Muskegon County Clerk: DD-214 Copies and the Peddler's Licence

Michigan county clerks record discharges, keep them confidential for 70 years and give copies free to the veteran and those working on the veteran's behalf (MCL 35.31 to 35.35; see the Michigan entry on discharge records). Recording. The Clerk's office at 1903 Marquette Avenue, Suite A104 (Karen D. Whitehouse, Clerk) files the original or certified DD-214 after discharge and hands it straight back; a National Guard member must have been deployed to active duty to have a DD-214. "Military discharges are confidential and are not allowed to be viewed by the public." Copies. In person with a valid driver's licence or state ID; by mail on the request form with a copy of the ID; by fax to 231-724-6262. "Who is eligible to receive copies: Veteran; Person with the veteran's written notarized consent; Heir (documentation required); Veteran's service officer", and an heir needs a certified death certificate. "There is no fee for this service." The department of veterans affairs' benefits page adds that a veteran or authorized representative can get a certified copy free for applying for VA benefits. Licence to sell goods. The Clerk's vital records department issues the veteran's peddler's licence under 1921 PA 359 (see the Michigan entry on the veteran's licence to sell goods) at no cost: an honorably discharged veteran with at least 180 days of active duty or a service-connected disability applies in person with a Michigan licence or ID, adding a DD-214 if one is not on file; the licence runs a year.