Ex Military Service Verification

[Grimweasel]

Hi all,

I'm working with a financial firm that is looking to offer a deep discount for current or ex-serving members of the US, UK, Can, Aus and NZ forces. I'm looking for the most efficient ways of verifying their military service in order to qualify for the scheme.

For Serving this is simple: ID Cards, or pay statement from last 3 months.

For veterans, the US seems easy with the DD214 Form. The UK Forces are issued with a Certificate of Service from their respective services.

Are Aus, Can & NZ veterans issued any forms or certificates that would make military service verification easy?

Thanks in advance!

Grim

[Chugalug2]

GW:-
The UK Forces are issued with a Certificate of Service from their respective services.

Well this core part of UK Forces wasn't! I PVR'd in 1973 following 13+ years service, no RAF Pension, and just enough Gratuity to pay for an Instrument Rating. Now it seems I am to be deprived of your deep discount for financial services, Grim.

Was it the nature of my leaving or its timing that left me bereft of this acknowledgement by a grateful nation? What other deep discounts have I been denied? Are others victims of this inequality of treatment? I call for the formation of a Certificate Of Service Excluded Campaign to bring empowerment to we victims of this blatant injustice!

[ORAC]

This card should serve, link taken from the BA discount thread on this forum.

Chugalug, I also don't have a certificate of service, but they were happy with a scan of my record of service history.

https://www.defencediscountservice.co.uk/

[Al R]

Chuggers, hope you're well! Happy Xmas chum.

No pension? Don't beat yourself up, you might just have the last laugh yet.

[Chugalug2]

Al, very well thanks, hope the same for you!

AVCs, and my Dan-Air Pension being subsumed into a BA one, are keeping the wolf from the door. Rest assured I have no plans of beating myself up, but when the massed ranks of COSEC march on Whitehall, then who knows?

In the meantime I'll flash my Blair Badge at all and sundry and do my grouchy old man thing. Usually works if only to move me along...

Thanks for the link ORAC.

[ShyTorque]

I didn't receive a certificate of service either, having left the RAF In the mid 90s after 18 years of commissioned service. I think all I have to show for it is my pilot logbooks.

[t7a]

I was offered a discount with a cruise line if I could supply proof of military service. It was at that stage that I realised that (apart from official letters of thanks for service etc) I couldn't actually prove 27 years of RAF service with a single document. A bit of research produced an address. If you need it, request 'A Statement of Service' from:
HQ Air Command, ACOS (Manning), RAF DPA, Room 14, Trenchard Hall, RAF Cranwell, Sleaford, NG34 8HB. Presumably Army and Navy have a similar system.

[Peter Carter]

With Carnival, I also got an 'on board spend' for being ex-mil. I presented copies of the appropriate Gazette pages, obtained online.

[FOG]

Grimweasel,

In the U.S. is not uncommon to have individuals make forged DD214s. A couple of cases of the most egregious involved unverified forged 214s.

I don’t have hard data just anecdotal evidence but it appears that retired and VA ID cards not forged as frequently

Please thank your company for me.

S/F, FOG

[reynoldsno1]

The UK Forces are issued with a Certificate of Service from their respective services.
I wasn't when I left in the early 80's. I got a dot matrix computer print out when I asked a few years later
Are Aus, Can & NZ veterans issued any forms or certificates that would make military service verification easy?
The RNZAF gave me a nice hard bound record of service when I left in the early 90's ....

[pontifex]

I left in 1988 after 33 years and all I have to show for it is 7 log books - will they do? Actually I think I will try the HQ Air Command route and see how it goes.

[auntyice]

pontifex. I think you will find a copy of your Pension P60 will be fine.

[MPN11]

Record of Service? hahahahahaha ... I handed in my F1250 after 30 years, and got a couple of cut-and-paste letters from my AOC and PMC (Barnwood, not the mess). All I have is my RAFA "Retired Service Card" annotated as a Life Member. I suspect actually generating proper, official, proof of service would be a paper-chase. Anyway, that's all in the past, I don't wear medal ribbons on my pajamas or use my former rank. It's over. <Sniffle>

PS: I suppose my ATC Certificate of Competency (F5994?) would suffice, although that only shows when I was an operating ATCO.

[DON T]

On discharge in March 1992 after 26 years, a blue plastic folder F856A containing a form F856 Certificate of Discharge/Transfer to Reserve and various other papers was sent to my civilian address. I had been working as a golf club manager for three months when they arrived.

[Clockwork Mouse]

Got my Commission but it's not a very convenient size for carrying around.

[Grimweasel]

All, thanks for your inputs. I know there will be some who try and buck the system with forged cards so we are also asking for proof of address and photo ID too to deter. Plus I intend to use the power of Google for random spot checks!

[Background Noise]

Anyway, that's all in the past, I don't wear medal ribbons on my pajamas or use my former rank.

Agreed, I'm over it but still happy to take up the offers and discounts available for retirees - what this highlights is that we don't get any useful form of ID to support them. It's all well and good to have retired rates at the UJ Club but not easy to prove your status when you get there.

https://www.rewardsforforces.co.uk also do a card like the one mentioned by ORAC, and you can get your https://forcespensionsociety.org card to show your previous rank. This proved useful recently in the States where military discount is very common.

I seem to remember being asked if I wanted some sort of 'record' when I left, and whether I wanted it framed. Whatever it was, I didn't get it, framed or unframed.

[JimmAttrill]

I have a blue plastic folder from 1973 which contains RAF form 856 "Certificate of Discharge" which shows start and end dates, also form 856b "Certificate of Qualifications" and form 856c "Job Description".
The certificate of discharge is signed by a Squabbling Bleeder OC PSS whatever that was. I also have my father's cardboard form 856 from 1958 when he left at age 55. And his pay book which contains details of his qualifications and medals etc. Maybe the forms have been dropped in one of the money-saving schemes.

[Helena Handbasket]

When I departed in 1971, I was presented with a nice hard bound RAF Form 856 Certificate of Service. It came in handy when WestJet offered free unlimited baggage for veterans on all their flights. Saved me a few bucks.

[Motleycallsign]

No Certificate of Service received when I left the RAF 10 years ago either. To get the Rewards for Service discount card all I had to provide was my service No, rank on leaving and dates of service, the provider did the rest.

[Out Of Trim]

I also have one of those Light Blue bound certificates. Left in 1991.

[Background Noise]

To get the Rewards for Service discount card all I had to provide was my service No, rank on leaving and dates of service, the provider did the rest.

... and the money!

[ian16th]

An odd question.

I have my F856 Certificate of Service, from my 1965 demob date.
In it it clearly states under Decorations, Medals, Clasps Mentions in Despatches, Special Commendations, etc.

'NIL'.

Over half a century later, they sent me a GSM; do I have to send the F586 back to get it updated?

:rolleyes:

[MK 4A Tank]

Hi, I thought we (All ex Services) signed a Govt Petition last year asking for a retired service card about the size of a F1250 would do. I'm fed up of proving my 24 yrs of service to Queen & Country!!

[Motleycallsign]

... and the money!

No such thing as a free dinner Background!! :O