Enterprise Records Service
How To...
Release of Names and Addresses (RONA) - General Guidelines
Title 38 of the United States Code authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to release the names or addresses, or both, of any present or former members of the Armed Forces, and/or their beneficiaries:
- To nonprofit organizations (including Members of Congress) when the purpose of the release is directly connected with the conduct of programs and the use of benefits covered by title 38.
- As part of VA's Outreach Program for the purpose of advising Veterans of non-VA Federal, State, and local benefits and programs.
- To Federal, State, or local agencies, and to any criminal or civil law enforcement governmental agency or instrumentality charged under law with the protection of the public health or safety if a qualified representative of the agency or instrumentality has made a written request stating the names or addresses will be used for a purpose authorized by law.
Names and addresses may not be released for such purposes as soliciting memberships for an organization, nor for the purpose of listing names or inscriptions on monuments or memorials.
Requests for Veteran or beneficiary names and addresses must be in writing, and should be sent to:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Enterprise Records Service (005R1B)
810 Vermont Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20420
Names and addresses of recently discharged Veterans come from the Veterans Assistance Discharge System (VADS). VADS data comes from a Veteran's DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Records are not updated unless the Veteran notifies the Department of Veterans Affairs. VADS contains data by month of discharge for the previous five years. Only addresses for Veterans discharged in the past few months are likely to be current. When possible, a request for VADS data should specify the months and years for which names and addresses are desired.