Company Charging Servicemen, Servicewomen to Access DD-214s

Hart County Clerk of Court Frankie Gray is advising military personnel and veterans of a company offering to provide the servicemen or veterans a copy of their DD-214 for a fee.

Gray said it has been reported that in some cases the veteran has been charged more than the initially stated price they were quoted and never received the document.

In a published letter to local military personnel and veterans in Hart County Tuesday, Gray said his office is required by law to provide copies of DD-214s at no charge if it’s on file with his office.

A DD-214 is the serviceman’s discharge papers or more formally, a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.

It is generally issued when a service member performs active duty or at least 90 consecutive days of active duty training.

The Report of Separation contains information normally needed to verify military service for benefits, retirement, employment, and membership in veterans’ organizations.

The information shown on the Report of Separation may include some of the service member’s personal or background information such as when they entered the service, where they served, their home address, and any honors or medals they may have received while serving.

He added that it is important for servicemen to file their DD-214 in the County in which they reside. Gray said it is also very important that you take the time to file it so that you and your family have access to it if needed.

Gray said that DD-214s are exempt from the Open Records Request Act for fifty years from the date of filing.

“The process to file takes less than five minutes and it is returned to the serviceman or servicewoman after we scan into our system and again, this service is free of charge,” Gray said.

Anyone with questions can call Gray at the Hart County Clerk of Court office at 706-376-7189.