In this case, the V stands for Victoria, denoting the state of enlistment with the unique identifying number following. The first U.S. military member to hold a service number was Arthur Crean. Print out the letter, and sign it. Nevertheless, Blamey acknowledged that the administrative practice was causing discontent amongst the troops and as a consequence, advised the members of the Council that the practice would be discontinued and a new batch of numbers would be allotted to the militia transfers – minus the offending ‘M’. In 1920, soldiers were given an army number from the number block allocated to the corps … WW2 Army service numbers. Service Number (SN). Sources: N. Anderson, The offending “M” – WW2 army service numbers, Australian Army … Prior to this time army personnel would have a number unique to their Regiment with a prefix. Always include the veteran's social security number on a request. Australian Regular Army male personnel had five- or six-digit service numbers. How to apply - You must log on to Vets.gov to apply online. N6942 denoted a New South Wales enlistee, S78024 a South Australian enlistee, and so on. In general, it is easy to discern whether a Second World War Army Veteran served with the militia or with the AIF, simply by examining his service number. The first digit for all service numbers continued to indicate the state of enlistment, using the same prefixes as during the Korean War. The first service numbers to be issued in February 1918 were only to Army enlisted personnel. Also include the veteran's service number … This, coupled with the respect the Militia gained from the AIF after they distinguished themselves in the brutal fighting of the Papuan Campaign, helped to alleviate friction between Australia’s two forces. Service Numbers and Social Security Numbers. When John McEwen raised concerns about this practice to the Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Military Forces, General Thomas Blamey, who replied that this practice occurred merely for the purposes of record keeping. Image: Fighting side by side, in New Guinea helped to establish a professional respect between the AIF and the Militia. An undercurrent of hostility and competition between the two armies, particularly during the early years of the war, has been well documented. This has been compiled from original sources, principally WO 363, WO 364, WO 96, WO 97 and WO 372 at the National Archives in London. If you do not have DD form 214, request it from the National Personnel Records Center (National Archives) in St. Louis, Missouri by calling 314-801-0800. This page concerns only Army numbers, as the Crabs and Andrew have (until recently) their own system.. As part of our Walting With Confidence program, here are all the possible ranges of Service Numbers the Old and Bold could possibly need to ensure that they are not outed by the first clued up squaddie they meet. Put the letter in a stamped envelope, and address it to: U.S. Army Enlisted Records & Evaluation Center ATTN: Locator 8899 East 56th Street Fort Benjamin Harrison, IN 46249-5301