quote:

Originally posted by 2BobTanner:
As you are a Missouri resident, to recoup military documents you might try the Missouri Dept of Military Affairs in Jefferson City.

https://www.moguard.ngb.mil/Re...es/Veteran-Services/


Even if he wasn’t a member of the Missouri National Guard, all those triplicate copies of personnel actions end up in the State from where he initially joined the military once he gets separated from service.

The States are also fallback location for documents, after the Military Archives Center in St Louis, as was discovered when they had a fire in the 1970s.

Hope this helps.

Thanks. Will give that one a try!

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
No help to offer other than what you have already done with requesting the birth certificate. Just want you know I'm going to say a prayer that he gets back on his feet. What is his name?

Charles Collins. He was a flight engineer on C-130s; last stationed at Dyess AFB Texas.

quote:

Originally posted by Redleg06:
Try here for your MO county VA service officers...
https://mvc.dps.mo.gov/service/serviceofficer/

Thanks Redleg. Will give that a try also. This shouldn't be so darned hard!

Govt bureaucracy and prevention of identity fraud,

This article is from AZ but your state may have similar rules. It wouldn't hurt to check.

Did he have a passport? You may be able to order a new copy…and the passport is the gold standard for iD

On a more serious note, have you tried calling your congressmen's office to see if they can do anything to help?

Seems there's only one thing you don't need an ID for these days: vote.

I would also try the VFW as they have services to help veterans.

The passport would require sending them a previous passport to be renewed.

Sorry your son is in this pickle.

Starting from zero like that is tough. Hope it works out soon.

I kind of understand some of the slowness of the system. You want a system so that Joe Blow doesn't waltz in and clean out your bank account, borrow money under your name, or sell your house....but it also needs to have some way to account for the vagaries of chance.

For that matter, how does anyone prove they are who they are, in the event of ID fraud or to recover lost papers? You yourself know who you are...but in the face of ultimate skepticism, what bedrock, provable to someone else, connects you to a particular birth certificate or other document? Is it all circumstantial evidence or is there something concrete?

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Collins:

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
No help to offer other than what you have already done with requesting the birth certificate. Just want you know I'm going to say a prayer that he gets back on his feet. What is his name?

Charles Collins. He was a flight engineer on C-130s; last stationed at Dyess AFB Texas.

I've prayed for him.

quote:

Originally posted by SpinZone:
On a more serious note, have you tried calling your congressmen's office to see if they can do anything to help?

Seriously, call or mail your congress critter. Congressional inquiries are taken seriously by government agencies and have pretty strict timelines for response. Right now helping Veterans is pretty popular on both sides of the aisle, so you really might be able to get some traction this way.

Way back in the Dark Ages of my youth, I was fingerprinted in the Navy. I don't remember whether everybody was fingerprinted at that time, or maybe it had to do with security clearance, as I was a guided missile guy.

If Charles was fingerprinted in the Air Force, that might be a starting place for recreating ID.

Don't waste any time going to a military base. Local bases have no ability to help veterans identify themselves, that would just be a waste of his time. He's not enrolled in DEERS if he's a veteran.

Start with requesting a copy of his birth certificate, and social security card. Once you have those use those to get a state ID (may need a bill with his address on it to go with the BC).

In my state I can request a copy of a previously issued ID simply by requesting online. Is that an option in your state?

quote:

Originally posted by LBTRS:


Start with requesting a copy of his birth certificate, and social security card. Once you have those use those to get a state ID (may need a bill with his address on it to go with the BC).

In my state I can request a copy of a previously issued ID simply by requesting online. Is that an option in your state?

This is the way to go . It's not a big deal , it just might take a little time .

I asked my dad, whom is with the American Legion here in CO, and this is his response after reading the thread:

"Everyone has good ideas suggested. His dad can get the dd214 (proof of service by filling out a sf180 online and sending it in. I would contact the county vso (veterans service officer) and explain the situation and see what they can do. You can order a duplicate drivers license online as well as a duplicate ss card. If he creates an online account with social security, he can immediately print a card from there. He needs to get a locker or safe deposit box to keep this stuff in, or have his dad make a copy of everything and dad keep the originals and give him a copy. That's about all I can think of."

Hope that helps.

Best wishes and a prayer for your son and family.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Way back in the Dark Ages of my youth, I was fingerprinted in the Navy. I don't remember whether everybody was fingerprinted at that time, or maybe it had to do with security clearance, as I was a guided missile guy.

If Charles was fingerprinted in the Air Force, that might be a starting place for recreating ID.

Well here is the crazy thing about that.

In February 1995 I changed my drivers license classification. I had to get a newly certified copy of my birth certificate and a few other things for it.

They also required my fingerprints. They had a new-fangled digital electronic scanner thing to getting my fingerprints (this was 1995 so yeah, new fangled).

I grumped at the staff about that, and here is what they told me. "We now require electronic fingerprints, and the reason is if you ever lose your license, all you have to do is come in and we'll scan your fingers and just like that we've confirmed your identity so you don't have to do anything else. It will only take a minute or less to do that and get it confirmed and your new drivers license will be right away."

Wrong! For example, to get the REAL ID a few months ago, I had to get yet another newly certified Birth Certificate (cost me $45.00, $25 for the copy and $20 overnight shipping, can't pick it up in person because Covid you know and they won't US Mail it) plus 2 other forms of id, including utility bill, and once again newly scanned fingerprints.

I asked why they didn't just scan my fingerprints, confirm without doubt who I am, and give my dang new drivers license?

Answer: NO we can't do that, the law requires more identification.

Horse puckey! If ALL finerprints on the planet are different, why all that crap????


Anyway, a State Trooper and Drivers License Examiner both told me to get, in addition to my drivers license, a State ID (not a drivers license but looks just like one but is NOT a drivers license, and is legally accepted by any government agency or official who asks for ID, including TSA). They told me that if any official, cop, whatever, asks to see my Drivers License (unless it is traffic related) to keep my drivers license in my pocket and to show my Offical State ID.

The main reason was if you give them your DL, and they don't hand it back, you're screwed and can't legally drive. I got a speeding ticket many years ago, the cop forgot to give me my drivers license back. With no DL you can't really function in todays society. Another example, I don't know how many times I've been sitting at the gate waiting for my flight to board when the overhead PA goes off and you hear "Mr Tom Jones, please come back to the TSA, we have your drivers license here), someone scurries off to retrieve their license and may or may not get back in time to board the dang plane.

So, if your son gets a new DL, have him get an Official State ID, and maybe you could hold it for him, if you wish.


Funny story, I was in the local convenience store making a purchase that required age verification, no matter how old you are and look, you still have to show official ID to make the clerk happy.

I pulled out, not my drivers license, but my Official State ID, showed it to the clerk, who said out loudly HEY WHAT IS THIS, IT SAYS NOT A DRIVERS LICENSE ON IT.

A couple of Police Officers were in line getting a donut and coffee, and that caught their attention. One asked me You don't have a drivers license? We saw you drive up.

I smiled and replied, do you want to see my Drivers License? and handed him both my Drivers License and State ID not a drivers license.

Cop frowned, then laughed, and said Have a nice day, be careful out there. He knew darn well what had just happened.
.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Way back in the Dark Ages of my youth, I was fingerprinted in the Navy. I don't remember whether everybody was fingerprinted at that time, or maybe it had to do with security clearance, as I was a guided missile guy.

If Charles was fingerprinted in the Air Force, that might be a starting place for recreating ID.

Back in those same dark ages when I went into the Army, everybody was fingerprinted. No exceptions.

I would start with your representative. That might cut down on the wait time also.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
Did he have a passport? You may be able to order a new copy…and the passport is the gold standard for iD

He had a passport in the military but it isn't valid now. He has been out of the service 10 years.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Collins:

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
Did he have a passport? You may be able to order a new copy…and the passport is the gold standard for iD

He had a passport in the military but it isn't valid now. He has been out of the service 10 years.

Being over 10 years…that’s not going to help.

Others have said, get a copy of the birth certificate. And that’s the right answer. And the right first step. Going to get a replacement ssn after getting the BC is the next step. This will all take time. Nothing is easy (like it should be).