Planning a burial for a veteran in a VA national cemetery involves ensuring they receive all the honors and benefits they deserve. A key step in this process is often providing the veteran’s military service records. If you’re wondering, “Where Do I Get these records?”, this guide will provide you with the necessary information to locate them efficiently.
If you are a family member currently arranging burial and do not have the veteran’s military records readily available, don’t worry. The National Cemetery Scheduling Office is equipped to assist you in locating these documents to determine eligibility for burial benefits. You don’t have to undertake the task of finding these records on your own initially.
For immediate assistance, you can directly contact the National Cemetery Scheduling Office. They are available to help you navigate this process and answer your questions. You can reach them by phone at 800-535-1117 (or TTY: 711). Their operating hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET, and Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET. They can often locate the records needed, simplifying the initial steps for you.
However, understanding how to independently obtain these records can also be beneficial, especially if you prefer to handle the record retrieval yourself or need them for other purposes. The process differs slightly depending on your relationship to the veteran.
If you are the next of kin of the deceased veteran, you have specific avenues for requesting military records. The definition of next of kin in this context typically includes:
- A surviving spouse who has not remarried.
- A parent of the veteran.
- A child of the veteran.
- A sibling of the veteran.
As next of kin, the primary source for obtaining military service records is the National Archives. You can submit a request to the National Archives in several ways:
- Online: The quickest method is often through their online request system, which allows you to submit the necessary information and track your request.
- By Mail: You can download and print the required form (typically SF-180, Request Pertaining to Military Records), fill it out, and mail it to the National Archives.
- By Fax: In some cases, you may be able to fax your request. Check the National Archives website for the most current fax number and instructions.
To process your request, the National Archives will typically require proof of the veteran’s death. This can be provided as a copy of one of the following documents:
- Death certificate or another official public record of the veteran’s death.
- A letter from a funeral home verifying the veteran’s death and your relationship to them.
For individuals who are not the veteran’s next of kin, access to military records is governed by different rules based on the discharge date.
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For veterans discharged more than 62 years ago: Military records become publicly accessible 62 years after the veteran’s discharge date. This means these records are considered archival and are open to the general public. You can order a copy of these archived records directly from the National Archives.
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For veterans discharged less than 62 years ago: If the discharge was within the last 62 years, access to the full military service record is generally restricted to the next of kin or authorized representatives. However, you may still be able to request limited information from the Military Personnel File. To obtain the full record, you would typically need authorization from the veteran’s next of kin.
In summary, when you are asking “where do I get veteran military records for burial?”, the answer depends on your situation. For immediate burial arrangements, contacting the National Cemetery Scheduling Office is the most direct first step. For more in-depth record retrieval, especially as next of kin, the National Archives is the key resource. Understanding these pathways will help you efficiently obtain the necessary documentation to honor your veteran.
