Chenango County Clerk: Free Certified DD-214 Copies, the Record Sealed for 100 Years (Hon. Brian F. Wessels)

The office's own sentences. The County Clerk Duties and Responsibilities page: "Military Records - From about 1865 to present we have military discharges on record. (Please Note: Military discharges are a sealed record for 100 years and are open only to the named veteran or to the New York State Department of Veteran's Affairs located at 4434 County Road 32, Oxford, New York 13838. Phone: 607-843-3299.)" The clerk's FAQ: "How can I get a copy of a DD-214? Veterans must present photo ID to us. We may issue a FREE certified copy to the individual. Family members may also request a free certified copy, they would need to fill out the 'Proof of Military Service Request' form and have it notarized." The forms. The county's Forms for Veterans page posts, ready to file with the Clerk's office: the Military Discharge Record Filing (PDF), the Proof of Military Service Request (PDF) - whose instructions read "Spouses, children, dependents, and other authorized individuals are permitted to obtain a certified copy of military discharge papers on file with the Chenango County Clerk's Office on behalf of a veteran for free. Fill out the form to the best of your knowledge, sign the affidavit in front of a notary and present to the Chenango County Clerk's Office" - and the Surviving Spouse Affidavit (PDF). Where and who. Hon. Brian F. Wessels, Chenango County Clerk, 5 Court Street, Norwich, NY 13815; 607-337-1450; [email protected]; hours Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ("Please allow enough time to complete your transactions prior to closing time."); Deputy County Clerk - Records Ashley Mudge, with Senior Recording Clerk Sarah Wells and the recording staff. The office also issues the veteran's peddler licence (General Business Law 32) - the application posts on the same Forms for Veterans page. The statute. The free recording and the free certified copies are Military Law 250 (the State entry), which also keeps the recorded copy closed to the public; the county's 100-year seal is its own practice on top of the statute.