DD214 vs DD215: What's the Difference?

DD Form 214 and DD Form 215 are closely related military documents, but they serve different purposes.

The DD214 is the primary certificate documenting a qualifying period of military service and separation.

The DD215 is associated with correcting information contained in an existing DD214.

That sounds simple, but the correction system has changed significantly as the Department of Defense has transitioned military separation records into electronic personnel systems.

Veterans researching DD215s today should therefore understand both what the form means historically and how current correction procedures work.

What Is a DD214?

The DD214 is the military's primary certificate documenting release, discharge, or another qualifying separation from uniformed service.

Depending on the version of the form and the Veteran's period of service, a DD214 can contain information such as:

Branch and component, dates of service, military occupation, education and training, awards and decorations, separation information, character of service, and other details about the completed period of military service.

The Department of Defense currently refers to the document as the DD Form 214, Certificate of Uniformed Service.

Older Veterans may have DD214 versions bearing earlier titles, including Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.

If you need another copy of an existing DD214, read How to Replace a Lost DD214 .

What Is a DD215?

DD Form 215 is titled Correction to DD Form 214, Certificate of Uniformed Service.

Its purpose is to document an authorized correction or update to information contained in a DD214.

Historically, a Veteran might receive the original DD214 and later receive a DD215 identifying information that had been corrected, completed, or updated.

In that situation, the DD215 should be read together with the DD214.

A Veteran who already possesses a DD215 should keep it with the corresponding DD214 because the two records may need to be reviewed together to understand the corrected service information.

Does a DD215 Replace the DD214?

Traditionally, no.

A DD215 functions as a correction associated with an existing DD214 rather than as an entirely unrelated separation document.

If a Veteran has an original DD214 and a DD215 correcting information on that DD214, both documents can be important.

Modern DoD procedures, however, also allow a corrected DD214 or DD214-1 to be reissued instead of issuing another separate correction form.

That means Veterans should no longer assume every approved correction will necessarily result in a new paper DD215.

Are DD215s Still Used?

Yes, but the answer requires some context.

Department of Defense Instruction 1336.01 continues to include DD Form 215 within the official DD Form 214/5 Series.

DoD policy also specifically allows a DD215 to be used for corrections to DD214s that were never issued electronically.

For electronic DD214 records, however, DoD has transitioned toward correcting or reissuing the DD214/214-1 record itself through integrated electronic personnel systems.

This is why two Veterans seeking corrections today may not receive exactly the same type of corrected document.

Does the National Archives Still Issue DD215s?

No.

This is one of the most important current changes for Veterans to understand.

The National Archives states that because current DoD guidance requires electronic creation and transmission of DD Form 215 information, NARA will no longer create a DD215 to correct a DD214.

NARA may maintain a copy of the Veteran's military personnel record, but storing the record does not necessarily give NARA authority to change it.

Corrections must instead be requested through the appropriate military service organization.

DD214 vs DD215: The Main Difference

The simplest distinction is:

DD214 = the primary military separation record.
DD215 = an authorized correction associated with information on a DD214.

Under today's electronic system, though, a correction may also result in a reissued DD214 or DD214-1 rather than a separate DD215.

So the better modern question is not simply, "How do I get a DD215?"

It is: "How do I get the incorrect information in my military separation record officially corrected?"

Why Might a DD214 Need to Be Corrected?

Veterans may discover incorrect or incomplete information in their separation documents for many reasons.

Potential issues can involve:

Name or identifying information, military service dates, rank, military occupation, awards and decorations, training, separation information, or another entry that does not accurately reflect the official military record.

The correction process depends on the type of error, age of the record, service branch, and supporting evidence.

A disagreement with the character of discharge can also involve a different review process from a straightforward administrative correction.

Who Corrects a DD214 Today?

The answer depends partly on whether the military personnel record is archival.

For a non-archival record, NARA currently instructs Veterans to request the correction from the appropriate personnel command of the service branch.

Examples include organizations such as Army Human Resources Command and Navy Personnel Command.

For an archival military record, generally involving someone discharged, retired, or who died in service 62 or more years ago, NARA directs corrections to the appropriate military service review or correction board.

The National Archives itself should not be treated as the agency that approves the correction merely because it maintains the historical record.

What Is DD Form 149?

DD Form 149 is the Application for Correction of Military Record Under the Provisions of Title 10, U.S. Code, Section 1552.

It is used to ask the appropriate Board for Correction of Military or Naval Records to correct an error or remove an injustice from an official military record.

NARA currently directs applicants seeking correction-board action to DD Form 149.

Not every simple administrative discrepancy necessarily requires a correction-board application first. For newer non-archival records, the appropriate personnel command may have its own administrative correction procedures.

Is Changing Your Discharge Status the Same as Correcting a DD214?

Not necessarily.

Changing a character of service or seeking a discharge upgrade can involve a Discharge Review Board or Board for Correction of Military Records rather than a routine administrative correction.

NARA currently identifies DD Form 293 as the application used for certain discharge reviews and DD Form 149 for correction-board cases.

Which route applies can depend on the age and circumstances of the discharge.

A Veteran seeking a discharge upgrade should therefore not assume that requesting a DD215 from a records repository is the appropriate procedure.

Can More Than One DD215 Be Issued?

Current DoD policy limits how DD215s are used when additional corrections become necessary.

DoD Instruction 1336.01 states that if one DD215 has already been issued and another correction is required, the DD214/214-1 should be reissued.

The instruction also states that a correction should not be made through another DD215 when doing so would require issuance of more than one DD215.

This helps prevent a Veteran's service record from becoming a chain of multiple correction sheets that must all be interpreted together.

What If You Already Have a DD215?

Keep it.

An existing DD215 may contain an official correction to information on your original DD214.

You should generally maintain the DD215 with the DD214 it corrects so anyone reviewing the service documentation can understand the complete record.

Do not alter the DD214 yourself to make it match the DD215.

DoD specifically warns that unauthorized changes or alterations can invalidate official DD Form 214/5 Series documents.

What If You Lost Your DD214 but Still Have a DD215?

Request another copy of the underlying military separation record.

Because a DD215 refers to corrections associated with a DD214, having only the correction document may not provide the complete service record you need.

Start with How to Replace a Lost DD214 .

If you need additional personnel documents beyond the separation form, read How to Get Your Complete Military Personnel File .

What If You Need to Correct an Existing DD214?

Do not start by simply requesting another copy.

A replacement-record request generally returns the military separation record already contained in the Veteran's file. It does not automatically fix an error contained in that record.

Instead:

1. Identify exactly which entry is incorrect.
2. Gather official evidence supporting the correction.
3. Determine whether the military record is archival or non-archival.
4. Identify the appropriate service personnel command or correction board.
5. Follow that service's current correction procedure.

Our dedicated correction guide explains the process in greater detail: How to Correct a DD214: DD215 Explained .

What Evidence Can Support a Military Record Correction?

The appropriate evidence depends on what is allegedly wrong.

Supporting material may include military orders, official personnel records, award citations, medical records, administrative documents, witness statements, or other records demonstrating that an entry is erroneous or unjust.

NARA's correction guidance notes that applicants bear responsibility for showing why the correction should be made.

If you do not have the supporting military documents you need, it may make sense to obtain the relevant personnel records before filing the correction request.

See How to Request Military Service Records for the broader records-request process.

Is There a Deadline for Correcting a Military Record?

Applications to a Board for Correction of Military Records are generally expected to be submitted within three years after discovery of the alleged error or injustice.

That does not necessarily mean an older error can never be reviewed.

NARA notes that a correction board can excuse a late filing when it determines that doing so would be in the interest of justice.

Applicants filing outside the normal period should be prepared to explain the delay and provide evidence supporting the requested correction.

DD214 vs DD215 vs a Reissued DD214

The modern system can be summarized this way:

DD214: the primary military separation record.

DD215: a correction associated with a DD214, particularly relevant to older records and DD214s that were not originally issued electronically.

Reissued DD214/214-1: a corrected version of the separation record that can be issued under current DoD procedures instead of relying on an additional DD215.

Which document results from a modern correction depends on the record, service branch, correction involved, and whether the original record was electronic.

Do You Need a DD215 Just Because Your DD214 Is Missing?

No.

A lost DD214 and an incorrect DD214 are completely different problems.

If the DD214 is accurate but you have lost your copy, you need a records request, not a correction.

If the DD214 itself contains incorrect information, then you may need the military correction process.

If you are simply missing the record, read How to Get a DD214 Online .

DD214 vs DD215: The Short Answer

The difference is straightforward:

A DD214 documents military separation and service information. A DD215 documents an authorized correction associated with that DD214.

But Veterans should not rely on older advice that says every incorrect DD214 is fixed simply by asking the National Archives to issue a DD215.

NARA no longer creates DD215 corrections. Current correction requests are handled by the appropriate military service, and modern electronic records may be corrected through issuance of an updated DD214/214-1 instead.

If you already have a DD215, keep it with the DD214 it corrects. If you are seeking a new correction, follow the current service-specific correction procedure.