Requests for verification of training, education, and performance while in the

NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
National Personnel Records Center
St. Louis, Missouri 63132-5100

NPRC 1865.68D
Includes CHGE 1
July 8, 1994

SUBJECT: Requests for verification of training, education, and performance while in the military

1. Purpose. This memorandum transmits instructions for answering requests for verification of training, education, and performance while in the military service.

2. Cancellation. This memorandum cancels NPRC 1865.68C and fig. 20 of NPRC 1865.69, Miscellaneous inquiries not covered in individual memorandums.

3. Reason for revision. This memorandum is revised to include instructions for handling requests for efficiency (effectiveness, fitness, or performance) reports; to delete the addresses of military bases that have closed; to show that Air Force officer flight records are located at NPRC; and to add information concerning the overseas Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DODDS), Pre-discharge Education Program (PREP).

4. Applicability. The provisions of this memorandum are applicable to personnel in correspondence operations and the Organizational Records Section.

5. Instructions. The instructions for processing requests for training, education, and performance while in the military are contained in the
memorandum.

6. Forms. This memorandum provides for the use of the following forms:

NA Form 13018, Reply to Inquiry (NCP)
NA Form 13044, Reply Concerning Military Records
NA Form 13045, Informal Information Reply
NA Form 13061, Request for GED, USAFI, Other Test Scores, or PREP Transcripts
NA Form 13104, Multiple Purpose Correspondence Form
NA Form 13105, NPRC Search Request and Reply
Optional Form 11, Reference Request-Federal Records Center
Standard Form 135, Records Transmittal and Receipt

DAVID L. PETREE
Director

NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
National Personnel Records Center
St. Louis, Missouri 63132-5100

NPRC 1865.68D CHGE 1
February 3, 1995

SUBJECT: Requests for verification of training, education, and performance while in the military

1. Purpose. This memorandum transmits changes to NPRC 1865.68D.

2. Reason for revision. This memorandum has been revised to clarify that Air Force officer flight training records may be located within a large collection of microfilmed Air Force officer flight records.

3. Instructions. Remove pp. 1 thru 4, and insert revised pages.

DAVID L. PETREE
Director

1. Background on education and training records. Although the service departments provide members with service school certificates, occupation and training records, and other transcript type material, veterans often find it is necessary to request verification of this type of data from official military records. Most academic records are temporarily maintained at their place of creation for a period of two years before being retired to NPRC for filing in the organizational record (OR) holdings. EXCEPTIONS: See par. 4.

a. USAFI. Some training programs were conducted for the military branches by contracting with various schools and colleges. These were offered to servicemen in their off-duty time by the Educational Services Program of the United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI) and other educational agencies within the Armed Forces. The records and tests formerly held by USAFI are now held by the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support (DANTES).

b. DODDS. From 1971 through 1976 some military service personnel attended overseas Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DODDS) and participated in the Pre-discharge Education Program (PREP) to obtain their high school diplomas.

Most employers, civilian schools, and colleges allow academic credit for such experiences since World War II.

2. Requests for education and training records. Inquiries received at NPRC (MPR), that relate to verification of in-service training and educational experiences, are usually requests for: clarification about a particular type of training; or complete transcripts of all in-service educational experiences to include courses taught at civilian colleges or universities. Many of these requests are chargeable cases. See the latest revision of NPRC 1852.1, Information and instructions on fee cases (9700 Page).

3. Responsibility for credit evaluation. Credit evaluations are made by the established standards of the civilian employer or the educational institution. Evaluations are based on the evidence provided by the applicant.

4. Academic records located at other facilities. Figure 1 and figure 2 provide the locations of several facilities that maintain certain categories of academic records. If a records source is identified from these listings, then correspondence personnel shall follow the procedures as indicated in the Decision Logic Table in fig. 3, Rules 1 and 3.

5. Obtaining education and training information from the military personnel record. In order to obtain requested information from the official military personnel folder, correspondence personnel shall review the service record for official pages or other items which describe the courses taken. To enable evaluators to award an equitable amount of credit, the description should include such items as: the name and length of the course; dates and place of attendance; subjects and final grade; and the individual's standing in the class. The method of furnishing the information varies according to the items being requested. The correspon-dence technician shall take action as indicated in fig. 3.

NOTE: If documents are NOT in the military personnel folder, see par. 8.

6. Obtaining information from organizational records located at NPRC. In-service training information may also be available from organizational records (OR) located at NPRC. Organizational records are searched by personnel assigned to the Army Reference Branch, Organizational Records Section (NCPMA-O).

a. Academic records. Academic records in the OR holdings are available for the following periods:

Army - beginning in 1953
Air Force - beginning approximately 1953 and ending in 1967
Air Force non-resident (correspondence courses) - ending in 1968
Navy - beginning approximately 1940

b. Navy Pro-Jackets. Professional jackets of Medical Department Personnel maintained by the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. These files document education, training, credentials, and other accomplishments. Navy Pro-Jackets for the Nurse Corps are available beginning about 1908. All others are destroyed 10 years after date of separation. When requesting an OR search of Navy Pro-Jackets, correspondence technicians shall provide the dates of entrance and release from active duty on the search request.

c. Air Force officer flight training records. Air Force officer flight training records may be located within a microfilmed/microfiched collection of Air Force officer flight records dating from 1911 through 1995. The early years of an officer's career will contain flight training information. Correspondence technicians in NCPMF-C should request an OR search ONLY when the OMPF does not provide the requested information. Requests for training records should not be confused with requests for copies of Air Force officer flight records which provide a cumulative total of the officer's career flying time. See NPRC 1865.120, Requests for Air Force officer flight records.

NOTE: Documents from flying schools, to include pilot time, may be available from the OMPF.

7. Requests for organizational records from service bases and facilities. Requests received from service bases and other facilities are processed by OR searchers. These requests may be received in letter form or documented on Optional Form 11, Reference Request-Federal Records Center. OR searchers shall process these requests in the following manner:

Locate the record in the organizational files by indexing the Standard Form 135, Records Transmittal and Receipt, that is appropriate to the school and course requested. Write the NARS-5 location number on the request.
Locate appropriate document(s) in the file area and write the NARS-5 location number on the document. The third copy of the OF-11 may be used as the chargeout.
If OF-11 was used as the request form, then furnish photocopies of the pertinent documents under cover of the original OF-11 and write "Requested records attached" in the remarks section. Place a check mark to the left of the return address. If no records are found, then the OR searcher shall check the appropriate block and return the OF-11 to the requester. Keep the second copy of the response in the transitory file, identifying the records that have been searched.
If the request is not documented on OF-11, then prepare NA Form 13104, Multiple Purpose Correspondence Form, in duplicate. Furnish photocopies of the pertinent documents under cover of the original NA Form 13104, checking the first block on the form. If no records are found, then the OR searcher shall check the appropriate block on NA Form 13104. Keep the second copy of the response in the transitory file, identifying the records that have been searched. Route original documents for refile.

8. Requests for organizational records from the veteran (when the service record information is insufficient to provide a response). An OR search may be requested by correspondence personnel ONLY under the following conditions:

The requested information/documents are NOT available in the military personnel record.

The name and location of the school, the name of the course, and the year(s) the course was taken are provided by the requester or are available in the record.

The requested record is more than two years old.

9. Requesting OR search. If ALL of the conditions shown in par. 8 are met, correspondence personnel shall request an OR search in the following manner:

Prepare NA Form 13105, NPRC Search Request and Reply, in quadruplicate, or as needed for section suspense file. This request MUST include the information stated above. EXCEPTION: NCPMR-A/B/O shall prepare NA Form 13105 in triplicate.
Route the original and second copy of NA Form 13105 and the inquiry with attached documentation. DO NOT route record.
Retain the extra copies of NA Form 13105 for filing in the section suspense file. EXCEPTION: NCPMR-A/B/O technicians shall retain the third copy of the search request with the record in the suspense file on his/her desk.
After receiving the appropriate documents from NCPMA-O the correspondence technician completes the case as prescribed in fig. 3.

10. Action when information is insufficient for an OR search. If the information furnished by the requester or available in the record is NOT sufficient to conduct an OR search (i.e., name and location of school, dates of schooling, and name of course), then correspondence personnel shall prepare NA Form 13018, Reply to Inquiry (NCP), fig. 5. in duplicate. Request needed information by composing a reply on the form; e.g., "Please furnish the (needed information) for a complete and thorough search of our records." Transmit original NA Form 13018 to the requester and place the copy of the reply with the request in the military personnel folder.

11. Action if documents cannot be located at NPRC or another facility. If the requested documents are not located, either in the military personnel folder, the organizational records, or at another facility, then correspondence personnel shall prepare NA Form 13018 in duplicate. Compose reply; e.g., "A thorough search of our personnel and organizational records for (name of individual) at (place of class or training) in (year of class) was negative."

Transmit the original NA Form 13018 to the requester. Place the copy of the reply with the inquiry in the military personnel folder. EXCEPTION: NCPMR-A/B/O personnel shall reply by preparing NA Form 13045, Informal Information Reply, in duplicate as shown in fig. 4. Transmit original NA Form 13045 to the requester. Place the copy of the reply in the record. If no record exists, prepare original only of NA Form 13045, return the request with the reply, and DO NOT establish folder.

12. Requests for efficiency (effectiveness, fitness, or performance) reports. These reports are the periodical evaluations of the serviceperson's duty performance, professional skills and qualifications, efficiency, and other related data. Titles of the reports vary among the service departments.

a. Sources of requests. Requests for copies of these documents originate with the veteran, state and local governments, foreign governments and the service departments. Generally, the information shown on these reports is needed to determine or verify qualifications for employment and promotions and/or commission in the Armed Forces. Occasionally, the information is requested to substantiate claims against the Federal government.

NOTE: Many of these requests are chargeable. Consult latest revision of NPRC1852.1.

b. Instructions. Furnish copies of requested reports or, if requested, summaries of professional qualifications, efficiency, and related data. Do not send copies of reports that are classified.

REMINDER: Delete personal identifiers of third parties, if appropriate.