STATEMENT OF SERVICE
(SOS)
TYPES OF SOS:
Simple Statement of Service (NA Form 13041)DATA MOST OFTEN FURNISHED ON AN SOS:
Complex Statement of Service (NA Form 13041-A)
Summary of Military Service (NA Form 13072)
branch of serviceADDITIONAL DATA WHICH MAY BE REQUIRED:
dates of enlistment and separation
character of discharge
dates of active duty
dates of active duty for training (ACDUTRA)
time lost
final rank (for each enlistment period)
ranks and promotion dates
unit assignments and inclusive dates (from and to) of assignment
decorations
home address when enlisted or inducted
foreign or sea service dates or total time
disciplinary actions
THE SIMPLE STATEMENT OF SERVICE
The simple SOS provides the requester only basic service data: (1) branch or component, (2) enlistment and separation dates, (3) character and type of separation. It is not designed to verify multiple enlistments with breaks in service; however, if the multiple enlistments were continuous (i.e., no break in service) the simple SOS may be used.
Note: Do not provide a SOS when inquiry is identified as relating to the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act (SSCRA), or if inquiry originates from a law office, or requests substantiating proof that an individual does or does not have military service. See Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act in the CRG.
The simple SOS would be an appropriate way to verify service for a reservist who performed no active duty or active duty for training (Do NOT issue NA Form 13038). It also would be an appropriate reply to a “remarried widow or widower” requesting service verification for social security benefits. In that instance, you would NOT furnish character. Essentially, you are giving the requester data releasable under FOIA. Advise the requester to submit the SOS to the local Social Security office and have that office contact us directly if additional data is needed. (The SSA will need character, and it can be furnished to the SSA as a Federal routine use.
THE COMPLEX STATEMENT OF SERVICE
The complex SOS may include multiple enlistments, breaks in service, transfer from one component to another, ACDUTRA dates, time lost, and ranks.
This form could be an appropriate response to a Catch 62 request or a SSA request for verification of ACDUTRA dates. A complex SOS showing the home address when enlisted/inducted might be a good form of reply to a state veterans home. A rare instance when a complex SOS would include decorations, ranks and dates of promotion, assignments and dates of assignment is the biographical sketch or transcript. Such requests are received from relatives, researchers, chambers of commerce or other civic organizations. The requester may be planning a tribute or memorial to the veteran, naming a building for him/her, or writing a book. And, often the veteran is either a high-ranking retired officer or a highly decorated veteran. As with all requests, release guidelines apply; and if the requester does not have proper authorization, a FOIA response should be made.
Active Duty For Training Dates
When preparing a complex SOS it is important to show all ACDUTRA performed. Failure to report all ACDUTRA can
result in a decrease in benefits for the veteran. ACDUTRA data is found many places in the record.
In Navy, MC, and CG Officer Records, LOOK FOR:
training duty ordersIn Navy, MC, and CG Enlisted Records, LOOK FOR:
official correspondence
fitness reports
computation of retirement eligibility and credit (yellow card)
statement of service creditable under title 10 (worksheet)
marine corps officer qualification record
reserve status card (CG 3303)
training duty ordersAlso review retirement point pages:
record of active training duty (NAVPERS 601, page 10)
administrative remarks (NAVPERS 601, page 9 or 13)
history of assignments (NAVPERS 601, page 5)
transfers and receipts (NAVPERS 601, page 12)
enlisted performance evaluation report (NAVPERS 1616)
chronological record of medical care (Standard Form 600)
record of service (NAVMC 118, page 11)
coast guard form 2500C and CG 3305
coast guard report of change in personnel assignment page (NCG 2599)
(1) record of naval reserve service (NAVPERS 601, page 11)In Army Enlisted Records, LOOK FOR:
(2) reserve retirement credit report (NAVMC 798PD)
(3) coast guard reserve credit card or officer point record card (CG 3034)
DA Form 1383 (IBM cards)In Army Officer Records, LOOK FOR:
DA Form 1381
AGUZ Form 115
DD Form 220
DA Form 20; DA Form 2-1; DA Form 24
NGB Form 23 (Army NG members only)
DARP 249
any of the following: orders; in-service schools; unit correspondence; enlisted evaluation forms
Also See Note Below
documents listed aboveIn Air Force Officer AND Enlisted Records, LOOK FOR:
officer evaluation reports (oer)
DA Form 66
DA Form 2-1
Also See Note BelowNOTE: Dates of ADT for the current calendar year and previous calendar year are available in the AR-PERSCOM computer (usually for approximately the last two years); see the team coach for assistance if you need to access this information.
AF Form 712* See “Retirement Points” section of this guide for specific information about how to interpret AF Form 526.
AF Form 526*
AF Form 190
NGB Form 23 (ANG members only)
Although point pages probably will not show ACDUTRA dates, they can be helpful. Simply remember, a service member earns one point for each day of active duty or ACDUTRA. (He or she also earns drill and membership points, but DO NOT record this data on the SOS.) You will often see a service member has been credited with 14 points (give or take a point) ACDUTRA. This would indicate that service member participated in annual training duty. Try matching the points to the dates you have picked up elsewhere in the record.
You can use points to credit a service member with active duty for training, even if exact dates of training cannot be found. This should only be done after a thorough search for the corresponding dates. Also note the service member’s reserve status:
1) Active reservists: train with units throughout the year and participate in annual active duty for training, usually two weeks in the summer and one weekend per month during the remainder of the year (weekend drills).
Inactive reservists: do not participate in organized training and do not have a specific unit assignment.
Also, the notation “RFA-55" or “REP-63" may appear in a record. This pertains to the Reserve Forces Act of 1955 and the Reserve Enlistment Program of 1963, both of which provided 6 months initial active duty for training for reservists with no prior service. The service record should contain a DD Form 214 for the training period.
THE SUMMARY OF MILITARY SERVICE
The Summary of Military Service is used when disciplinary, medical and/or psychiatric data is requested. Often this data is requested by prospective employers and mental, penal, and correctional facilities.
PROVIDING SERVICE DOCUMENTS INSTEAD OF AN SOS
Copies of service record documents should be sent to military facilities requesting a Statement of Service. A list of documents approved for reply is shown above, and in the NPRC memo.
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION FOR SPECIFIC SERVICE BRANCHES
Midshipmen are student officers enrolled in either the Naval Academy (Annapolis) or the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC). Upon graduation these student officers will be commissioned and ordered to active duty. DO NOT show midshipmen time on the statement of service.
Aviation Cadets are members of the Navy, Naval Reserve, Marine Corps, or Marine Corps Reserve who are undergoing flight training. Upon commission the aviation cadet’s enlistment will be terminated by appropriate entry into service without necessity of discharge. Show aviation cadet time as active duty on the statement of service.
Air Force Retirees
Often the service record contains a Statement of Service completed by the service branch. A copy of this document should be provided; however, if the document is incomplete, you should copy the document, and then add the information on the document copy, and state “No Further Entries.”
Air National Guard and AF Reserves (NOT Retired)
Same procedures as shown above, under “AF RETIREES.” If SOS is not in file, prepare NA Form 13041.
SSA Requests For SOS For AF Reserve Retirees
Send completed SOS if one is in file; if not on file, prepare NA Form 13041-A, Complex Statement of Service, using information shown in record. See above instructions for Air Force officers and enlistees.
Source: NPRC 1865.60