How To Add My Volunteer Service Medal In My Navy Records

Receiving a medal for your service in the military is not ever automated. In many cases, armed services service members have to use to receive their medals, or to supplant lost or damaged medals. Family members may as well be curious as to what kind of awards and distinguishments their veterans have received, and if their veterans received their proper awards. If you lot're non sure which U.S. military machine medals you lot authorize for, in that location are steps you tin can have to verify and submit an application to receive your medals.

Obtain Your DD-214

It can be hard to remember precisely which accomplishments you accomplished many years after your service. Family members of a veteran may be completely unaware of the accomplishments of their loved one'south service. The first step is to obtain the DD-214s of the service fellow member–besides known every bit their discharge papers. These papers will outline of import data most a veteran's service, including:

Tape of service years
Military pedagogy
Last duty consignment and major control
Master specialty
Character of service (honorable or dishonorable)
Decorations, medals, badges, citations and campaign ribbons

If your DD-214 has been lost or destroyed, you can obtain a new re-create through the Veterans Affairs website . Y'all'll need to create an account and confirm your identity before you tin can request your DD-214. For family members of a veteran, you can mail an SF-180 form to the National Personnel Records Center or contact your local Veterans bureau for assistance. You volition besides need to evidence your relationship to the veteran, along with a copy of their death certificate if applicable.

Additionally, if you feel that accomplishments or awards were left off the DD-214s in mistake, you can request these military records be corrected by submitting a DD-149 form with the proper updates.

Next-of-kin personnel file requests are honored differently co-ordinate to the engagement of separation and branch. The Marine Corps, Navy, and Army will process requests for veterans who separated from their service before 1956. The Coast Guard and Air Force, however, require adjacent-of-kin requests for pre-1956 service to pay to receive these personnel files.

For armed services service after 1957, all branches will process these requests at no charge to the next-of-kin.

Utilize the Resource for Your Co-operative

One time you lot've obtained your DD-214s, you can then seek out help from your specific military branch. In some cases, you may need to appeal a decision of an accolade, or you may run into a problem that needs to be addressed.

You tin can postal service a letter to the headquarters of the Regular army, Air Strength, Navy, Coast Baby-sit, and Marine Corps in instance of a problem or an appeal. Additionally, veterans and agile service members can go to the administration section of their company or team to go copies of their records and apply to receive medals.

mounted medals

Know the Abbreviations

Many family members of veterans don't know which kind of medals they are searching for, or which ones should be awarded for their veterans' service. Additionally, most DD-214 forms abbreviate awards and medals, which tin stump people who are unfamiliar with reading these forms.

Some of the most common abbreviations to know include :

ARCOM: Ground forces Commendation Medal
BSM: Statuary Star Medal
GWOT: Global State of war on Terrorism
AAM: Army Achievement Medal
JSCM: Joint Service Commendation Medal
AFAM: Air Force Achievement Medal
NCM: Navy Citation Medal
PH: Purple Heart
MOH: Medal of Honor

For more abbreviations, yous tin can look online or accomplish out to your local Veterans Council for assistance. Knowing these abbreviations tin can help you decipher which medals to utilize to receive.

Filling out the DD-149

While the DD-149 is used to correct military machine service, it is as well the same form you use to apply to receive your medals, ribbons and other award recognitions. If you need help filling out this form, y'all can stop past your local Veterans Services, or reach out to an American Legion or VFW post. These posts unremarkably accept people in leadership who have experience with forms and know all the necessary evidence you'll demand to supply.

You'll need to attach a re-create of the DD-214, along with whatever other testify of yours or your veteran's service. If yous still accept copies of your travel documents or orders, these tin help prove your eligibility for U.S. military medals and awards .

Y'all tin choose to have your asking reviewed remotely, or appear before the lath in Washington, D.C. If you cull to appear, you will accept to pay for all travel expenses; all the same, some people choose this route because it allows them to analyze their evidence.

box of medals

Last Words

When you lot finally receive your hard-earned medals, a armed services medal display rack tin be a source of pride and award in your habitation. At Medals of America, nosotros empathise the importance of honoring the service and sacrifice of our military. Permit united states aid you lot notice the perfect way to brandish your medals, ribbons and awards. Call us at 1-800-308-0849 or explore our website today.