How to Locate a Discharged Army Veteran

By Paul Bright

Army veterans often make lifelong friends with their fellow service members. However, the nature of military service doesn't always mean that Army veterans stay in one place during their entire careers. It can be difficult to find them after discharge. Some veterans choose not to return home and instead decide to stay in the area of their last duty station. Regardless, there are still ways to find a discharged Army veteran, especially if you have an Internet connection.

Check with local sources, such as any veterans' groups, or local newspaper archive. Some Army veterans will join organizations like the Veterans of Foreign Wars or the American Legion; their membership information would be with those groups' local posts. Local newspapers sometimes have a "Hometown News" column that lists when the Army veteran first graduates from boot camp and where he is to be assigned, either by base or by unit. That assignment may be where the veteran discharged as well. You can then check the local veterans groups in that place.

Look at websites that other military members may use to find their fellow soldiers. Sites like Vetfriends.com can help you locate the member by the unit he served in if he's registered in the system. Even if your army veteran isn't computer savvy, family members and friends will sometimes list the veteran on his behalf. He could be looking for other army buddies as well.

Write a letter to the department of Veterans Affairs (VA), using the address of the closest VA regional office. If the army veteran received any benefits, like disability pay, some sort of contact information is in their possession. You would have to write two letters: one to the veteran with your contact info, and one to the VA with all the information you have on the veteran. The letter to the veteran should be placed in a separate envelope; that envelope should be placed inside another one that contains the VA's letter. They will send the personal letter to her last-known address.

Check the grave locator website. Unfortunately some veterans pass away. But many are able to be buried in federal veteran's graveyards, which are located all over the nation. The grave locator can help you find that veteran's burial plot if he is deceased.

http://www.lenderva.com