MEDICAL RECORDS (See NPRC 1865.121)
CLINICAL RECORDS (Inpatient/hospitalization):
Index System: Filed by name or number of military medical facility where treatment was received and the date (year) of treatment (Navy & MC facilities by admission date; Army & AF by date of release from medical facility)
Contents: Inpatient treatment records of military personnel (active duty and retired) and their dependents treated at Navy and Marine Corps facilities from the early 1940s to the present*. Treatment records from Army and Air Force facilities from approximately 1957 to the present* for active duty and retired personnel. (dependents treated at these facilities are on file at CPR)
** NOTE ** Inpatient records are normally retained at the medical facility for two years after treatment, but are usually retained at clinical record libraries for five years, and up to ten years for a teaching hospital
Information required to locate clinical records: Veteran's name, SSN/service number; if dependent, need sponsor's SSN/service number; name and/or number of military treatment facility and date of admission (Navy & MC need admission date; Army & AF need date of release from medical facility). The year is usually sufficient, but for the larger hospitals, the month may be required. The month is required for many facilities that were located in Vietnam. If the accession number, box number and/or location are available, please furnish them.
PATIENT RETRIEVAL SYSTEM (PRS):
The PRS is a database system that contains information on inpatient admissions for service members and their dependents treated at military medical facilities worldwide. The entries include 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; however, not all hospitalizations were entered in the database. The data displayed includes the hospital name, registry number, the family prefix code and the date of admission. Admissions shown on the PRS may not be on file at this Center, and conversely, if the PRS is negative, it does not mean an individual was not hospitalized. The PRS is an extremely valuable tool to provide assistance to us in locating clinical records, but an actual search of the retired clinical records must be conducted before any final determinations or decisions can be made as to the actual location of the record.
Index System: Filed either alphabetically and/or by terminal digit by the name of facility and last year of treatment; dependent records are filed under the sponsor's social security number or service number.
Contents: Outpatient treatment records of the dependents of active duty personnel, and dependents of retired military personnel, treated at Navy/MC medical facilities only (OP records of dependents treated at Army & AF facilities are located at CPR); also includes outpatient treatment records of military retirees of all service branches
Information needed to locate records: For the military retiree, must have name, SSN and/or service number, and last year and place of treatment; normally, to locate dependent records you must also have the sponsor's social security number, in addition to the last year and place of treatment (dependent records should follow the patient from one location to another, and should be retired by the final military medical facility that provided treatment; unfortunately, that did not always happen, and if the record cannot be located, an NA Form 13042, Request For Information Needed To Locate Medical Records, must be sent to the requester to obtain more information to enable us to conduct a thorough search).
MENTAL HEALTH (Psychological, Mental Consultation, Mental Hygiene):
Index System: Filed by name of treatment facility. The records are either filed alphabetically (prior to 1970) or by terminal digit.
Contents: Mental health records of outpatient treatment received by military dependents, active duty personnel, and military retirees (please note: if hospitalized for psychiatric treatment, a clinical record would have been created)
Information required to locate records: Dates of treatment, place of treatment and type of treatment.
** NOTE ** If search of outpatient mental health records is negative, search clinical records retired from that facility.
Index System: Filed by treatment facility and year of treatment. Records are arranged either alphabetically or by terminal digit.
Contents: Dental records of retirees and/or dental surgery of active duty personnel and their dependents.
Information needed to locate records: Name of treatment facility and year of treatment.
Index System: Filed by name of creating facility and date of treatment.
Contents: Sick call ledger entries of treatment received on Navy ships and at some shore facilities/hospitals. They contain the date of treatment, name and rank of individual reporting for sick call, diagnosis of injury or illness and treatment provided. They are in chronological order by date of treatment.
Information needed to locate record: Name of facility or ship and date ( month and year) of treatment.
** NOTE ** Not all Naval ships retired their sick call logs to NPRC; per the NVLNO, there are no other known locations of retired sick call logs; if they are not on file at this Center, inform the requester that the disposition of those records is unknown.
NON-MEDICAL RECORDS:
Index System: Microfilmed morning reports are filed by unit (organization) and the year of the reports (shown on film box), and unit identification code (UIC); each unit's UIC is shown in the Army Directories, for the years 1967 to 1974; to index morning reports for the years 1960 to 1966, use the index cards located in the cabinets. The cards are arranged by organization and item number; you need the item number to locate the morning report microfilm. DO NOT REMOVE THE INDEX CARDS! Record the necessary information on your search report.
Contents: Morning reports are unit records that were filled out each day to reflect changes in duty status for personnel assigned to the unit, such as gains, losses, leave, transfers, TDY, promotions, etc. The entries show the name of service member, service number/SSN, and rank; also shown are unit strength, the location of the unit, and sometimes a Record of Events. Army morning reports were discontinued approximately September 30, 1974, and AF discontinued June 30, 1966.
Information needed to conduct a search: Complete name of the unit (to the smallest echelon: company, battalion, regiment, etc.) and the month (or season) and year of allegation (will normally search a three month period of time to verify allegation)
Index System: Filed by unit (organization) and year on film box under the Unit Identification Code (UIC) located in the Army Directories; to index morning reports/rosters for the years 1960 to 1966, use the index cards located in the cabinets. The cards are arranged by organization and item number; do not take the card out, write down the needed information on your search report. To locate rosters for the years 1947 through 1959, go directly to the file cabinet where the microfilms are stored: they are filed in numerical order by the type of unit (infantry, artillery, etc.)
Contents: Name, service number/SSN,and rank of all members assigned to the unit; home addresses are not shown. Consolidated rosters of an organization for the entire period of its existence are not available. Monthly rosters of commissioned and enlisted personnel are generally available for the years 1912 through 1943. Rosters for the years 1944, 1945, and 1946 were destroyed in accordance with the General Records Schedule. Although the Army created monthly rosters, in most cases only biannual rosters were retained as permanent records for the years 1947 through 1974. Rosters were discontinued approximately September 30, 1974.
Information needed to locate roster: complete unit (to the smallest echelon: company, regiment, battalion, etc.) and month and year.
SIDPERS - PDC ( Personnel Data Cards ) and Zero Strength Balance Reports ( ZSBR ):
(PDC replaced morning reports and ZSBR replaced rosters; however, the Army discontinued SIDPERS on November 21, 1990. No PDCs were created for AFEES, recruiting stations, or transfer points; therefore, no entry or discharge information is available)
Index System: Filed under the NARS 5 system, by name of military installation and year, then organization.
Contents: Contains information on service member during entire period of time assigned to an organization, regardless of length of time with unit; type of info shown: TDY, AWOL, DFR, gains, losses, promotions, reductions.
Information needed to locate record: Individual's name, SSN, complete organization and location, in addition to the date individual left the unit.
Index System: Filed by Naval District
Contents: Reserve Unit Personnel and Performance Reports for enlisted personnel only.
Information needed to locate records: You must have the Naval District Number, city and/or state, drill unit assignment and quarters served (years).
Index System: They are shown on the SF 135s alphabetically by year of discharge or release from active duty.
Contents: Subjects, grades, and subsequent assignments of medical department personnel.
Information needed to locate records: Must know if the veteran was enlisted, officer or nurse corps and the year of discharge or release from active duty.
MUSTER ROLLS
Muster rolls contain rosters and other personnel-related information for ships and for Navy shore facilities. The muster rolls at NPRC/MPR pertain to approximately 1939 - 1946. Most are for ships.
Index System: On microfilm (Module 6, Row 11, Shelving Units 44-51) filed alphabetically by name of ship. Boxes containing only shore units may be found around SU 50, location 9-1.
Contents: Varies from one entry to another, but may include the following: Duty stations, dates of enlistment, dates arrived on board, changes in rating, transfers, absences, surrender, separation and leave taken. Generally lists the names of the individual members assigned to the ship (or shore unit).
Information needed to locate records: Name of the ship or shore unit and month/year to be searched.
NOTE: Muster rolls maintained elsewhere also include shore activities as well as ships. Archives I has muster rolls from 1801-1939; those from 1940 through April 1975 are at Archives II; and those beginning in May 1975 are at Department of the Navy, Enlisted Placement Management Center, New Orleans, LA 70159-7900. The collection at Archives II is more extensive than at NPRC, so it may be helpful to try that location if a search of our muster roll holdings is negative.
Contents: Duty stations, enlistments, transfers, separation and leave; not maintained at NPRC.
Referral Address:
HQMC-CMC
MMSR-10
2008 Elliot
Quantico, VA 22134
Marine Corps Command Chronologies and After Action Combat Reports see address NV 0024.
Index System: They are filed in alphabetical order by state, ship or moveable organization where court-martial was conducted.
Contents: Original transcripts of proceedings for Summary Courts Martial, and Special Courts Martial not resulting in a Bad Conduct Discharge
Information needed to locate record: Type of court-martial, the date (year), supervisory (convening) authority, state, ship or moveable organization.
**NOTE** No courts-martial on file at this Center for the Air Force.
CONFINEMENT RECORDS (USN and USMC only):
Index System: Filed alphabetically by state where prisoner was confined.
Contents: Case files/confinement records of prisoners sentenced as a result of court martial.
Information needed to locate records: Filed by place of confinement and year of release.
AIR FORCE AWARDS AND DECORATIONS (Card File):
Index System: Filed on 3 x 5 index cards stored in half cube boxes in B Files. There are two groups of cards. The first group consists of cards filed in alphabetical order by the individual's name, for last names beginning with the letters A to G. Each medal is listed on a separate card. For example, John Doe may have three cards: one for the DFC, another for the Air Medal, and a final card showing the Silver Star Medal. The second group is filed according to the type of award (DFC, Air Medal, etc.) and then alphabetically by name. This second group includes individuals whose last names begin with the letters H to Z.
Contents: Air Force, Army Air Force, and Army Air Corps awards, decorations, and general orders for individuals covering the period 1939 to 1963 (these are personal awards only, such as DFC, SS, PH, BSM, AM)
Information needed for search: Type of award and complete name and service number
Index System: Located in B files, arranged in file cabinets in chronological order (by year), alphabetically by name, then service number/SSN
Contents: Contains individual pilot flight records showing total flying time, for the years 1911 through 1995.
Information needed to locate records: Year, name of service member, service number/SSN
AIR FORCE:
Index System: Filed by Air Force Base, training center, medical service school, or technical training wing
Contents: Individual records of service members who received formal training at school or training center; includes names and grades. Also includes records of Extension Course Institute (ECI) for academic correspondence courses. Located on film by year, then last name of student.
(Field Training Records (FTR) are held for 2 years at the creating facility and then destroyed)
Information needed to locate records: dates of attendance or graduation, location of school, name of school, course name, course number and date (year). Refer to the following locations in the Air Force OMPF to identify military schooling: Enlisted: AF Form 7; Officer: AF Form 11; Both officers and enlisted: BLIMP (computer print out in record)
**NOTE** No academic records on file past 1967, except for Lackland AFB - 1968 and ECI courses for 1968. Refer to Air Force casework section for addresses of locations for AF academic records created after these dates.
ARMY:
Index System: Filed by type of school, calendar and/or fiscal year, course name, class number*, and location of school.
Contents: Individual records of service members who attended or received training at a military school (resident courses), or through a correspondence course (non-resident courses). They may include progress reports, attendance, and final grade. (Advanced Individual Training (AIT) records are held at the creating facility, or school, for two years and then destroyed)
Information needed to locate a record: Name of course and class number*, name of school, or installation and type of school. Refer to the following locations in the Army OMPF to identify military schooling: DA Forms 54, 24, 20, or 2-1 for enlisted personnel; DA Forms 20 (Orange), 66, 2-1, Officer Record Brief (ORB)
* Not all classes are filed by class number. If the number is available, provide that info to ORU searcher; however, do not delay case by returning to veteran for class number, if all of the other info is available. ORU will attempt a search with that information.
NAVY:
Index System: Filed alphabetically by location (state) of school.
Contents: Course name, length of course, and final grade of personnel assigned to service training schools and NROTC Training.
Information needed to locate records: Location of school, name of course, date of completion, class number. Refer to page 4 of Navy OMPF to identify military schooling
AIR FORCE:
Index System: located on microfilm by item number. Type of order, year of publication and number of order, issuing authority.
Contents: Personnel actions used to show duty assignments to individuals or units, such as special orders, personnel orders, etc.
Information needed to conduct a search: order number, type of order, year of order, item number and issuing headquarters.
ARMY:
There are a small number of Army personnel orders available for the 1960s and early 1970s. The majority of Army orders are on file at NARA in Washington.