This document summarizes sources for finding United States military records, including: - Personnel files held by the Department of Defense and National Archives, with some accessible online or by request after certain periods of time. - Pension application records held by NARA providing comprehensive personal information. - Sources for locating records of specific conflicts, units, awards, and burials. - Description of the fold3.com website as a source for digitized newspapers, documents, and military records through a subscription.

2.  Department of Defense – current files of active
personnel
 National Archives and Records Administration
(NARA)
 archives.gov
 DOD transfers personnel files to Archives (St. Louis)
after separation from the armed forces
 Available to the public 62 years after separation from the
military. Access restrictions before 62 years.
 Record of Persons of Exceptional Prominence (PEP) as
soon as 10 years after the individuals date of death.

3.  Surviving spouse that has not remarried
 Father
 Mother
 Son
 Daughter
 Sister
 Brother

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WXQMiR5xxk

5.  Pension Applications
 Most comprehensive source of information. Can
include letters and pictures
 These files are a soldiers or family members claim to
receive pension.
 Personnel Files
 Dates of service, rank, unit, assignments, performance
evaluations, disciplinary actions.
 Recent records are not online.

6.  Pre-1917 files are stored NARA
Washington, D.C.
 Post-1917 are stored in St. Louis, Missouri
National Personnel Records Center,
Military Personnel Records (NPRC-MPR)

7. All files can be ordered online using a
variety of forms.
eVetRecs
DD Form 214 Report of Separation
Older military service records (pre-1917)
NATF 86
Pension applications and Bound Land
Warrants NATF 85

9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWV9ObQUDRc

10.  Heritage Quest –
selected genealogical
records from an
estimated 80,000
Revolutionary War
pension and bounty-
land-warrant application
files

11.  Pension indices
 Draft registration cards
 Muster rolls
 http://valleyforgemusterroll.org/index.asp
 http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-
database.htm
 Awards
 Casualty, death, and cemetery records
 http://www.abmc.gov/home.php
 http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-
database.htm
 http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/

13.  Started as iArchives in 1999 digitizing newspapers
 In 2007 branched out to footnote.com digitizing
historical documents, especially military records
 Bought by Ancestry.com in 2010 and rebranded to
fold3.com
 Stand alone subscription service at 11.95 month, 79.95
year. Some libraries are free like the War of 1812
pension records