behind, VMIS allows bulk “period hours” for a month, but only use this when daily logging wasn’t possible. Period hours require manual certification by a coordinator.4Army OneSource. Volunteer Management Information System Army Volunteer Corps Volunteer User Guide
The deadline is firm. You have until the 15th of the following month to enter or edit daily hours for a given month. After that, the system locks the period.4Army OneSource. Volunteer Management Information System Army Volunteer Corps Volunteer User Guide Submitted hours then have to be certified by an Army Volunteer Corps Coordinator or Organization Point of Contact before they count. Certified hours feed directly into DA Form 4162, and VMIS also generates DA Form 4713 (Volunteer Daily Time Record) as a separate printout for your personnel file.6Fort Campbell Army MWR. Army Community Service
Downloading Your Completed Form
To pull your completed Volunteer Service Record from VMIS, click the VSR link on your profile page, then select “Download DA 4162.” The system generates a PDF with your profile information, service history, positions, awards, trainings, and annual hours. Save it locally or open it in your browser.4Army OneSource. Volunteer Management Information System Army Volunteer Corps Volunteer User Guide
The same screen lets you edit your profile (contact information, military demographics, sponsor details) and your service history. You can add non-Army Volunteer Corps services, awards, and training, but those additions go to your coordinator for certification before appearing on the official record.4Army OneSource. Volunteer Management Information System Army Volunteer Corps Volunteer User Guide
When Your Service Won’t Automatically Show Up
DA Form 4162 covers statutory volunteers: those serving in activities authorized under 10 U.S.C. § 1588, including health care, family support, child development and youth services, library and education programs, religious programs, morale and recreation activities, museum programs, legal assistance, and funeral honors details.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 USC 1588 Authority to Accept Certain Voluntary Services Statutory volunteers must register in VMIS, complete DD Form 2793, have a written position description in VMIS before starting, and log hours by the 15th of the following month.8West Point Army MWR. Frequently Asked Questions About Utilizing Volunteers
Private organization volunteers are different. If you’re volunteering with a group like the American Red Cross or a scouting organization that operates on an installation but isn’t covered under 10 U.S.C. § 1588, the organization handles its own paperwork and nothing is filed with the Army Volunteer Corps Coordinator. You can still get that time onto your DA Form 4162, but you have to add it manually through the non-Army Volunteer Corps services section in VMIS, and a coordinator has to certify it before it appears.8West Point Army MWR. Frequently Asked Questions About Utilizing Volunteers
What Happens to the Form When You Leave
When you resign, retire, or transfer from a volunteer position, the original DA Form 4162 goes to you for your personal files. The organization that accepted your service keeps a duplicate for at least three years.1Army MWR. DA Form 4162 Volunteer Service Record After that, the organization may keep an electronic summary until it’s no longer needed.6Fort Campbell Army MWR. Army Community Service
If you’re PCSing, download your DA Form 4162 from VMIS before you leave. Your VMIS profile follows you, but a printed copy is insurance against system access problems during the move. Register with the Army Volunteer Corps Coordinator at your new installation to keep the record active.
Why an Up-to-Date Record Pays Off
A current DA Form 4162 is the foundation of a nomination packet for the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal. A VMIS printout has to accompany every MOVSM nomination.9Army MWR Gordon. Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal Fact Sheet There is no set minimum number of hours anymore; the earlier requirement of 500 hours or three years of service has been removed, and the first O-5 in the chain of command evaluates the overall level of participation and impact. For enlisted soldiers, the MOVSM carries promotion points, which is why keeping hours logged and certified before the 15th of each month matters more than it might seem when you’re doing the work.