Where To Go To Get My Service Medals

Receiving a medal for your service in the military is non ever automatic. In many cases, military machine service members have to apply to receive their medals, or to supplant lost or damaged medals. Family unit members may also exist 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 not sure which U.South. military medals you qualify for, there are steps you can take to verify and submit an application to receive your medals.

Obtain Your DD-214

It tin can be hard to recall precisely which accomplishments you achieved many years after your service. Family unit members of a veteran may exist completely unaware of the accomplishments of their loved one's service. The first step is to obtain the DD-214s of the service member–too known every bit their discharge papers. These papers will outline important information nigh a veteran's service, including:

Tape of service years
Armed forces teaching
Last duty consignment and major command
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 copy through the Veterans Affairs website . Yous'll need to create an account and confirm your identity before y'all can request your DD-214. For family members of a veteran, you tin mail service an SF-180 form to the National Personnel Records Heart or contact your local Veterans agency for help. You volition also need to prove your human relationship to the veteran, along with a re-create of their expiry certificate if applicable.

Additionally, if you feel that accomplishments or awards were left off the DD-214s in error, 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 according to the date of separation and branch. The Marine Corps, Navy, and Ground forces volition process requests for veterans who separated from their service before 1956. The Declension Guard and Air Force, however, require adjacent-of-kin requests for pre-1956 service to pay to receive these personnel files.

For war machine service later on 1957, all branches will process these requests at no charge to the next-of-kin.

Utilize the Resource for Your Co-operative

In one case you've obtained your DD-214s, you lot tin can then seek out assistance from your specific military branch. In some cases, you may demand to entreatment a determination of an award, or you may run into a problem that needs to be addressed.

You tin can mail a letter to the headquarters of the Army, Air Forcefulness, Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps in case of a problem or an entreatment. Additionally, veterans and active service members tin become to the assistants section of their company or squad to get copies of their records and apply to receive medals.

mounted medals

Know the Abbreviations

Many family unit 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, almost DD-214 forms abbreviate awards and medals, which can stump people who are unfamiliar with reading these forms.

Some of the most common abbreviations to know include :

ARCOM: Regular army Commendation Medal
BSM: Bronze Star Medal
GWOT: Global War on Terrorism
AAM: Ground forces Accomplishment Medal
JSCM: Joint Service Commendation Medal
AFAM: Air Force Achievement Medal
NCM: Navy Commendation Medal
PH: Purple Middle
MOH: Medal of Honor

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

Filling out the DD-149

While the DD-149 is used to correct armed forces service, it is also the same form you use to use to receive your medals, ribbons and other accolade recognitions. If yous demand assistance filling out this course, you can stop by your local Veterans Services, or reach out to an American Legion or VFW mail. These posts usually accept people in leadership who have experience with forms and know all the necessary prove you lot'll demand to supply.

You'll demand to attach a copy of the DD-214, along with any other evidence of yours or your veteran's service. If you still have copies of your travel documents or orders, these can help prove your eligibility for U.South. military medals and awards .

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

box of medals

Final Words

When you lot finally receive your hard-earned medals, a military medal display rack can exist a source of pride and accolade in your domicile. At Medals of America, we understand the importance of honoring the service and cede of our war machine. Let us help you find the perfect way to display your medals, ribbons and awards. Phone call us at 1-800-308-0849 or explore our website today.