Replace Veterans' Medals, Awards, and Decorations
| Army | Air Force (includes Army Air Corps and Army Air Forces) |
Navy |
| Marine Corps | Coast Guard | Cold War Certificates |
| ARMY | |
|---|---|
| Where to write for medals | National Personnel Records Center 1 Archives Drive St. Louis, MO 63138 or REQUEST MEDALS ONLINE! |
| Where medals are mailed from | U.S. Army TACOM Clothing and Heraldry (PSID) 700 Robbins Ave, BLDG 6B North Philadelphia, PA 19111 |
| Where to write in case of a problem or an appeal | U.S. Army Human Resources Command Soldier Program and Services Division - Awards and Decorations Branch ATTN: AHRC-PDP-A 1600 Spearhead Division Avenue, Dept 480 Fort Knox, KY 40122-5408 |
| AIR FORCE (includes Army Air Corps & Army Air Forces) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where to write for medals | National Personnel Records Center 1 Archives Drive St. Louis, MO 63138 or REQUEST MEDALS ONLINE! |
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| Where medals are mailed from, and where to write in case of a problem or an appeal |
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Important Information for the Next-of-Kin (NOK):
Who is the Next-of-Kin (NOK)?
- For the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps & Coast Guard, the NOK is defined as: the un-remarried widow or widower, son, daughter, father, mother, brother or sister
- For the Army, the NOK is defined as: the surviving spouse, eldest child, father or mother, eldest sibling or eldest grandchild
If you do not meet the definition of NOK, you are considered a member of the general public.
How the type of record (archival or non-archival) affects NOK requests for medals:
The Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) is used to verify awards to which a veteran may be entitled. OMPFs are accessioned into the National Archives, and become archival, 62 years after the service member's separation from the military. Separation from service is defined as discharge, retirement or death in service based on a rolling date. (To calculate this, take the current year and subtract 62.) Records with a discharge date 62 (or more) years ago are archival and are open to the public. Records with a discharge date less than 62 years ago are non-archival and are maintained under the Federal Records Center program. Non-archival records are subject to access restrictions. As such, the veteran's date of separation (separation is defined as discharge, retirement or death in service) will affect how the request is processed. See below:
| NEXT-OF-KIN, MEDAL REQUESTS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran's Separation Date | Army, Navy, and Marine Corps | Air Force and Coast Guard | |
| If the veteran separated from military service 62 (or more) years ago |
Requests are accepted at NO COST Write to: National Personnel Records Center Or |
These Services do not accept NOK archival requests. The NOK may purchase a copy of the veteran's OMPF to determine the awards due and obtain the medals from a commercial source | |
| If the veteran separated from military service less than 62 years ago |
Requests are accepted at NO COST Write to: National Personnel Records Center Or |
Requests are accepted at NO COST Write to: National Personnel Records Center Or |
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| WHAT MAKES A RECORD ARCHIVAL? Learn more |
Cold War Recognition Certificate:
In accordance with section 1084 of the Fiscal Year 1998 National Defense Authorization Act, the Secretary of Defense approved awarding Cold War Recognition Certificates to all members of the armed forces and qualified Federal government civilian personnel who faithfully served the United States during the Cold War era from September 2, 1945 to December 26, 1991.
What Service does the NPRC Provide?
The NPRC, upon request, will provide copies of DD-214s (or equivalent) or SF-50s to authorized requesters. These documents may be used to apply for the Certificate. For information on how to obtain a copy of your DD-214 (for military service personnel) or SF-50 (for Federal civilian personnel) see:
| MILITARY PERSONNEL RECORDS | CIVILIAN PERSONNEL RECORDS | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| If the veteran separated from military service 62 (or more) years ago: CLICK HERE |
If the veteran separated from military service less than 62 years ago: CLICK HERE |
If the Federal civil servant's employment ended before 1952: CLICK HERE |
If the Federal civil servant's employment ended after 1951: CLICK HERE |
How Do I Apply for a Cold War Recognition Certificate?
While the NPRC provides proof of service and separation documents; the Center does not supply the Certificate itself, nor does it have the application form available. For more information concerning the application process, search the Internet for "Cold War Certificate Program - HRC Homepage".
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