What do you do when the Military had incorrect or no record of your service? I have been asked this multiple times.

Hmmm, how could it be "incorrect" if there was no record of service. Provide more detail for your question. Anyone ever hear of a REDD report. One can be gotten from any recruiter (if you buy him or her lunch) and have a signed release. A REDD report can, with Name, DOB, and SSN generate at least a cursory report of all periods of active and in active service. It is a great tool for flushing out those suspected of stolen valor acts. Once you have a REDD report you can see all the date ranges of service, branch, etc. Some people jump around a little, i.e.: reserve to active to reserve to inactive, etc. this can all be found.

First of all is it the National Archives or the DOD that doesn't have your records. I had a problem last year were the Archives had sent me the original copy of my DD-214 instead of a copy and then when i requested my medals they had no proof of service. To fix the problem since they wouldn't get off their butts and do anything I contacted my senator who then made the AF and Archives do their jobs and now it is fixed. This fix could also fix the problem if it's on the DOD side of things also.

Are you currently out of the service? If so, were you issued a DD 214? If the DD 214 is incorrect, the Office of the Personnel Management Branch should be able to correct it for you.

This may not help you but it may help someone else. While in the service, you should keep copies of all orders that your name appears on. Transfers,TDY, promotions, awards, letters of commendations, etc. Everything to prove that you have served and where you served. I know many prier service that have had the same problem. Mishandling records is a human problem and it does happen. I wish you well.

You always need to make copies of every piece of paper work that is given to you. Start a binder with enlistment paperwork, clothing records, pt scores, and weapons qu. I have two separate ones where the other has all my counseling's, NCOER's, awards and classes I took.

This is why you keep records.

I would put them in contact with either a VFW or American Legion officer, they have channels to navigate that information

I'm retired and the army can't find my DD214

This is especially true for Reservists. Keeping a personal record of your retirement points is critical to your successful collection of a pension. I was record custodian for my Reserve Unit and had an E7 with 27 years of service. When he finally decided it was time to submit
his retirement package, there was no record for about half of it. We had to go back & create his service from his personal documents. With the new retirement system going in to affect next year, I'm not sure how the Reserve side will be administered. The key is to keep your own record of every day you serve. For the Army, DA-249 is the chronological record form for retirement points. You earn a retirement point for every day of active duty that you serve (14 points for your 2 weeks annual training), 4 points for you weekend drills (MUTA-4), 1 point if you attend a meeting during the week, 1 points for every 3 credit hours of correspondence course. Also, there are special circumstances: if you recruit a new soldier in to your unit, you receive 1 point. A good retirement year is considered when you earn 50 points. There is also an automatic 15 points awarded annually for being a member of the Reserve.

This is a great topic, Recently a young man was denied treatment at a VA hospital because they didn't have any records of his service. Needless to say he became a member of the 22 club. The best advice for anyone joining or in now is to make sure that you have copies of everything, and that your records are updated.