For military members who have been retired or separated from the branch of service they joined, one of the most vital pieces of paper that they will ever get is the DD 214 form. This form is going to be a necessity when entering the civilian job market; therefore, cherish this paper and ensure that it is always safe.
What Is the DD 214?
The DD 214, or Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, is the paper that all veterans receive once they are out of the military. This paper is going to have an ample amount of information on this, including:
- Active-duty information, including when the veteran entered
- Home address upon entering the military
- Address after separation
- The last duty assignment and rank the veteran had before getting out
- The MOS (military job specialty) of the veteran
- Any and all education from the military
- The medals, badges, citations, campaign awards and decorations the veteran earned while in service
- Service length
- Any foreign service the vet may have had
- The type of separation from the military, such as an honorable or dishonorable discharge
There is also information contained on this paper, such as the Social Security number, which goes to show how important this document is. In other words, it is something that you never want to lose, as it has all the information needed in order to steal the veteran's identity.
Why the DD 214 Is Needed When Job Hunting
When looking to get hired with military friendly employers, they often want proof that the vet was in the military. Unfortunately, in today's time, it is hard to take anyone at their word. And there have been cases in which people claim to be veterans in order to get a job with a company that prefers to hire veterans.
When an employer requests seeing proof of this information, the DD 214 is going to be the document you will need. This is an official military document, and it should be more than enough proof to show that you are a veteran that deserves the job.
The DD 214 can also go a long way in proving that you are capable of handling the job that you are looking into. Since this lists all awards and the like, it is as good, if not better, than a resume listing achievements. Many veterans have been hired due to the information that was contained on their DD 214.
The DD 214 is often released to the veteran after they have been out of the military for a few weeks. There are times in which a person may wait for several months to get this paperwork. But for the most part, the Department of Defense wants to get this to the veteran as soon as possible, since it is such a highly valuable document on the job market.
For veterans who are missing their DD 214, they can fill out the SF-180 form and mail it to the appropriate office to make a request for the DD 214. Or the veteran can request the form online.
For more information, contact our partners at Hiring our Heroes.
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