With Memorial Day approaching, not only is it important to remember those who gave their lives serving our country, but also those who are still with us: the men and women of our armed forces and veterans nationwide. After being discharged or separating from our military, it’s easy for service members to lose touch with their brothers or sisters in arms. These important relationships are extremely meaningful, but difficult to maintain. However, by remembering a few searching tips, Spokeo is hoping we can be useful to you in locating old military buddies and commemorate this Memorial Day with a reunion.
Keep both last names and first names in mind.
While we call our friends by their first names, service members get used to addressing everyone by last name. As such, sometimes it’s difficult to remember or use those first names. Keep in mind, however, that Spokeo name searches require both a first and last name. So, while he may always be known to you as Sergeant Smith, do your best to get a hold of that first name to get your search started.
Don’t throw out those old home or mobile numbers.
After getting out of the military, many service members move, change their phone numbers, and begin new lives, but that’s no reason to throw out old phone numbers. Though a number may be outdated, it can still be useful in tracking down other information, such as old addresses, names of relatives, or addresses of their family members. Keep that old contact information and use it to track down the updates!
Use the “Home of Record” for searches.
It’s not uncommon for people to move, get married, have children, or even change their names. To combat these changes and the lacking trail of information, try searching for the person you’re looking for using their Home of Record (this is the address a person claims while on duty, usually the home you came from; for many, this is their parents’ home). The Home of Record is usually more reliable because it’s more commonly established in publicly accessible sources. Even if the person no longer takes up residence there, the Home of Record can be used to locate family members, phone numbers, or even email addresses.
We hope that with these tips, you can get in touch with former military friends. Spokeo’s is focused on helping people reunite and this Memorial Day we’re focused on those who have dedicated themselves to defending our country.
If you’re a member of the military who has reconnected with a friend, we’d love to hear your story! Contact us at veterans@spokeo.com