Verifying Military Service

cindyasj · June 2003

We need to verify an employee's claim of military service - specifically Army Airborne Rangers. I have no contact information. Who do we contact? What phone number, address etc. Also, what specific information will we need to provide to them?

Thank you in advance for the help,
Cindy

Crout · June 2003

You could try this site.

[url]http://www.archives.gov/facilities/mo/st_louis.html[/url]

jmpmo · June 2003

I don't know if this is an option for you, but we put it back on the cadidate to supply us a phone number. Hope that helps some.

sonny · June 2003

employee should have DD214

Parabeagle · June 2003

Agree with Sonny. NO ONE finishes a tour of active duty lasting more than 90 days without getting a DD Form 214 - Record of Separation. If it was 90 days or less and he's in the National Guard, he'll get an NGB Form 22. If he doesn't have his copy, he can get a copy from his unit.

lorrie · June 2003

I agree with jmpmo, we require the employee to provide us with verification of their military service. (If they provide you with paperwork that you question, at least it should contain the necessary information to contact someone for verification.)

Don D · June 2003

At the Mississippi Employment Security Commission, back when I worked there, there was a guy in the Veteran's Services Unit who anyone could call and he would verify the authenticity of the entry on an application. I don't know what sort of database he was hooked into or who he knew that he would call for that, but he gave almost immediate responses. I too require production of a DD214 but only to verify the claim as I would a claim of employment, and ONLY at the point of normal employment verification, not before that, for fear of being perceived as treading on the rights of the (possible) ex-service-person.

On a related note, it is NOT uncommon for people to lie about such service. I know two people who claim such, one claiming to be an ex-Ranger and another, an ex-Navy Seal. Both are lying. They were employees who apparently did little more than read Soldier-Of-Fortune books and such. One had his office walls adorned with black outfits, photos of planes and ships and black face paint techniques. I got so tired of listening to his BS that one day, after the crowd had dispersed, I told him, "Why do you insist on telling these fabrications? I am the person at this company who has access to your original application, your transcript and your resume and to have been in the military, much less the SEALS, you would have had to do it part time at night and exclude any mention of it on your resume and application." His response was to tell me he was also currently a member of a counter intelligence network but he wasn't allowed to discuss it and he had sworn never to mention his service record on an application or resume. Horse Crap!

jmpmo · June 2003

So how many medications is this person on? Maybe they do have another personality that WAS in the military and is counter-intelligence. x:)

sonny · June 2003

"This is also part of the soldier's faith. Having known great things, to be content with silence." Holmes

cindyasj · June 2003

Thank you all for all the information. Knowing about the DD214 is great and the website has a link to a PDF document (Adobe) to request a DD214 if need be. It will be interesting to see what we find out when we ask for the DD214. You've all just made my life much easier. Thank you!
Cindy

Don D · June 2003

Cindy: I'm assuming the DD214 is a new one to you. Let me caution that you should be very careful not to 'require' that military veterans VERIFY their background and don't do the same for non-vets. There's a whole 'nother set of laws dealing with this. If you require every applicant to verify his/her background, whereabouts, gaps, employment, during the application process, fine; do it also for the vet.

I would suggest you would only ask for a copy of his DD214 after you have moved the process along to the employment/background verification stage. Then go for it.

WT · June 2003

If verifying past military service, the DD214 is the way to go. If a current employee wants to be released to report for military service, they should have a set of orders. Ask for a copy of the orders. This will show you if employees are asking to be released before they actually have to report for duty or (for short term duty) if they are returning to work well after they have been released from military duty.

Verifying Military Service

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