How To Locate Active Duty US Military Personnel
Typically, the responsibility for handling military personnel locator and military records requests falls under the
responsibility of the military branches. All military locator requests for active duty military personnel
need to be sent to the respective service of the person whose location is being requested.
US military laws along with the Privacy Act of 1974 do not allow military branches to release a home address or phone
number of military personnel. In addition, there is no comprehensive source for e-mail addresses.
Current laws do not allow the random release of names and addresses
of active duty military personnel. These laws were established to protect service personnel from unwanted solicitations and
to protect their right to privacy. Due to the large number of personnel locator requests that each military
branch locator receives, you should expect about four weeks of processing time for a written locator
request.
IMPORTANT: The information below is required for all active duty
military personnel locator requests:
- Provide as much identifying information as you can about the person
you want to locate such as: first name, middle name, last name, military rank, last duty assignment/last known military address,
military service number, and Social Security number.
- Military locator services are free only
to immediate family members and government officials. Extended family members, friends, businesses and other people must pay
$3.50 per locator request. A check or money order in that amount must be made out to the U.S. Treasury. This fee is not refundable.
Air Force Personnel Locator
The Air Force can locate active duty USAF personnel, retirees, reservists and guardsmen. Personnel information is
not available for people who have separated from the USAF or Army Air Corps retirees.
Personnel information on USAF individuals stationed overseas or in a sensitive military job will not be provided. However,
the USAF locator service will forward mail to those people for up to 90 days, provided you put the correct postage on the
envelope and any fees have been paid.
Parents, spouses, and official government personnel can call the locator at 1-210-652-5774 for a recorded message or 1-210-652-5775
for non-recorded help.
Required Information
The following information is required to make a positive identification: