CVA Military Service Records & Documentation 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What document serves as the primary official record of a veteran's military service, including discharge characterization?
- DA Form 2-1
- DD Form 214 (Correct answer)
- NGB Form 22
- SF 180
Correct answer: DD Form 214
DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) is the primary official document summarizing a veteran's military service, including dates, character of discharge, and decorations.
Question 2: Which agency is the primary repository for military service records for veterans who separated before 1994?
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) (Correct answer)
- Defense Manpower Data Center
- Military Entrance Processing Command
Correct answer: National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)
The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri, is the primary federal repository for military personnel records, especially for veterans who separated before 1994.
Question 3: What form is used to request military service records from the National Personnel Records Center?
- VA Form 21-526EZ
- SF 180 (Correct answer)
- DD Form 149
- DD Form 293
Correct answer: SF 180
Standard Form 180 (SF 180) is the official form used to request military personnel records, including the DD 214, from the National Personnel Records Center.
Question 4: What does the character of discharge on a DD Form 214 affect regarding VA benefits eligibility?
- Only the amount of compensation received
- Eligibility for most VA benefits and programs (Correct answer)
- Only eligibility for education benefits
- Only eligibility for home loan guaranty
Correct answer: Eligibility for most VA benefits and programs
The character of discharge determines eligibility for most VA benefits — discharges other than honorable may bar access to VA healthcare, compensation, education, and other programs.
Question 5: Which type of discharge characterization generally makes a veteran ineligible for VA benefits?
- General (Under Honorable Conditions)
- Other Than Honorable (OTH) (Correct answer)
- Medical discharge
- Entry-level separation
Correct answer: Other Than Honorable (OTH)
An Other Than Honorable (OTH) discharge generally bars a veteran from receiving VA benefits, though veterans may request a discharge upgrade or character of discharge determination.
Question 6: What is the purpose of a 'character of discharge determination' that a VA Regional Office can conduct?
- To change the veteran's official military record
- To determine if a veteran with a less-than-honorable discharge is eligible for specific VA benefits (Correct answer)
- To review C&P exam results
- To upgrade a veteran's discharge automatically
Correct answer: To determine if a veteran with a less-than-honorable discharge is eligible for specific VA benefits
A character of discharge determination allows the VA Regional Office to determine if a veteran with a less-than-honorable discharge served under conditions other than dishonorable for purposes of VA benefits eligibility.
CVA Military Service Records & Documentation 1
What document serves as the primary official record of a veteran's military service, including discharge characterization?