In 2010, there were nearly 1.5 million active armed forces in the United States military. The variety of military assignments can make finding friends difficult. There are dozens of military bases in at least 24 states and Washington, D.C., not to mention dozens more overseas including those in Germany, Kuwait, Italy and the Philippines. Bases house soldiers serving in the Air Force, Air National Guard, Navy, Coast Guard, Marines and more. Due to privacy laws, the military is unable to give out personal information about individuals.
Step 1
Register on Military.com's Buddy Finder. Military.com has more than 10 million military records with more than 20,000 new members joining monthly. You can search by name, service and rank.
Step 2
Call the Navy Locator service at 901-874-3388. This service will help you locate individuals on active duty as well as those whose service ended fewer than 12 months prior to your request. The Navy will forward a letter to your friend as long as you've included the correct postage to the envelope. You must include the research fee of $3.50 per request. You can also mail your request to:
World Wide Locator
Bureau of Naval Personnel
PERS 312F
5720 Integrity Drive
Millington, TN 38055-3120
Step 3
Call the United States Marine Corps at 703-640-3942. The Marine Corps will provide the duty station for active personnel and reservists. They will provide a retired marine's city and state, but not address. The Marine Corps will not forward mail to a service member unless special circumstances apply. There is no fee for this service. You can also write to:
Commandant of the Marine Corps
Headquarters, USMC
Code MMSB-10
Quantico, VA 22134-5030
Step 4
Write a letter to the United States Air Force for forwarded mail service to active duty personnel, retirees, reservists and guardsmen. You can listen to a recorded message with more detailed information by calling 210-652-5774.
United States Air Force
HQ AFMPC/RMIQL
550 C Street, West, Suite 50
Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4752
Step 5
Post a message on the GISearch.com lost and found bulletin. You do not need to be a member of the military to post a message on this page. Include your friend's full name, nickname, rank, where he served, years of service and any other information that could identify him. Be sure to include a photo.
Tips and Warnings
- The Privacy Act of 1974 indicates that the military cannot provide telephone numbers or home addresses of service members. Do not contact the U.S. Army for a military mailing address for a friend. The Army is no longer providing this service. If you're posting a photo of your friend, be sure you can see his face clearly.
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