Oklahoma Veteran Records No Longer Public

Fears of identity theft have prompted another state to remove records from public view. As of July 1, Oklahoma county clerks can no longer allow genealogists and other researchers to see US Department of Defense Form 214 records, which document military veterans’ status and eligibility for benefits. You can access these records only if you are the veteran, the veteran’s spouse or child, a guardian with power of attorney, a Department of Defense representative, a funeral director or other person authorized by the court to do so.

In recent months, California, Texas and Maine have yanked some vital records from public scrutiny because of concerns about identity theft.

From the December 2002 issue of Family Tree Magazine