To replace a lost or damaged DD Form 256A, submit a free request to the National Personnel Records Center, either online through the eVetRecs system or by mailing or faxing a Standard Form 180. There is no charge for veterans or eligible next-of-kin, and processing typically takes several weeks depending on the age of the records and current workload.
Before you request a new copy, it’s worth confirming what the certificate does and doesn’t do, because the most common mistake is asking for the wrong document.
What the Certificate Is
DD Form 256A is the Army’s “Certificate of Honorable Discharge.” It confirms that your character of service was honorable and shows your name, rank, branch, and dates of service, along with an authorizing signature. It’s usually printed with a decorative border and sized for framing. Other branches issue their own variants of the same certificate, including DD 256AF (Air Force), DD 256N (Navy), DD 256MC (Marine Corps), and DD 256CG (Coast Guard).1National Cemetery Administration. Veterans Military Discharge Documents
If You Actually Need Your DD-214, Not the 256A
The 256A does not contain the service history that federal and state agencies use to verify benefit eligibility. That information is on the DD Form 214, “Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty,” which lists dates and locations of active duty, last duty assignment and rank, military occupational specialty, decorations and awards, total creditable service, character of discharge, reason for separation, and reenlistment eligibility codes.2National Archives. DD Form 214 – Discharge Papers and Separation Documents The VA, the Office of Personnel Management, and state veterans agencies ask for the DD-214, not the 256A, when you apply for the GI Bill, a VA home loan, hiring preference, or burial benefits.
You cannot substitute a 256A for a DD-214. If both are missing, request both through the same process below.
Who Can Submit the Request
Veterans can request their own records at any time. If the veteran has died, the request must come from next-of-kin, which the National Archives defines as the un-remarried widow or widower, son, daughter, father, mother, brother, or sister. Next-of-kin must include proof of death such as a death certificate, a letter from the funeral home, or a published obituary.3National Archives. Access to Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF) Legal representatives with proper authorization may also file on a veteran’s behalf. Every request must be signed and dated by the veteran or the qualifying next-of-kin, and unsigned requests are returned.4National Archives. Request Military Service Records
How to File the Request
There is no fee for records services provided to veterans or next-of-kin of deceased veterans.5U.S. General Services Administration. Standard Form 180 – Request Pertaining to Military Records The National Archives specifically cautions that some private companies advertise records-retrieval services and charge for what the government provides for free.4National Archives. Request Military Service Records You have two main paths.
Online Through eVetRecs
The fastest option is the National Archives’ online system at vetrecs.archives.gov. You’ll verify your identity through ID.me before the form opens.4National Archives. Request Military Service Records The form walks you through the required fields and produces the electronic equivalent of an SF-180. After submitting, you can track status on the same site using your request number.
By Mail or Fax With SF-180
You can also download Standard Form 180, “Request Pertaining to Military Records,” and submit it by mail or fax. Mail goes to the National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138. The fax number is 314-801-9195.6National Archives. Request Military Personnel Records Using Standard Form 180 The SF-180 includes a table of branch-specific addresses, so confirm you’re sending it to the right place before mailing.
What to Include
Regardless of method, include as much of the following as you can:
- Full name used during service
- Service number or Social Security number
- Branch of service
- Dates of service
- Date and place of birth (particularly useful if you don’t know the service number)
If there’s any chance your records were caught in the 1973 fire (see below), also include your place of discharge, last unit of assignment, and place of entry into service.4National Archives. Request Military Service Records More detail up front means fewer follow-up letters and a faster result.
How Long It Takes
The NPRC receives roughly 4,000 to 5,000 requests per day and generally works them in the order received.4National Archives. Request Military Service Records Allow about 10 days for the center to receive and begin processing your request, after which status is visible online.7National Archives. Military Personnel Records Straightforward requests for intact records may come back within a few weeks. Older records, reconstructed files, and anything touched by the 1973 fire can take considerably longer.
If Your Records Were Lost in the 1973 Fire
On July 12, 1973, a fire at the National Personnel Records Center destroyed approximately 16 to 18 million Official Military Personnel Files.8National Archives. The 1973 Fire, National Personnel Records Center Two groups took the heaviest losses:
- Army personnel discharged between November 1, 1912, and January 1, 1960: about 80% of records destroyed
- Air Force personnel discharged between September 25, 1947, and January 1, 1964, with last names alphabetically after Hubbard, James E.: about 75% destroyed
If your service falls in one of those windows, your original 256A and other records may be gone or only partly recoverable. A dedicated NPRC branch reconstructs records from alternate sources, but the process is slower than a standard request, and the rebuilt file may not be complete. Provide every piece of identifying information you can, especially place of discharge and last unit of assignment, so NPRC has more to work with.8National Archives. The 1973 Fire, National Personnel Records Center
Burial and Emergency Requests
If you need discharge documents for a burial or medical emergency, NPRC will expedite. How you flag the emergency depends on how you’re filing:
- Online through eVetRecs: choose “Emergency Request” from the dropdown asking why you need the records.9National Archives. Emergency Requests
- Burial at a VA national cemetery: don’t file the form yourself. Call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117, and they’ll work directly with NPRC to verify service.9National Archives. Emergency Requests
- Burial at a non-VA cemetery: fax the SF-180 with next-of-kin signature and proof of death to the Customer Service Team at 314-801-0764.9National Archives. Emergency Requests
- Natural disaster: write “Natural Disaster” in the comments section of eVetRecs or the purpose section of the SF-180.9National Archives. Emergency Requests
NPRC doesn’t promise a specific turnaround for emergencies. Response is fastest when alternate records are already on hand and slower when the center has to gather documentation from other agencies.
If the Certificate Has an Error
Requesting a replacement will just produce another copy with the same mistake. Corrections go through a separate process. Under federal law, the Secretary of each military department can correct military records to fix an error or remove an injustice, acting through a civilian Board for Correction of Military Records (BCMR).10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 10 – Section 1552
You start by filing DD Form 149, “Application for Correction of Military Record,” directly with your branch’s board, not with the National Archives.11National Archives. Correcting Military Service Records Identify exactly which document or entry is wrong, state what the correction should be, and attach supporting evidence such as service records, medical documents, sworn witness statements, or VA correspondence.12Washington Headquarters Services. DD Form 149, Application for Correction of Military Record The deadline is three years from when you discovered the error, though the board may waive it in the interest of justice.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 10 – Section 1552 You must also exhaust other available administrative appeals first.
Once You Have the New Copy
Replacement is free but slow, and for fire-affected records a complete replacement may not be possible. Scan or photocopy the certificate and your DD-214 as soon as they arrive, and keep the copies separate from the originals. A fireproof safe or secure cloud storage gives you a backup if the paper original is destroyed.
Some counties will record discharge documents with the county recorder’s office, creating a local official copy you can pull later. That can be a lifeline after a fire or flood. Recorded documents may become part of the public record, though, and privacy protections vary by county. The DD-214 in particular contains sensitive personal information, so weigh the convenience against the privacy trade-off before filing anything publicly.