NOTE: If you are in the Regular Air Force you will need to contact the Air Force Personnel Center about your DD Form 214, Certificate of Uniformed Service.
The DD Form 214, Certificate of Uniformed Service, provides Air Reserve Component (ARC) members with an accurate and complete summation of a period of qualifying active military service. This form also provides civil and government agencies with information needed to administer the federal and state laws and/or benefits that apply to members who separate from the military. Examples are VA Home Loans, Burial Rights, Disability Claims, Unemployment Compensation, Re-Employment Rights, etc.
It also provides the military services an authoritative source of personnel information for administrative purposes, and for making enlistment or reenlistment eligibility determinations.
Eligibility for ARC members to receive a DD 214 is different than for Regular Active Duty members.
DD 214’s are not career encompassing separation/discharge/retirement documents for Reserve and Guard members. To date, there is not a statutory allowance to compile all active duty time into a comprehensive DD 214. To be eligible for a single DD 214, you must be on active-duty orders for 90+ days (30+ days for a named contingency, 1+ day for PDRL/TDRL) up through your effective date of retirement or separation.
As outlined in DAFI 36-3202 Chapter 2, and DODI 1336.01, the below criteria needs to be met:
1) Completed orders of 90 consecutive days or more of active duty service; OR
2) Served voluntarily in support of a Contingency Operation such as Inherent Resolve or Enduring Freedom, etc...for 30 consecutive days or more; OR
3) Placed on MEDCON/Med Hold orders for one or more consecutive days; OR
4) Involuntarily mobilized under Title 10, USC Section 688, 12301(a), 12302, 12304, 12305, 12406 or 331-335
**Effective 23 Jan 2019, any orders for Contingency must be for 30 days or more to be eligible for a DD 214. This is not retroactive, so any Contingency orders that began prior to 23 Jan 2019 only require 1 day or more to be eligible. ** This only applies to named contingency operations.
This also applies to the issuance of a Retirement DD 214. For the DD 214 to specify “Retirement,” members are required to be on qualifying orders until their effective date of retirement.
**If you are still currently serving in uniform and are assigned to a unit, please contact your local Military Personnel Flight for guidance and assistance with any missing DD 214’s.**
More information can be found through our Knowledge Article:
https://myfss.us.af.mil/USAFCommunity/s/knowledge-detail?pid=kA0t0000000LHxMCAW