Yes, taking or obtaining non-public military records without authorization or legal right is illegal. Full personnel files are protected by the Privacy Act, and unauthorized acquisition or release of protected service data by government personnel or third parties violates federal law. However, limited basic information is legally accessible to the public under specific guidelines. [1, 2, 3]

Legal vs. Illegal Access

• Illegal: Stealing physical files, hacking government databases, or acquiring private records (like full medical files, social security numbers, or unreleased disciplinary actions) without the veteran’s or next-of-kin’s written consent. Releasing unauthorized personnel records by insiders is also a federal offense.[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
• Legal: Requesting basic, non-archival information (such as name, rank, dates of service, and duty assignments) via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) through official channels. [1]
• Archival Exception: Military records automatically become fully public historical records 62 years after a service member’s separation or discharge. [1, 2]

What the Public Can Access

• General Public (Without Consent): Limited details like dates of service, final rank, and awards.
• Full Records: Requires explicit written consent from the living service member or proof of death if requesting a deceased veteran’s files as next-of-kin. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Yes, taking medical records is illegal if you do it without proper authorization or legal right. However, taking your own medical records through official channels is fully legal and protected by law. [1, 2]

When Taking Records is Illegal

• Accessing others without permission: Looking at or taking another person’s medical files without their clear consent violates privacy laws like HIPAA. [1]
• Employee snooping: Healthcare workers who look at patient files—or their own employment-linked health files—without a direct care reason commit a federal or local offense. [1, 2]
• Theft or data breach: Stealing physical files or hacking digital databases to take data is a major crime.[1, 2]

When Taking Records is Legal

• Your own files: You have a legal right to request and keep copies of your own medical records from your doctor or hospital.
• Authorized caregivers: Parents of minor children or people with formal medical power of attorney can legally obtain records.
• Proper legal process: Law enforcement or courts can obtain records using specific warrants, subpoenas, or legal exceptions. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

David Michael Ramsey

It’s Humans Job to manage the planet learn about the ever expanding universe’s I think if we learn to grow outward and preserve the inward culture that got us all here we can use that become better each day, cultivate the youth show them what our generation can do to help each other vs destroy or take over to me that’s been what it’s always about sure it’s painful we all know we can blow shit up! But what about rebuilding time? When do we as leaders rise up and say you know what all roads need help all pipe lines could be better we are surrounded by oceans we can use de salinity to create water, we can fill our dry lakes we can bring it to places that suffer from lack of resources we have all these global war machines all these powerful militaries can we use them to cultivate vs battle. Can we turn the 1% of warriors into rebuilding beasts? We as humans have battled since human creation, why not put that aside and rebuild because each nation has lands people culture energy resources we all need. Why not grow that vs constant chaos? Humans and beasts are very similar we both need food water shelter but as humans we’ve become advanced enough we should look at the past and say why are we fighting? All we are doing is killing what future does that create? Why can’t we use each other to rebuild what we are great at ruining if we as a human race rise above war then we as a human race can survive anything greater than eachothers desires… strengthen partnerships become keepers of our community become the human race that said let’s use technology to better ourselves because one day something more powerful then humans could show up and test us all… I would hate to see us loose that war. A war vs something more powerful why yes we should all develop each nations war machines we should all strive to protect serve or assist everyone has a role in staying alive from the gas station to the grocery store and how fast we communicate everyone places a part in this! Why leaving America was a Hidden blessing ℹ discovered a peaceful place Mexico 🇲🇽 each nation has this! Each nation has police law enforcement agencies military but what are we doing with them? Are they visiting the children do fire trucks show up to schools? Do police? Do military to show off to create the future to help our youth become role models because what future are we inspiring and what past inspired us to do what we are doing today? Love & Forgiveness lead to growth and future in my opinion

DavidMRamsey