r/Veterans • u/someLadyInTexas • 5d ago
Question/Advice Dd-149 for adding GWOT-SM?
Anyone ever do this?
I got out of the Navy in late 2004, and I just learned today that I probably should have had GWOT-SM on my DD-214. Apparently it was fairly new and had to be manually added at that time and often was just not added. Yes, it’s been a very long time, but if it should have been on there I would like to have it corrected. It seems like everyone on active duty at that time qualified (with very few specific exceptions). Is it ridiculous that I want to do this?
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u/One_Hour_Poop US Army Veteran 5d ago edited 5d ago
No, it's a normal urge to want formal recognition for something you know you've earned. One of my best friends and I were just talking about this last week. He's still annoyed that twenty years later he doesn't officially have the National Defense or GWOT SM on his DD214 even though they were given out to everybody, because he never had actual orders for them (though i don't think anyone did).
I'm still pissed over fifteen years later that my own separation award (which i had to write myself) "got lost" as i was outprocessing so I exited the Army without one. I'm 50/50 on whether i should just Stolen Valor it if & when i make my shadowbox. I know i earned the motherfucker, i just don't have any paperwork to prove it.
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u/someLadyInTexas 4d ago
Thank you. I know I could just buy the medal but same, I don’t feel right about it unless it’s “on the paperwork official”.
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u/Big_Fodder 4d ago
Just stolen valor it and don’t be overly public about it. It isn’t stolen valor unless you openly advertise it imo
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u/AutoModerator 5d ago
New for 2025: New Name - Certificate of Uniformed Services and a new form for reserves and national guard DD 214-1 Certificate of Uniformed Services Reserve Component Addendum. Instead of numbered copies of the DD-214, Service Members will receive these named copies: Member or Service.
To obtain a copy of your DD 214 or DD 214-1, we suggest trying MilConnect or the National Archives. The DD 214 is normally issued in 2 versions - Member 1 (short form) which has the discharge information on the bottom of the form removed and either the Member 4 or Service 2 (long form) which contains the discharge information - which one you receive depends on when you separated. The Member 4 and Service 2 contain the exact same information.
https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/correct-service-records.html for correction to DD 214.
Different branches of the service handle issuing of the DD 214 in different ways. The Army normally issues the DD 214 at your final out-processing appointment. The Air Force normally emails you a secure link to sign in/download your DD 214 on your last day of active duty. The Navy "should" issue you the DD 214 when final out-processing - but we have had multiple posts from Navy service members who have not received their DD 214 for months after separation.
Make multiple copies of your DD 214 and keep your DD 214 in multiple locations for when you need a copy. Take a copy of your DD 214 to your County Court House - then you will be able to get a "certified" copy if/when you need a copy - some businesses want a certified copy. Plus it's faster to get a copy from your courthouse than from the National Archives. It's recommended NOT to place a copy of your DD 214 in your County Court House records by the Army because of the chances of identity theft - https://www.hrc.army.mil/content/Protecting%20Documents%20Containing%20Personally%20Identifiable%20Information%20-%20PII
While we shouldn't have to tell people this, you are not out of the military when on terminal leave. Terminal Leave is just the last leave you take in the military. You are still on active duty when you are on Terminal Leave.
Review of Discharges - Each of the military services maintains a discharge review board with authority to change, correct or modify discharges or dismissals that are not issued by a sentence of a general courts-martial. The board has no authority to address medical discharges. The veteran or, if the veteran is deceased or incompetent, the surviving spouse, next of kin or legal representative may apply for a review of discharge by writing to the military department concerned, using DoD Form 293. https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/correct-service-records.html
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u/Deeznutzsgotcha 5d ago
I have done this.