The United States government does not provide military records by electronic means, but they do maintain web sites that provide up-to-date information on how and where to get military information and what is available. These sites have many links that you should check often because changes do happen frequently. It is wise to reacquaint yourself with this information each time you need records. Policies change, new records are added, addresses change, and the forms to request information change constantly.

Two sites which will help you are:

http://www.defense.mil

http://www.nara.gov

Do one of the following:

1. Write a letter to the address below asking for NATF Form 80 and include your name and postal mailing address.

National Archives and Records Administration
ATTN: NWCTB
700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C.  20408-0001

2. Write an email addressed to [email protected] asking for NATF Form 80 and include your name and postal mailing address.

Report which you have done.

If the Military Service Records you need are for dates after the 1900s including World War I and II, then you will need to fill out Standard Form 180 and send it to:

The National Personnel Records Center
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, Missouri  63132-5100

If you have Adobe Acrobat Reader and your computer can print .pdf files, then you may print a copy of Standard Form 180 by visiting this website:  www.defenselink.mil/faq/pis/PC03MLTR.html and clicking on the highlighted words: "downloading pdf versions."

If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader and do not have the ability to print .pdf files from your computer, you may obtain Standard Form 180 by calling (703) 697-5737.

SOME RESTRICTIONS APPLY

Only Veterans or next-of-kin of deceased veterans have full access to records at the (NPRC) National Personnel Records Center. Next-of-kin are the unremarried widow or widower, son or daughter, father or mother, brother or sister of the deceased veteran.

Third party requesters such as lawyers, doctors, historians, etc., may submit requests for information from individual records with the veteran�s or next-of-kin�s signed and dated authorization. All authorizations must specify exactly what the veteran or next-of-kin is allowing to be released to a third party. Authorizations are valid one year from date of signature.

The following is suggested as an example of an acceptable authorization:

"I authorize the National Personnel Records Center, or other custodian of my military service record, to release to (your name or that of your company/organization) the following information and/or copies of documents from my military service record."

Complete the authorization by specifying the information and/or document(s) requested. Be sure to sign and date the authorization. Remember: authorizations are honored for one year from the date of signature.

On July 12, 1973 approximately 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF) were destroyed in a fire at the NPRC. They were never microfilmed, copied, or indexed. It was estimated that eighty percent of the records for Army personnel discharged November 1, 1912 to January 1, 1960 were lost. Seventy-five percent of the Air Force personnel records discharged September 25, 1947 to January 1, 1964 (with names alphabetically after Hubbard, James E.) were lost.

Since the fire, the NPRC has been able to locate alternate records for only some of the destroyed files. They are not in any way to be considered duplicates of the lost information. These alternate records are: pay vouchers, enlistment ledgers, service number indexes and hospital/treatment facility admission records. The main use of these alternate records would be to verify Military Service if needed.