Request Military Service Records

The National Archives’ National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) stores records of individual military service pertaining to former service members who no longer have a service obligation.  Included are records of veterans who are completely discharged (with no remaining reserve commitment), or who are retired or have died.  Records are usually transferred to NPRC within six months after these events.  NPRC does not have records of members who are still in the active or inactive reserves or in the National Guard.  The records of each military service department on file at NPRC are listed under Location of Military Service Records.

Recent military service and medical records are not online. However, most veterans and their next of kin can obtain free copies of their DD Form 214 (Report of Separation) and the following military service records any of the ways listed below.

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• DD 214/ Separation Documents
• Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) 
• Replacement Medals
• Medical and Health Records
• Burials and Emergency Requests
• Natural Disaster Requests

U.S. Army Crime Records Center

The U.S. Army Crime Records Center, known as the CRC, is co-located with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command Headquarters at Quantico, Virginia. The CRC is a multi-functional center, supporting not only the Army and the command, but also foreign, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The CRC receives, safeguards, maintains and disseminates information from Army law enforcement records. The center has accumulated more than 2.5 million reports. It also serves as CID’s Freedom of Information and Privacy Act authority and annually responds to more than 4,000 requests for information. Another major function of the center is to manage the Army Law Enforcement Polygraph Program.

Request For Records

Law enforcement requests in conjunction with a criminal case you are investigating may be made by submitting a request on official letterhead, signed by requester and faxed or mailed to the number or address below.

Law enforcement requests in conjunction with employment may be made by submitting a request on official letterhead, signed by requester, including a signed release from the applicant and faxed or mailed to the number or address below.

**NEWS/MEDIA – Requests for CID Investigations**
Media outlets seeking to receive a copy of a CID investigation can click here to fill out a printable Freedom of Information Act request form.The form can be faxed or emailed to the CRC using the contact information below.

• U.S. Army Crime Records Center, 27130 Telegraph Road, Quantico, VA 22134
• 855-306-0003 (FOIA related questions)
• 571-305-4224 (General information about the CRC)
• FAX# 571-305-4154
• Email FOIA requests to: [email protected]

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Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Requester Service Center

The Freedom of Information Act is a federal statute that provides you with a right to request access to federal agency records. We are obliged to disclose the all of the record unless it or portions of it are exempt from disclosure by any of nine exemptions contained in the law or by one of three special law enforcement record exclusions.

If you are the next of kin for a deceased Soldier and wish to request a copy of their investigation, click here to fill out a records request form.

If your request is in support of a VA claim, please contact your VA Representative and have them fax your request to 571-305-4155 (Records Division). You still have the option to submit a Freedom of Information Act request, however having your VA Rep submit it to the Records Division will provide a more rapid response.

The great bulk of our records are that of criminal investigations. If you want to receive a copy of a criminal investigation report, fill out this records request form.

The Privacy Act is also a federal statute that, (1) requires that records or information about you be accurate, timely, and relevant and (2) except for certain situations we have posted in the Federal Register, bars us from disclosing information we have about you to anyone without your permission. You will want to file a Privacy Act request if you want to see what records we have, if any, on you or to request a change in your record to so that the information is accurate, relevant, timely, or any combination of the three.

If you want a copy of any record we may have about you under the Privacy Act fill out this records request form.

If you already have a U.S. Army Military Police Report or a U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Report of Investigation in which you are mentioned, and wish to change it or information based on it, fill out a Records Change form.

The USACRC FOIA Requester Service Center is the initial point of contact for FOIA requesters to receive status updates and appropriate information about their requests at USACRC.

FOIA requesters who have any questions concerning the processing of their requests with this activity should contact the FOIA office at 855-306-0003 or email: [email protected].

If you are not satisfied with the response from this center you may contact the FOIA/PA Chief, Michelle Kardelis, at 571-305-4204 or email: [email protected].

• Crime Records Center, ATTN: CICR-FP, Russell Knox Building, 27130 Telegraph Road, Quantico, VA 22134-2253

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Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Forms

In an effort to provide responsive records in a more timely fashion, we ask that you include your Electronic Mail Address (email) in the contact information provided in your request. This allows our office to minimize processing expenses as well as the ability to provide faster, more convenient service.

Freedom of Information Act
Click here to fill out a printable Freedom of Information Act request form.
[Use this form if you want information about an alleged crime.]

Privacy Act Request for Records
Click here to fill out a printable Privacy Act Request for a Copy of a Record(s) form.
[Use this form if you or your agent want to receive information pertaining only to you.]

Privacy Act Request to Change Records
Click here to fill out a printable Privacy Act Request to Record Change form.
[Use this form if you or your agent want to change information pertaining to you.]

View information on Requests for Amendment of USACIDC Records.

Privacy Act Consent
Click here to print out a Privacy Act Consent form.

FOIA/PA requests may be submitted via fax at 571-305-4154, via mail at the address below or via e-mail at [email protected]. PLEASE NOTE: Currently, the CRC is unable to open encrypted email messages, please send your messages unencrypted.

• Crime Records Center, ATTN: CICR-FP, Russell Knox Building, 27130 Telegraph Road, Quantico, VA 22134-2253
• 855-306-0003

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Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Regulations

Department of Defense Regulation 5400.7
This directive provides policies and responsibilities for implementing the DoD FOIA Program in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552.

Department of Defense Regulation 5400.7-R
This publication provides guidance regarding administration of the Freedom of Information Act program within the Department of Defense.

Department of the Army Freedom of Information Act Program – Army Regulation 25-55

The Army Privacy Program – Army Regulation 340-21

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Reference Materials

The FOIA Improvement Act of 2016

The FOIA Improvement Act of 2016 – White House Fact Sheet June 30, 2016

The Freedom of Information Act

The Privacy Act of 1974

DD Form 2086, Record of Freedom of Information Act Processing Cost (.pdf format)
Record of Freedom of Information Processing Cost

DoD Guidance on Attorney General Memo (.pdf format )
Contains the new FOIA policy memorandum issued by the Office of the Attorney General released on October 12, 2001.

Points of contact at Federal Agencies
The Department of Justice’s Office of Information and Privacy is the principal contact point within the executive branch for advice and policy guidance on matters pertaining to the administration of the Freedom of Information Act. Through OIP’s FOIA Counselor service, experienced FOIA advisers are available to respond to FOIA-related inquiries at (202) 514-3642 (514-FOIA). For inter-agency contact purposes, the list contains the principal FOIA contacts at all federal agencies dealing regularly with FOIA matters.

In some instances (e.g., the Department of Defense), all major agency components are listed individually under the agencies. In other instances (e.g., the Food and Drug Administration), major agency components are listed separately. In still other instances (e.g., the Department of Labor), no components are listed, as it is the agency’s preference that all FOIA contacts be made through its main FOIA office. Fax numbers and e-mail addresses are provided as a matter of agency preference as well. All telephone and fax numbers are listed by local area code, which can be dialed in the federal long distance system. OIP should be notified whenever there is a change in a principal agency FOIA contact or any change in title, telephone or fax number, or address.

Withholding Personal Information Pursuant to 10 USC 130b (.pdf format)

Correcting Military Service Records

The National Archives and Records Administration cannot make changes or corrections to military records or to your discharge status other than to make minor administrative corrections to fix some typographical errors.

You will need to apply to the review board for your respective service branch for corrections or changes. Instructions on what to submit for each are listed below.

(DO NOT submit these forms to the National Archives. Be sure to use the appropriate address for your service branch as listed on the back of the form.)

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The following information is from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs Guide to Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents and is provided as a courtesy. We encourage you to check directly with the VA for updates or changes:

• Military Service Record
  Submit DD Form 149, Application for Correction of Military Records  to the relevant service branch. (You can either view and download the form, or right-click the form and select “Save link as” or otherwise save the file and then open it.)
  • Please Note:  The form is expired at the time of posting, we are awaiting update from the DoD Forms Manager.  In the interim, this form can be used until a new version is released.
• Discharge Status
  Submit DD Form 293, Application for the Review of Discharge or Dismissal from the Armed Forces of the United States to the relevant service branch.

Correction of Military Records

The secretary of a military department, acting through a board for correction of military records, has authority to change any military record when necessary to correct an error or remove an injustice. A correction board may consider applications for correction of a military record, including a review of a discharge issued by courts martial.

The veteran, survivor or legal representative generally must file a request for correction within three years after discovery of an alleged error or injustice. The board may excuse failure to file within the prescribed time, however, if it finds it would be in the interest of justice to do so. It is an applicant’s responsibility to show why the filing of the application was delayed and why it would be in the interest of justice for the board to consider it despite the delay.

To justify any correction, it is necessary to show to the satisfaction of the board that the alleged entry or omission in the records was in error or unjust. Applications should include all available evidence, such as signed statements of witnesses or a brief of arguments supporting the requested correction. Application is made with DD Form 149, available at VA offices, from veterans organizations or from the Internet ( https://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/forms/index.htm ).

Review of Discharges

Each of the military services maintains a discharge review board with authority to change, correct or modify discharges or dismissals that are not issued by a sentence of a general courts-martial. The board has no authority to address medical discharges. The veteran or, if the veteran is deceased or incompetent, the surviving spouse, next of kin or legal representative may apply for a review of discharge by writing to the military department concerned, using DoD Form 293. This form may be obtained at a VA regional office, from veterans organizations or from the Internet: https://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/forms/index.htm . However, if the discharge was more than 15 years ago, a veteran must petition the appropriate service Board for Correction of Military Records using DoD Form 149, which is discussed in the “Correction of Military Records” section of this booklet. A discharge review is conducted by a review of an applicant’s record and, if requested, by a hearing before the board.

Discharges awarded as a result of a continuous period of unauthorized absence in excess of 180 days make persons ineligible for VA benefits regardless of action taken by discharge review boards, unless VA determines there were compelling circumstances for the absence. Boards for the correction of military records also may consider such cases.

Veterans with disabilities incurred or aggravated during active military service may qualify for medical or related benefits regardless of separation and characterization of service. Veterans separated administratively under other than honorable conditions may request that their discharge be reviewed for possible recharacterization, provided they file their appeal within 15 years of the date of separation. Questions regarding the review of a discharge should be addressed to the appropriate discharge review board at the address listed on DoD Form 293.