General
Requesting Records from Search
Misplaced (Missing) Records
DD Form 214 or Equivalent
Statement of Service
Discharge Certificate
Personnel Records
Medical Records
Unit Records
Academic Records
Last Known Address and Genealogy
Medals
It is of critical importance that we respond to members of congress completely and accurately. If we cannot provide the information requested we must explain why not, and if possible, suggest other sources of information and/or assistance.
If you cannot identify a military record for the veteran, or determine what information is requested, be specific about what we need to conduct a search of available records/alternate sources. For example, if the Congressional office provided a social security number, only ask for the service number if that is what is needed. If they provided the month and year of treatment but not the unit of assignment, only ask for the specific unit (company, battalion, regiment, division, or squadron, group, wing, etc.) DO NOT SEND ANOTHER FORM, such as NA Form 13055 or NA Form 13075, if the requester has already completed one previously. Explain exactly what additional information is needed.
DO NOT SAY “not in file” or “cannot be reconstructed” without providing the address of another source of assistance, if possible. Provide the address of another agency that may have some information that would be helpful. An example might be the individual deceased personnel file maintained by the Department of the Army, in Alexandria, VA. If an inquiry is received from the NOK of an individual who died while a member of the Army, during WWII, and the NOK is seeking information about his death, it would be appropriate to provide the address for those files. (Refer to the address list for those offices which may be able to provide various types of military information)
Provide ALL of the information available at this Center that will answer the request in the first response. DO NOT assume that the Congressional office will write back if the veteran needs more information. Give everything available and answer ALL questions as completely as possible.
It should be clearly established that the congressional office is asking for a complete copy of a file before it is worked as a complete copy case. Once established and worked as a complete copy case, the provisions of NPRC 1865.12 must be followed as they relate to protection of the veteran from potentially detrimental information to the veteran, drug and alcohol abuse and treatment records, or other controversial or legal matters.
Search computer registry system by service number, social security number, and name. Generate a separate FAR (or complete NA Form 13087, Request for Records) for EACH RECORD needed to answer request.
Record charged out of file: If record is charged out to another agency and date is six months old or less, refer request to that agency. If charged out to another agency and date is more than six months old, call agency to determine if record is still being held by that agency. If record is charged out to a correspondence section in this Center, send for verification search. If verification search is negative, send for misplaced search. (See following instructions for missing records if record is not found after misplaced search.)
If unable to locate a record charged out six months or longer, obtain master microfiche from service department. Duplicate the microfiche and create a temporary folder. If no microfiche is available, try to obtain a copy of the veteran’s separation document from the VA or a state office.
Army morning reports were discontinued in 1974, and Air Force morning reports were discontinued in 1966. If an individual served in either branch prior to these dates, morning report searches can be conducted to verify service. Contact the FBI for the date of entry, and call CPR for x-ray dates and locations. Send for a search of morning reports to obtain separation/discharge data. Prepare NA Form 13038, Certification of Military Service. If you cannot locate sufficient information for a morning report search, send NA Form 13075 for the veteran or his NOK to complete. Upon receipt of the completed form, further morning report searches should be conducted, and/or contact appropriate FRC for search of Selective Service System ledgers. If the veteran served in the Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, suggest contacting the service department directly for a search of their unit records to verify service.
If veteran is requesting medical records, get BIRLS and call the VA to determine if medical records are in claims folder. If no service medical records are at the VA, check the PRS (Patient Retrieval System) and send copies of all clinical records found for veteran. If no clinical records are shown in PRS, send NA Form 13042, Request for Information to Locate Medical Records.
Create a temporary folder and enclose all negative search results (including original charge out information) and any reconstructed service or medical information. Place an NA Form 13131, IMPORTANT NOTICE (pink card) in the folder and advise the file location has been marked (do not use the word “flagged”) and when the record is returned to file, copies will be sent to the veteran.
If separation documents are on file in military record or R file, send copies of all of them or create NA Form 13038, Certificate of Service, for all missing separation documents. If separation document shows a typographical error in name, service number or dates of service, create a DD Form 215, Correction of DD Form 214, to correct mistakes.
If veteran’s record was destroyed in the fire, and no R file exists, search VA Index and BIRLS first and procure copy of document from VA if available. (If claims folder is at VARO, contact by phone; if folder is at RMC or FRC, your request should be sent by fax. Request ALL responses to be FAXed to your attention.) If separation document (or 3101) is not available in VA claims file, contact appropriate state office to determine if a copy is available.
If you cannot obtain a copy of the requested separation document, follow the appropriate procedures for reconstruction: first use sources available within the Center (including CPR), and contact FBI if appropriate. If you still cannot verify all service, provide available information and ask the requester to submit additional information to conduct a further search of alternate records sources.
A statement of service (SOS) should be prepared if the veteran indicates a need for verification of military service for state or federal retirement purposes, or Social Security benefits, and record indicates ACDUTRA was performed (See SOS instructions, 1865.60B). Remember that a widowed spouse, and sometimes a former spouse, may be eligible for SSA benefits based on the veteran’s military service. A widowed spouse should be treated the same as the veteran; however, a statement of service, WITHOUT THE CHARACTER, should be provided to the former spouse.
If the veteran is a former member of the organized reserves (all branches except Army), and needs verification of service for a VA home loan, send copies of enlistment contract, points pages, 214s, and discharge order or pages showing dates and character of discharge. For Army reservists who need verification of service for a VA home loan, refer case and record to AR-PERSCOM. Also provide the above documents to former members of the National Guard, and provide the address for NG records maintained by the state in which service was performed.
If the veteran states that he never received a discharge certificate, prepare a DD 256, Honorable Discharge Certificate, or DD 257, General Discharge Certificate, as indicated by the character shown in the service record.
A duplicate discharge certificate (DD 256 and DD 257 only) can be issued to former members of the Marine Corps; however, a DD Form 303, Certificate in Lieu of Discharge, must be issued to former members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard, when the original discharge certificate was lost or destoryed. This document may be issued only to the veteran, the veteran’s guardian, or the surviving spouse, and only when service was characterized as Honorable or Under Honorable Conditions (General).
Please note: Individuals who received an other than honorable discharge, and did NOT receive a discharge certificate at the time of separation, are not entitled to a discharge certificate, even though it was never received. A DD Form 303 CANNOT be issued for other than honorable service.
In some instances, if may be necessary to issue an NA Form 303 to an individual whose record was lost in the fire. Try to determine the date of discharge using the following methods: If a DD 214 is available showing veteran transferred to the reserve “to complete 8 years of service,” add 8 years to entry date and provide NA 303 using that date. If no DD 214 is available, send for morning report search to obtain enlistment information which may show the individual’s service obligation. For example, if the morning report shows veteran enlisted for 4 years, add 4 years to the entry date and provide NA 303 using that date (Enlisted on December 15, 1952, discharged on December 14, 1960).
Send complete copy of all personnel documents if a record is available. Delete social security numbers of other individuals from records created after September 27, 1975. Delete home addresses of all individuals other than veteran, regardless of when the record was created.
If the veteran’s record was destroyed in the fire, send separation document and explain it contains more information than we can reconstruct and complete records cannot be reconstructed.
If veteran’s record was destroyed in the fire and he indicates he needs proof of overseas service, ask the veteran to provide the organization to which he was assigned while overseas, and dates (month and year) of his departure from the U.S. and his return from overseas. Explain that we can use this information to search morning reports to verify overseas service.
If veteran’s record was destroyed in the fire and veteran was killed in action, obtain copy of Report of Death from FRC. Send the Report of Death and provide the address of Army Casualty Service Branch in Alexandria (for Army and Army Air Corps) for copies of individual deceased personnel file. Suggest unit histories and give complete name of veteran’s unit. Also suggest Battle Monuments Commission if veteran is buried overseas.
Send copies of ALL releasable medical records in file. (See 1865.103 and 1865.121 for instructions concerning the release of sensitive information: psychiatric, drug/alcohol abuse, etc).
If veteran’s medical records were sent to the VA, send copies of any medical documents left in file (immunization records, abstract of medical service, etc.). Suggest contact VA and give 800 number.
If veteran mentions hospitalization, check the PRS for computer entries of clinical records created from 1970 to present for Army, from 1971 to present for Air Force, and from 1965 to present for Navy and Marine Corps. Send search to OR unit for all clinical records shown for veteran. Send copies of all releasable clinical records.
If veteran provides date and location of hospitalization, send for a search of clinical records, even if no entry is found on PRS. (See OR unit instructions for dates of available clinical records on file at this Center.)
If Navy or Marine Corps medical record is missing (no charge out info in file area) from the 5th floor medical records files (WWI through 1963), advise that no medical record is available (be sure to check registry first, there are some Navy B files that suffered water damage). Have file location flagged where record should be and advise that if record is received, we will send copies to veteran. Send NA Form 13042, Request for Information Needed to Locate Medical Records.
MEDICAL RECORDS that were destroyed in the fire
If you have an R file, REVIEW the record to determine if any prior searches of morning and sick reports have been conducted. READ carefully any/all 3101s in the file. READ the veteran’s prior correspondence regarding medical records, and carefully REVIEW any 13055 forms that have been previously submitted. After this reveiw, proceed with one or more of the following options. We NEVER inform the member of congress that the record was “destroyed in the fire and medical records cannot be reconstructed”, without providing some options. If no R file has been created, the following options still apply.
1) Check the FAR for SGO and QMC, and send copies if releasable, even if you determine that medical records are at VA.
2) Suggest contacting the VA and send 13055; HOWEVER, if veteran’s 214 shows disability discharge, suggest contacting the VA, send 13055, and state clearly that we will only try to verify information that is not shown in medical records.
3) Call the VARO location shown on the BIRLS and ask if medical records are on file. If medical records are at VA, explain to veteran they contain more information than we can reconstruct.
4) If medical records are NOT at the VA, send 13055 and explain what information we can reconstruct.
5) If veteran is deceased and widow or children need medical records and none are available, send 13055.
See NCPM 91-6, Organizational Records Searches for Congressional Inquiries, dated January 14, 1991, signed by Paul D. Gray.
If veteran wants morning reports for PTSD claim, ask for specific dates and incidents he wants to verify and offer to search a three month period only. Suggest Archives II for unit records such as after action reports, and suggest US Armed Services Center for Research of Unit Records. Provide addresses for both offices.
If veteran wants rosters, request complete unit name and specific dates and advise of fees. If veteran needs rosters for benefits, do not charge for them. Send rosters, if available and delete social security numbers if shown.
If veteran wants sick call logs, check 01 report to determine availability. If entry is shown for year veteran wants, send a search request to OR unit and include a copy of the 01 report entries found. If OR unit search is negative, suggest veteran write for deck logs and give appropriate address. (See instructions for Navy OR searches.)
OR unit will normally search only a three-month period to verify each allegation; however, if a longer search is needed to locate the information the veteran needs, OR will conduct the longer search for Congressional cases. (Refer to attached OR search directive, NCPM 91-6 for Congressional cases.) The OR clerk can try to follow the veteran from date of entry through to discharge, if necessary. Send for a follow-through search only as a last resort, after all other attempts have been unsuccessful.
Send copies of all entries in service record pertaining to schooling. If veteran wants more information than is shown in record, send a search request to OR unit. See OR section of Reference Guide regarding dates and availability of training records. See Air Force section of Reference Guide for locations of Air Force training records at other locations.
If veteran wants training records for college credits, send copies of all available information in file and suggest contacting American Council on Education to obtain postsecondary credit evaluations of military training.
Most last known address requests can be answered by giving the city, state, and date of last known address, which is releasable under FOIA. If record was destroyed in the fire, get the address shown on a QM entry, if available, or use address shown on VA Index. Suggest VA for more current address.
If veteran needs to contact other veterans for benefits, offer to forward if an address is available. Offer to forward up to five letters, but if veteran sends more than five, forward all. (There will of course be limits to the amount of letters we will forward, but if no address is available at VA, we will generally forward as many as needed.)
For all requests for addresses to contact group members for a reunion, suggest VA, advertising in veterans’ magazines, and advise addresses on file here were furnished at discharge and are probably too old to be helpful.
If genealogy request is from someone other than the official next of kin, give FOIA information from record. If record was destroyed in the fire, use VA Index and QMs or try to obtain 214 from VA and use to provide FOIA information.
Navy/MC/CG: If request only concerns medals, refer case to NVLNO, do not pull the record. Send a copy of the medals information sheet to the requester. If you already have the record, and have provided a response for documents/information requested from the record, Loan and Transfer record and case to NVLNO, to complete action on medals.
Air Force: Prepare 4 copies of NA Form 13059, Transmittal of and/or Entitlement to Awards, send 2 copies to Randolph AFB, 1 copy to the congressional office, and retain 1 copy for file. IF the request is for an award that is not shown on the separation document, or in the service record, request an OR search of the Awards Card File, if service was from 1939 through December 31, 1963. Unit awards are available in the Air Force Library, at NPRC. See 1865.110 for those awards for which we can determine eligibility. IF you have checked all appropriate sources and cannot determine that an individual is entitled to an award that he is seeking, loan and transfer the record to Randolph AFB, ATTN: DSXI (this office handles high-level inquiries)
Army: Effective October 1998, Army medals cases have been transferred from AR-PERSCOM to NPRC. Congressional inquiries concerning Army medals will be handled much the same as explained above, but the medals transmittal form will be sent to the Army Support Activity in Philadelphia. The U.S. Total Army Personnel Command, in Alexandria, Virginia, will determine eligibility for medals not shown in the service record. Further instructions will be issued after the transfer to NPRC.
Fire related records: Ask the requester to submit a copy of the separation document, if it is in his possession; if not we will try to reconstruct. If the requester cannot provide the separation document, try to obtain from VA or state office. If this is negative, verify entry and separation dates, and character of service; create an R file.
If you have a separation document, and the individual served in the Air Force/Army Air Force/Army Air Corps: prepare NA 13059 as explained above, and send to Randolph AFB for issuance of medals. If the individual served in the Army: prepare NA 13059 and forward to Support Activity, in Philadelphia.
If you have a separation document, but the individual is seeking an award not shown on the document, check all available sources as shown above, to determine if the veteran is eligible for the award. If you can verify his entitlement, prepare NA 13059 and forward to the appropriate office for issuance of the awards. If you cannot verify his eligibility, you must loan and transfer the record to the appropriate service branch. Army records should be referred to TAPC, and Air Force records should be referred to RAFB, with one notable exception! If an individual served in the AAF or AC, determinations for the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal will be made by the Department of the Air Force. The AF will NOT determine eligibility for any other awards for AAF or AC service.
If you do not have a separation document, establish R file as explained above, and loan and transfer record to appropriate office, using the guidelines established above.
Source: NPRC 1865.12