MREC-03 · MILITARY RECORDS LIBRARY
Separation Records, DD-214 & Earlier Equivalents
MREC-03: The formal record ending a period of service, including DD-214 data and period-appropriate predecessor documents.
What this record can establish
Service period; separation date; characterization; grade; specialties; selected awards/deployments; separation authority/reason fields to the extent the form records them.
What it does not establish automatically
A DD-214 is a summary document. It can omit detail, contain errors, and does not replace underlying orders, medical files, award orders, or complete personnel records.
Preservation package
Every original and corrected separation document; separation orders; worksheet/draft if available; correction requests; supporting orders and award records.
Minimum source metadata
- Stable source ID and record class
- Creator or issuing office
- Document date and covered period
- Subject identifiers
- Repository and exact locator
- Provenance or acquisition note
- Proposition supported and express limits
- Evidence-status code and derivative/OCR/transcription lineage
Evidence testing
- Identity: Is the record tied to the correct person, unit, platform, or event?
- Chronology: Separate document date, effective date, event date, and covered period.
- Institutional purpose: Understand why the record was created and what it was designed to record.
- Corroboration: Seek independent records; copies and derivatives from one source do not create independence.
Evidence status key: D1 direct primary; D2 corroborated primary; S1 authoritative secondary; S2 credible secondary; I inference; C conflict; U unverified; N negative research result.
Connected Life Record chapters
Related navigation guides
- DD 214 Review Separation Packet
- Discharge Characterization Upgrade Pathways
- Post Service Record Corrections
Retrieval and authority status
This page defines the evidence family and preservation method. Repository-specific access rules, privacy limits, request forms, retention schedules, service/era differences, and governing authorities must be verified for the particular record before treating retrieval instructions as final. Start with current official repositories and the linked Navigation Guides.
