Dear Myrtle announces NARA Six Million New Military Records Before 1946

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: The following was just released by the NARA Public Affairs office. Please address all inquiries to Public.Affairs@nara.gov> Public.Affairs@nara.gov or contact Bryan McGraw, Director of Archival Programs at NPRC, at 314-801-9132.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22, 2007
National Personnel Records Center Opens more than Six Million New Military Personnel Files
St. Louis, MO

* The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) will open for the first time all of the individual Official Military Personnel Files (OMPFs) of Army, Army Air Corps, Army Air Forces, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard military personnel who served and were discharged, retired or died while in the service, prior to 1946.

Collectively, these files comprise more than six million records. This is the second step in the progressive opening ofthe entire paper and microfiche OMPF collection of over 57 million individual files. Additional military personnel records will be made available to the public each year through 2067 until the entire collection is opened.

These archived files are treasured by family members, historians, researchers, and genealogists. Contained in a typical OMPF are documents outlining all elements of military service, including assignments, evaluations, awards and decorations, education and training, demographic information, some medical information and documented disciplinary actions. Some records also contain photographs of the individual and official correspondence concerning military service.

To view an original record, individuals may visit the NPRC Archival Research Room in St. Louis, MO. Telephone is 314-801-0850. Research room hours are10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central Time Tuesday through Friday. Visitors are strongly encouraged to call ahead to make reservations.

* To obtain copies of records, customers may write to NPRC at 9700Page Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63132, fax a request to 314-801-9195, or submit a request through http://vetrecs.archives.gov <http://vetrecs.archives.gov/> or on a Standard Form 180.

Information about records available at NPRC is also posted on the National Personnel Records Center Homepage at http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/index.html.

Archived, public records are subject to the National Archives and Records Administration's published fee schedule. Copy fees for archived OMPFs are waived for veterans or primary next-of-kin (surviving spouse or children of the veteran) if the records are needed to validate a benefit or entitlement. The fee schedule for OMPFs is as follows:

1. OMPFs 5 pages or less: $15
2. OMPFs 6 pages or more: $50 (most OMPFs fall in this category)
3. OMPFs of Persons of Exceptional Prominence (PEP): $.75 per page
*(PEP records include the OMPFs of famous individuals such as former Presidents, famous military leaders, decorated military heroes, celebrities,entertainers, and professional athletes who left military service and havebeen deceased for at least 10 years).

Archived records are subject to a limited privacy exemption under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. As such, all records are reviewed prior to release and social security numbers are redacted.

For more information, contact Bryan McGraw, Director of Archival Programs at NPRC, at 314-801-9132.

This and previous blog entries are fully searchable by going to: http://blog.DearMYRTLE.com. Myrt welcomes queries and research challenges, but regrets she is unable to answer each personally.


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