Pappas Leads Introduction of Bipartisan, Bicameral Record of Military Service for Members of the Armed Forces Act in House

Today, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), alongside Representatives Nancy Mace (SC-01), Mike Levin (CA-49), Mike Turner (OH-10), and Andy Kim (NJ-03), introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Record of Military Service for Members of the Armed Forces Act, to help National Guard and Reserve members receive the benefits they've earned by ensuring they are provided the same DD-214 form as other members of the Armed Forces following their retirement or completion of service. Senators Peters and Lankford have introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

"Members of the National Guard and Reserves who have sworn the same oath as other members of our Armed Services should not face undue barriers to the care, services, and benefits they have earned," said Congressman Pappas. "Providing all those who have served our country the same record of their service, one of the most valuable documents for a veteran to possess, is essential to ensuring equitable access to benefits following their service. I'm committed to fighting for equity for our Guard and Reservists on all fronts, and will keep working with my colleagues to advance this legislation through Congress."

"It's critical that all servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve members, receive a standard record of their service when they separate from the military, but that doesn't currently happen in a clear and consistent way for everyone," said Congressman Levin. "Our bill will help ensure that everyone who serves in our military has the record they need before returning to civilian life, which will make it easier to pursue employment, VA benefits, and more."

The DD-214 form is frequently required by VA, other benefits organizations, and private sector institutions to certify qualification for benefits after completion of service. It is key to proving military service and qualifying for a variety of veterans benefits, making a veteran's DD-214 form one of their most valuable documents. As a result of how the DD-214 form is currently drafted and the narrow circumstances in which members of the Reserve Component can receive one, it can be difficult and confusing for both VA and servicemembers to prove all service periods to determine their benefits.

According to VA, "there is no one form used by the Reserves or National Guard that is similar to a DD Form 214 that meets Proof of Service Requirements." Members of the Reserves receive a Discharge Certificate, but it doesn't fully detail the service record. Members of the National Guard, meanwhile, receive a National Guard Bureau form that details characterization of service, but other reserve components do not have a similar form, and most agencies are unfamiliar with it.

The Record of Military Service for Members of the Armed Forces Act will ensure all members of the Reserve Components -- including the National Guard -- receive a DD-214 form following their retirement or completion of service.

Specifically, this bill will:

Update the DD-214 form to show all periods of active status to include annual training and inactive training periods.
Change the DD-214 form to show current total inactive service time for a member's current service period. The current form only details inactive time from previous service periods.
Bring commonality to discharge forms for all reserve components, which will reduce the administrative training requirements on the National Guard by reducing the number of separation documents administrative support specialists must be trained and proficient in completing.
Provide all servicemembers with proof of service that will consolidate all service periods allowing them to apply for all entitled benefits while reducing confusion at federal, state, and local agencies and private sector institutions.
This legislation is supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Reserve Organization of America, National Guard Association of the United States, and the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States.

"No service member should have trouble accessing their earned benefits due to an inadequate and unreliable record of military service. Unfortunately, unlike their active duty counterparts, that is the case for countless members of the reserve component," said Brittany Dymond, Associate Director with the VFW National Legislative Service. "The VFW applauds Representative Pappas for addressing this longstanding inequity by introducing the Record of Military Service for Members of the Armed Forces Act, which would ensure a standard record of military service is created for use across all services, regardless of the component in which military members serve."

"The Pentagon's personnel bureaucrats could easily fix problems with DD-214 policy that robs members of the Reserve and National Guard from equitable and proper service credits; instead they refuse to do right by those they call part of the "Total Force', but too often treat like second class," said ROA's Executive Director, retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Phillips. "ROA thanks Congressman Pappas for stepping up to fix this issue that vexes Reserve Component servicemembers and their families. Grieving families who are trying to honor their newly deceased Reserve or Guard veteran should not have to fight to get an accurate headstone because the Pentagon bureaucracy refuses to issue an end-of-service DD-214."

"The Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS) would like to express our gratitude to Representative Chris Pappas for his hard work and dedication to the National Guard and his efforts to ensure our service is properly documented, which will most definitely ease our servicemembers transition into multiple state and federal veterans programs," said Command Sergeant Major (Retired) Karen Craig, President of the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States. "Ensuring that servicemembers' military careers' are appropriately documented is fundamental when seeking benefits through federal and state levels. It will also serve to highlight their military career when seeking employment."

"The National Guard Association of the United States would like to thank Rep. Chris Pappas on introduction of this critical legislation addressing Total Force documentation of military service replacing the DD-214" said retired Brig. Gen. J. Roy Robinson, the NGAUS President. "The Department of Defense continues to operate under a disjointed system of multiple different service documents for Active, Reserve, or National Guard Servicemembers, and it's past time to modernize this process and move to one cumulative document. We applaud these Congressional efforts and encourage quick passage of this legislation."

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