# How does one find out if someone is in the US military?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-find-out-if-someone-is-in-the-us-military/485410>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 11, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-find-out-if-someone-is-in-the-us-military/485410 "2009-02-11T19:08:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ASAKMOTSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-find-out-if-someone-is-in-the-us-military/485410/1 "2009-02-11T19:08:36Z")

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Is there a service you can contact to find out if someone is actively serving in the military? If so, where I can find it? Google is not much help.

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**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-find-out-if-someone-is-in-the-us-military/485410/2 "2009-02-11T19:26:33Z")

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> [@ASAKMOTSD](#):
>
> Is there a service you can contact to find out if someone is actively serving in the military? If so, where I can find it? Google is not much help.

Each branch of the US military [offers a locater service](http://www.defenselink.mil/faq/pis/PC04MLTR.html), which will provide a mailing address for someone on active duty. That would presumably answer your question.