The DD-214: Your Most Important Document
The DD-214 is the primary document that proves your military service to the outside world. It documents your service dates, character of discharge, Military Occupational Specialty, awards and decorations, foreign service, and training. You’ll need it for VA benefits, veteran preference in federal employment, state veteran benefits, certain financial products, and any future employment where military service is relevant.
You receive multiple copies at separation — keep them in a fireproof location and make digital scans immediately. The Member Copy 4 is the most complete version and is the one most agencies will accept. That’s what makes the Copy 4 endearing to anyone who has dealt with VA or federal HR — it’s the one that closes the documentation loop without requiring follow-up requests.
Official Military Personnel File
Your OMPF contains your complete service record: performance evaluations, promotion actions, awards, training records, and administrative actions. After separation, it transfers to the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. Recent records (post-2000 for most branches) are increasingly available through milConnect. Access this portal before your CAC expires — I’m apparently someone who waited too long and spent weeks navigating DS Logon recovery instead of just doing it while the access was easy.
Medical Records
Request and retain copies of your complete medical record before separating — specifically your treatment records, any documented injuries or conditions, and anything related to deployment health assessments. These records are critical for any future VA disability claims. Getting them after separation requires navigating federal records requests, which is slower and less complete than getting them while still in.
What to Fix Before You Out-Process
Review your awards and decorations against what’s recorded. Verify that deployment periods are accurately documented. If something’s wrong, the path to fix it while you’re in is your chain of command. The path after separation goes through the Boards for Correction of Military Records — slower and less certain.
Security Clearance
Your security clearance doesn’t disappear when you separate — it goes into inactive status and remains potentially accessible for a period depending on your clearance level. Defense contractors and government agencies can often reinstate an inactive clearance more quickly than processing a new investigation. This has real employment value. Document your clearance level and date of last investigation — it belongs on your resume.
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