I like being innawoods but I was never a guy that really lurked /k/ all that often. I'm hoping maybe one of you guys could help since I know there are ex servicemen here. /adv/ made me think to check. My uncle died not so suddenly 14 hours ago, he served 8 years in the US Army as a heavy equipment/diesel mechanic and got an honorable discharge. Funeral is Friday and we'd like the honor guard to be there but we need to get his DD214 for that to be possible. I've seen that you can request an emergency one through archive.gov and I've also heard you can get a private company to get you one. It's a long shot but I was hoping maybe someone had a lead or someone to talk to, we're going to start making arrangements around 10am cmt. I've tried talking to his son and wife/my aunt but they're too grief stricken and I can't request one myself.
I know this is kind of off topic but whatever, his family would be so happy to see his contributions and commitment honored.
Find whoever does the honor guard for your area and give them a call, they can hopefully help you.
Thanks everyone.
That's a good idea, none of us are thinking straight. The VA office opens it's call lines in a few hours and I'm going to hit them up.
I remember something like this coming up years back when they came out with vet license plates. My aunt wanted him to get one and my uncle was offended by it, he said that he was riding around in the same city he always had while driving past the same people that already knew him, hesaw ot as some way to show off. Then he got dark and switched to saying he wasn't one of the boys on the ground with a gun fighting for their lives, he was doing his part with guys like that around him that were keeping him safe.
Maybe that's our answer there, though. He never wanted praise for doing what he was supposed to do.
Does he have any friends that are still alive from the service? He would probably prefer someone he knows speaking to his character rather than a group of people praising him who never knew him as a man.
He never talked much about it, he would tell us that he just changed the oil on tanks. When we were real young he said he would he would say he checked the tire pressure on the tread too, just to joke around with us. He always said he never left the base up until he retired from his job last year, then he told us about driving 6 axle stake trucks through rough terrain to deliver equipment, or digging a hole underneath a truck that couldn't be jacked up to swap a transmission, 8 guys in a 3 foot wide hole manipulating a 500lb box around. There may be people he served with that are still around but he never talked to anyone about it. My aunt knows a few stories but she just clams up whenever you ask her.
They had a lot of things destroyed by a flood in 1996, then they moved and had a lot of other things destroyed by a flood. It's complete shit luck because we don't live in an area that floods often. Maybe it's somewhere, I'll try to ask one of his kids later today.
I figured as much but you might as well try if you run out of options.
I'll try them out with my cousin, his oldest son. I feel like he deserves it, everyone does. We're all just so tired because we basically haven't slept or ate since he came home on hospice last Wednesday.
I'll look into that. Someone has it, they have too.
Gonna try to get some sleep for a few hours. I'll start pursuing it again then. If i make any headway I'll post it here. I really appreciate the help.
Just toss his body in a ditch, its what most pogs deserve
shit head
frick ya mudda
Not my fault OP had everyone thinking his uncle was a soldier when really he was a gas attendant who wore camo.
Honor guard??? For what honor?
>you sure filled up the gas pretty good. Some might even say honorably
Get the frick out of here
frick ya mudda
>disrespecting the logi men
just wait til your brodozer shits itself in bumfrick and you have nobody to unfrick it
Sorry you think its impossible to fix a humvee (its not)
Oh wait, I bet you think we need a full job for somone to *checks notes* pour my gasoline.
Stop replying to a bored moron baiting
t. No CIB
The VA will either put you on a 700-hour hold and/or just hang up on you. It's a complete shitshow. You might check with the county records office, back in the days before the internet they told recently discharged veterans to register their DD214 with whatever county records office existed, just in case they ever needed a quick replacement copy because good luck getting a hard copy from the federal government again in your lifetime.
>t. Former benefits worker
Is there a place he kept paperwork, maybe a filing cabinet or something? A DD214 isn't generally something you just throw away. I still have like 6 copies of mine.
Apparently you care much more about this than he ever did.
>VA phone lines
>ever available
"Thank you for calling the Department of Veterans Affairs. There are too many callers right now. We cannot take your call. Try calling back later. Goodbye."
Fricking VA.
Contact the Veterans Administration, also could try DAV, VFW, or American Legion
>He never wanted praise for doing what he was supposed to do.
Every veteran deserves a soldier's funeral
He should have kept the DD214 around the house. It’s a very important piece of paperwork and not something that gets thrown out casually. I’m guessing it’s there somewhere.
Pretty sure most states keep a copy also as a just in case. If you can't get someone nationally to help contact your state.
https://www.va.gov/records/get-military-service-records/
>https://www.va.gov/records/get-military-service-records/
54799919
Remind me not to do your funeral detail dumbass
You don’t get the (you)
8 days ago I requested a copy of my grandfathers DD214 from the National Archives, and upon checking the status just now it’s still in the “received” stage. I fully expect it to be a few more months until I get it. Sorry bro, National Archives is dogshit.