The Broome County Clerk is alerting veterans that a group in Arizona is trying to dupe them into paying for documents that they can get anytime for free from the county in which they live.

Clerk Joseph Mihalko says it has been brought to the attention of the Clerks’ Office and Veterans Services Director Brian Vojtisek that a group called DD214 Direct in Phoenix is charging 79-dollars for veterans to get their military discharge papers that are commonly known as the “DD214.”

New York State Police graphic
New York State Police graphic
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Mihalko says the Arizona group not only wants to file the papers for the veterans but they charge “an exorbitant fee for a copy of said document”.  Besides trying to get 79 dollars for a copy, they could charge the veteran over 100-dollars for an email and hard copy, according to the Broome County Clerk.

Mihalko says: “This is simply not right” and his office wanted to do something to make sure veterans know what to do.

He says: “Avoid this company. You do not have to pay any amount for a certified copy of your DD214 and it is also free to file.”

After the military discharge papers are filed with a county clerk’s office, the original is returned to the vet but certified copies will be provided to the veteran FREE, in person, at any time.

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New York State Military law prohibits disclosure of information on the discharge papers to anyone else.  The clerk says if you are a parent, spouse, dependent or child of a veteran you can work with the Broome County Veterans Service Agency to obtain copies of the discharge paperwork.

Veterans who file with Broome County are also eligible for the Veterans Discount Program that gives discounts to veterans at several local businesses. More information that program can be found at www.gobroomecounty.com/veterans/veterans-discount-program.

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