Where can I obtain a DD 214 member copy 4?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 22:01:30 -0500

I received 3 different DD214s in the course of my career. I am currently in the Reserve and can still access HRC but the only copies there are the "service-2" copies. What's the big deal about the member copy 4 anyway? A civilian employer is asking for it specifically.

Response by LTC Yinon Weiss made Jan 13 at 2015 10:49 PM

LTC Yinon Weiss — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 22:49:39 -0500

A member-4 copy is the original DD214 you received which includes your type of discharge (honorable, etc.) and re-enlistment code. This is what an employer usually asks for. A "member-1" copy does not have the type of discharge information, in case somebody just wants to validate service but not the details of the discharge.

A "service-2" DD214 is a copy, which as long as it has your full discharge info, it should be fine.

If you want to get a copy of your member-4 for some reason, you should be able to do so here:
http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/

Start Your Military Service Record (DD Form 214) Request

How to Request Military Service Records, Military Personnel Files, Veterans Records, Discharge Papers, Separation Documents, DD214, or Prove Military Service

Response by SFC Aaron Finley made Jan 14 at 2015 12:07 AM

SFC Aaron Finley — Wed, 14 Jan 2015 00:07:06 -0500

All Veterans should get registered...

Go to https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal

You will need a Premium Account
After you log in.
Click on My Personal Dashboard. (Scroll to bottom of page)
Click on Request Official Military Personnel File (Left-hand Column)
The next page will be DPRIS
Click on (Request Your OMPF Information).
Click ACCEPT on next page. (A Consent Form)
Next page verify your information
Select DD214 and/or any other document you would like of yours.
Submit... Allow at-least 48hrs.
Then when you're ready to retrieve the document/s follow the same steps, but when you get to DPRIS this time you will select
Click on (View Your Retrieved OMPF Information). Here you can view & print.
The document/s will only stay there for 14 days then automatically purge themselves.

If you need help registering for a eBenefits account call ( [login to see] eBenefits Help Desk) and one of our agents will walk you through the process.

DD214 Differences
The Member4 copy has and extra box on the bottom front that is the "Special Edition Information" that states Type of Separation ie Retirement; Character of Service, ie Honorable; Narrative Reason for Separation, ie Sufficient Service for Retirement, a Separation Code, and other info.

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Jan 14 at 2015 7:24 AM

MSG Wade Huffman — Wed, 14 Jan 2015 07:24:59 -0500

The only copy of the member 4 is issued to you. The service 2 is the exact same but copies are available through NPRC ( http://www.archives.gov ).

National Archives and Records Administration

Response by MAJ Carlos Corredor made Jan 21 at 2015 2:51 PM

MAJ Carlos Corredor — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 14:51:29 -0500

Go through your e-benefits which is VA. I am able to get copies of my DD 214 and any other military or health records. That does not mean obviously that this will be the same thing for other veterans but it is still a good place to start. I have never been to the NARA site so if you could provide the link here that would be great resource to have.

Thanks, Carlos

Response by MAJ Carlos Corredor made Jan 21 at 2015 2:52 PM

MAJ Carlos Corredor — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 14:52:42 -0500

Response by MAJ Carlos Corredor made Jan 21 at 2015 2:53 PM

MAJ Carlos Corredor — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 14:53:24 -0500

Response by SGT Nathan Huff made Jun 9 at 2015 9:36 PM

SGT Nathan Huff — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 21:36:21 -0400

https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/homepage

you can obtain it on this site through your OMPF

Response by SFC Josh Billingsley made Aug 19 at 2015 2:25 PM

SFC Josh Billingsley — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 14:25:16 -0400

You should have received a single copy of your Member-4 copy with your discharge paperwork. The Member-4 is identical to the Service-2 paperwork in all ways except name. The VA can replace your Service-2 copy but you cannot receive another Member-4 copy. I would talk to the employer and see if they will accept your Service-2 in lieu of the member-4 copy. They have the same information on them.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 13 at 2015 9:39 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 21:39:13 -0400

We requested this from the archives and they sent us a service 2 one. We are trying to do a VA LOAN and the bank is requesting a member 4. We already had a service 2 copy.

Response by MSgt Mike Glass made Nov 1 at 2015 9:49 AM

MSgt Mike Glass — Sun, 01 Nov 2015 09:49:52 -0500

We're you able to obtain the member copy 4?

Response by A1C Lisa Casserly made May 31 at 2016 3:49 PM

A1C Lisa Casserly — Tue, 31 May 2016 15:49:02 -0400

Ah, well. There is stuff on the member copy that isn't on the service copy. Ok. First, I will tell you that I used to be a 73250, USAF personnel clerk. And, I can't estimate how many DD Form 214s I typed out. In the old days, that form was 8 pages... On certain copies, certain areas were "blacked out", so that when you typed, the carbon paper would not print onto it, but would type on the pages below. Hmmm. I got out in 1987. Do they even MAKE carbon paper anymore?? I do remember that Page 1 was a half page, a half sheet of paper. The other copies were full pages, etc. And these things were farmed out all over the place. some went to a records center in Denver, and if you were past that "inactive" service time that copy went to St. Louis... The service member used to get two copies... page 4, and... I don't remember which other one. It could have been page 1. As far as I know, the only copy of that page 4 member copy went to the service member. AND, if you lost it, you are... well, kinda S.O.L. Your local county Veteran's service center/person could give you better, and more modern information. But my gut level answer is that there is no other copy of that page of the form.

Response by SGT Daniel Evanson made Jan 16 at 2017 3:37 PM

SGT Daniel Evanson — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 15:37:47 -0500

thanks for the great help. now I wait

Response by Martin B. made Mar 16 at 2017 4:12 PM

Martin B. — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 16:12:09 -0400

We get this all the time. There are eight (8) original DD214s. Member 1 (the short or deleted form) and Member 4 (the long or undeleted form) are offered to the service member at separation. Generally, once they are issued, they are gone forever.

If the service member requires another copy, then he/she can acquire a copy of only one of the other remaining originals, usually a copy of the original maintained by the service branch itself, usually a copy of Service 2, Service 7 or Service 8. Rarely will the service branch keep a Member 4 or Member 1 copy, since they have their own copies. If the service branch has kept that copy, that's the copy you'll get if you request another copy. The copy issued by the service branch will have the full legal force and effect as the original.

All of the eight original DD214s are identical, except for Member 1 - the "short" or "deleted" form. The remaining seven long forms includes another 1.5 inches at the bottom which provides information concerning the service member's characterization of service, narrative reason for separation, legal reference (authority) for separation, separation and re-entry codes. The short form does NOT contain this important information - hence employers want the long form (which are all identical original DD214s EXCEPT for Member 1).

Response by Martin B. made Mar 16 at 2017 4:12 PM

Martin B. — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 16:12:59 -0400

Response by Lt Col Dan Haman made Dec 21 at 2017 7:25 PM

Lt Col Dan Haman — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 19:25:54 -0500

You can log into eBenefits site and request copies of parts of your personnel file. If you request the DD-214 you should get both the member-1 and member-4 copies. It only took about an hour to get it this way.

Response by CPL Robert Olivo made Feb 17 at 2018 11:39 PM

CPL Robert Olivo — Sat, 17 Feb 2018 23:39:59 -0500

How can get a copy of my dd214

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2018 6:19 AM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 Mar 2018 06:19:48 -0400

Really need it

Response by PO3 Kathryn Schiff made Oct 4 at 2018 7:09 PM

PO3 Kathryn Schiff — Thu, 04 Oct 2018 19:09:51 -0400

WTF is a DD214 Copy 4? I have alwayed used my Service -7 copy and never had an issue. Where do Iget a new copy?

Response by SGT Bertrand L Roberson made Apr 19 at 2019 11:39 AM

SGT Bertrand L Roberson — Fri, 19 Apr 2019 11:39:03 -0400

The member 4 copy is only issued at discharge. No other archival site has that copy. The National Personnel Records Center will only have the member 1, service 2 copy (imposed on the bottom of the member 1 page). The service two has the discharge type (e.g., honorable, dishonorable, etc.).

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made May 10 at 2019 2:32 PM

SGM Erik Marquez — Fri, 10 May 2019 14:32:32 -0400

A way to receive a copy of your DD 214 is get an eBenefits account. Go to http://www.ebenefits.va.gov and register. Once you have a premium account, click on the "Manage Benefits" tab, and go to the Military Personnel File (DPRIS) link to request a copy of the DD 214

Home - VA/DoD eBenefits

To restart your session, Click here or click the Login button in the top right corner of the Home page and you will be redirected to the DSLogon login page.

Response by SSG Robert Nunn made Jun 27 at 2019 9:49 PM

SSG Robert Nunn — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 21:49:56 -0400

I need copy 4 of my DD214 to buy a home .

Response by PV2 Paul Russell made Apr 22 at 2020 5:31 PM

PV2 Paul Russell — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 17:31:51 -0400

I need a member 4 for my school

Response by SGT Herbert Bollum made Apr 23 at 2020 1:34 PM

SGT Herbert Bollum — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 13:34:12 -0400

Member 4 is page 4 of a multi part form (carbonless today) and it will never be as clear of a copy as the Service 2 which is available from eBenifits.
When I re-enlisted I never got a 214 and had a lot of trouble when I got out with the VA not being able to get my benefits because they did not have proof of the earlier enlistment.
Now I have all that and more -- with my records they also sent NA form 13038 Certification of Military Service (to cover the earlier time in service). No more questions about prior service.

Response by Said Jafar Azimi made Sep 22 at 2020 11:16 AM

Said Jafar Azimi — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 11:16:06 -0400

I want dd214 because for armed security guard I'm from Afghanistan civilian new applier