From healthcare to home loans, education to employment, nearly every veteran benefit starts with one document: Your DD214. Your military discharge papers are officially known as DD Form 214, or just ...

John Hall was a private in the 2nd New York Regiment of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. At some point during the summer of 1783, he received this sheet of paper: A ye olde DD-214.

The military's reserve components now issue departing reservists a new standard service record that summarizes their periods of active and inactive service as well as their "points" earned toward ...