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My Marine Corps Service Record Book
1979 - 1983
By Marc "Devil Dog Of The Web" Iseli / Updated Dec. 2025
The Service Record Book: the Marine’s answer to a rap sheet, only with more paperwork and less chance of parole. This bad boy followed you everywhere, stuffed with everything from your life insurance to the name of your third cousin’s pet goldfish. Apparently, I’m now a certified Marine Corps hoarder. I’ve still got my old Flight Suit (the one every self-respecting Plane Captain rocked in the early eighties), a base motorcycle permit, Ca. Drivers License that probably expired during the Reagan administration, and even my trusty sea bag. Flipping through my records was like opening a time capsule packed by a drunken supply clerk. Turns out, my memory of those days is about as reliable as a 1960s field radio. According to my original orders, I deployed to places I’m pretty sure I’ve never even heard of, let alone set foot in.

Back in the early 80s, before the Corps trusted us with anything fancier than a typewriter and a stack of carbine paper S-3 was the land of the living fossils. If you wanted a duplicate, you prayed to the gods of carbon and hoped the Lance Corporal on duty didn’t spill his coffee on your orders. I can still see myself, standing in line at S-3, waiting to check out for TAD, surrounded by enough filing cabinets to build a bunker and serenaded by the sweet music of typewriter keys and rotary phones that looked like they’d survived the Battle of Midway. The real kicker? As late as 2012, Marines were still rocking the same bland SRB folders. Word on the street is they’re finally going digital, but if anyone out there still has their crusty old SRB or knows if they’re still slapping Social Security Numbers on orders, sound off. I need to know if I’m the last dinosaur.
80svmfp3@gmail.com

Getting a Copy of Your Military Records

Veterans and next-of-kin of deceased veterans have the same rights to full access to the record. Next-of-kin are the unremarried widow or widower, son or daughter, father or mother, brother or sister of the deceased veteran.The records stored at the National Personnel Records Center cover military personnel who were discharged on or after January 1, 1905 .

Requesting Copies of Military Records (Including DD Form 214/215)

Requests must contain enough information to identify the record among the more than 70 million on file at the National Personnel Records Center. The Center needs certain basic information in order to locate military service records. This information includes the veteran's complete name used while in service, service number or social security number, branch of service, and dates of service. Date and place of birth may also be helpful, especially if the service number is not known. The SF 180, although not mandatory, is the recommended method to send a request for military service information. This form captures all the necessary information to locate a record. Provide as much information on the form as possible and send copies of any service documents that you may have. Requests may also be submitted as a letter, containing the basic information listed above.

Mail the completed SF 180, or the signed written request to:

The National Personnel Records Center
(Military Personnel Records)
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100

Alright, you glorious Rat Phixers and Phlyers, if we ever survived a TAD, a Det, or a BOHICA, who haven't, and you didn’t think I was the biggest gaff off in the squadron. Got a sea story, or some grainy photos your ex didn’t set on fire, and they’re only slightly illegal? Send ‘em by email, snail mail, or safety wire it to a carrier pigeon. I collect ‘em all, just nothing that would incriminate me.
80svmfp3@gmail.com

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