When I first got to my ship I saw people with different names and phrases on their hats. One guy had DD214 on his. I thought to myself, wow he was paying honor to a past family member. Well, I was WAY OFF, he was wanting out of the Navy. DD214 is either the USS Tracy, or your discharge paper.
USS Tracy, DD214, was a Clemson-class destroyer in during World War II. She was the only ship named for Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Franklin Tracy. But hardly any sailors know this they only know the DD214 is that paper they all want when they are done with the Navy.

It contains all sorts of information about your service time. The schools you attended, medals you received, time in service, sea time, last rank, discharge type, and more. This is your ticket to all sorts of benefits after you are discharged as long as it has one word that is prized more than any other, Honorable.

Getting a dishonorable or administrative discharge will mess up an ex-sailors life more than they realize when they receive them. The DD214 is a wonderful piece of paper and at times hard to keep track of. I have 4 different copies of mine in different safe locations in my house. Plus I can always get another one any time I need it from my VA rep.

So, if you see an ex-sailor with a hat that says DD-214 on it he is more than likely one of those who just wanted to get his time done with so he could get out.

Although DD-214 did have a rather interesting career. She was active in the Navy from 1920 until her decommissioning in 1947. She even took part in some heavy fighting and lived to tell the tale, along the way she picked up 7 battle stars.