# Online Check **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 4, 2003, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-check/166554 "2003-04-04T21:15:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-check/166554/1 "2003-04-04T21:15:03Z")
This may be a little off the wall, but is there anyway to do an online check to see if someone is in the army/enlisted-possibly what their rank/departure date is? A friend of mine is in the military and I haven’t spoken to him in 4 months (or so) and I wanted to know if there was a way I could find out if he was still in the service. ---
**Author:** ![LowerLip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/839c29/32.png) [@LowerLip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LowerLip)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-check/166554/2 "2003-04-05T11:17:47Z")
I had a situation where I was trying to find the father of an amerasian boy. Had 2 8x10 photos of the father and name and last known rank. Took boy and info to the U.S.Embassy here. ‘The military does not disclose information or whereabouts of individuals.’ The military does have a database, but not for outsiders. Your best bet is to contact the persons parents, wife or son, and have them make an inquiery on your behalf. LL ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-check/166554/3 "2003-04-05T16:57:40Z")
> [@](#): > > Your best bet is to contact the persons parents, wife or son, and have them make an inquiery on your behalf. I wish I could do that, but we sort of parted on bad terms. I’m just wondering if he’s in Iraq and what not.