A DD-214 is the discharge document that proves military service.
When you’ll need it
- VA burial benefits and allowances
- Military funeral honors
- Burial at the Utah Veterans Cemetery in Bluffdale or a national cemetery
- A government headstone or marker
If you can’t find it
Veterans and next of kin can request a copy from the National Archives. The funeral home can often help, and the VA can sometimes confirm eligibility without it.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Burials and Memorials.
- National Archives, Military Service Records.
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