How to Request Military Medals and Awards

 

From the July 2000 Washington State Dept. of Veterans Affairs
"Veteran Voices"

 

Requests for the issuance or replacement of military service medals, decorations and awards should be directed to the specific branch of the military in which the veteran served.

However, for Air Force (including Army Air Corps) and Army personnel, the National Personnel Records Center will verify the awards to which a veteran is entitled and forward the request with the verification to the appropriate service department for issuance of the medals.

The Standard Form (SF 180) Request Pertaining to Military Records, is recommended for requesting medals and awards. Provide as much information as possible and send the form to the appropriate address in the table below:

NOTE: Recently, the Department of the Army and the National Archives and Records Administration entered into an agreement which give the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) authority to verify entitlement to replacement awards and decoration for discharge, retired or deceased Army veterans. This was previously the responsibility of the Army Reserve Personnel Command (AR-PERSCOM). Army medals requests submitted within the last two years are currently in the process of being transferred from AR-PERSCOM to NPRC. The transfer of this work will take a number of months to complete.

Once the transfer has been completed, requests pertaining to these specific Army medals will be answered as soon as possible.

AR-PERSCOM estimates a backlog of 98,000 routine requests for Army medals, going back two years; and at least 4,300 Congressional requests for Army awards and decorations which may also be up to two years old.

However, multiple requests for the same awards will further complicate the process. Once the transfer is complete, responding to both the backlog of request and all new inquiries will begin in an expeditious manner. If you are now requesting medals, or you previously wrote to NPRC or AR-PERSCOM requesting medals, NPRC asks that you do not write again.

The following is suggested as an example of an acceptable authorization:

"I authorize the National Personnel Records Center, or other custodian of my military service record, to release to (your name or that of your company/organization) the following information and/or copies of documents from my military service record."

Complete the authorization by specifying the information and/or document(s) requested. Be sure to sign and date the authorization.

Authorizations are honored for one year from the date of signature. [END]

Page 10, WSDVA July 2000 - 'Veteran Voices'

 

 




Posted as a public service message by The Northwest Veterans Newsletter