How can I find out my father's actual service dates?

Question

My father recently wrote a book saying that during the years of 1968-1976 he was in the army, intelligence to be exact.

The thing is from 1969-1971 he was dating my mother while attending college. From 1971-1975 he was married to my mother and I was born in 1972.

He gave me for my birthday last year a copy of the book and autographed it with the inscription saying something about hoping this would explain his absence.

According to my mother he was never in the military from the time she started dating till the time they got divorced. That he had been working as a salesman during that time.

I don't see my mother staying with him for one year let alone four years as she hates liars. And my father would have had to lie to her on a daily basis if what he wrote was true.

So I'm wondering since he is still alive if there is a way to find out his service dates (archive.gov wants him to be deceased before they will release that info.)

Answer 1

Sounds like your Dad has a great imagination. He was obviously never in the military. It's called "Stolen Valor."



You will have to provide a Death Certificate to access his records from archive.gov.



Simple solution is to ask him for a copy of his DD-214 Discharge papers. If he says he cannot/will not provide a copy because he "lost it" then tell him you will help him get a new copy. If he hesitates then you know he is full of ****.



If he gives you a DD-214 you can take it to a local Army Recruiter and have them verify if it is correct or a fake.



Sounds like your Mom divorced him for good reason.

Answer 2

Re-File under the "Freedom Of Information Act"...

They are Public Records...You are Entitled to see them...



Being a Travelling Salesmen is a good cover story...

and a great excuse to cover his being gone a lot...????



What is the Name of the BOOK ???



PS: My Father had everyone Believing that he had Served as a Fighter Pilot...

Never served a Day in His Life...a pathological liar...

Answer 3

He doesn't have to be deceased to get a redacted FOIA copy of his records....all you need to do is fill out a SF-180

Answer 4

try this web site: http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/dd-214.html and tell them that he's passed.