How to Get Your Complete Military Personnel File

A DD214 is one of the most important military records a Veteran can possess, but it is not the Veteran's entire military personnel file.

If you need a broader history of your service, you may need records from your Official Military Personnel File, or OMPF.

The OMPF is primarily an administrative record of a service member's military career. Depending on the branch, era of service, and documents preserved in the file, it can contain information about assignments, training, awards, promotions, performance, disciplinary actions, separation, and other personnel matters.

Veterans, qualifying next of kin, and authorized representatives can request military personnel records through the appropriate government records custodian.

What Is an Official Military Personnel File?

An Official Military Personnel File is the collection of personnel documents maintained as the official administrative record of a service member's military career.

The National Archives describes the personnel portion of an OMPF as containing information about:

Enlistment or appointment, duty stations and assignments, training, qualifications, performance, awards and decorations, disciplinary actions, insurance, emergency information, administrative remarks, separation, discharge, retirement, and other personnel actions.

The DD214 or an earlier equivalent separation document may itself be contained within the OMPF.

What Can Be Included in a Complete Military Personnel File?

The exact contents of an OMPF vary considerably from one service member to another.

Depending on the record, documents may contain information about:

Enlistment or commissioning
Military service dates
Duty stations and assignments
Units and organizations
Military occupations or specialties
Training and military education
Qualifications and certifications
Performance and evaluations
Promotions and reductions
Awards and decorations
Administrative actions
Disciplinary actions
Emergency contact information
Insurance information
Separation or discharge
Retirement
DD214 or equivalent separation documents

Not every Veteran's file contains every category listed above.

Records-management practices also changed over time, and the contents of an OMPF can differ by branch and period of service.

Is Your OMPF the Same as Your DD214?

No.

A DD214 is a summary separation document associated with a qualifying period of military service.

The OMPF is the broader personnel record from which many aspects of the Veteran's military career can be documented.

Think of the DD214 as one important document that may exist inside the larger personnel record.

If you only need another copy of your separation document, requesting the entire OMPF may be unnecessary.

Use How to Get a DD214 Online if the DD214 itself is all you need.

Why Would Someone Request Their Complete Military Personnel File?

Veterans and families request broader personnel records for many reasons.

A DD214 may provide enough documentation for a routine service verification, while another situation may require more detailed evidence.

Someone may request an OMPF to:

Research a complete military career, document assignments or training, verify awards, support a military-record correction, research family history, locate separation documents, review administrative records, or obtain personnel information not shown on a DD214.

If the request is being made to correct an inaccurate military record, obtaining the underlying personnel documents can also help identify evidence supporting the requested correction.

For correction procedures, read How to Correct a DD214: DD215 Explained .

Does an OMPF Contain Detailed Combat Records?

Not usually.

This is an important limitation of the personnel file.

The National Archives specifically states that detailed information about a Veteran's participation in battles and military engagements is not contained in the OMPF.

An OMPF may show units, assignments, awards, overseas service, or other personnel information that provides context for a Veteran's military history, but it should not be expected to provide a day-by-day combat record.

Operational records, unit records, deck logs, morning reports, action reports, and other historical records can exist in separate government record collections.

Does a Complete OMPF Include Medical Records?

Sometimes, but not always.

Historically, many Official Military Personnel Files contained both personnel documents and active-duty health records.

The National Archives states that the military services began discontinuing that practice beginning in 1992.

Depending on the Veteran's branch and separation date, military medical and health records may therefore be maintained separately from the personnel portion of the OMPF.

If medical documentation is the primary reason for your request, make sure you are requesting the appropriate health or medical records rather than assuming they will automatically be included in a personnel file request.

Where Is Your Military Personnel File Stored?

There is no single answer for every service member.

Many records of former military personnel are maintained by or accessible through the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis.

But the agency currently responsible for a particular OMPF depends on factors including:

Branch of service, separation date, whether the person is still serving, Reserve or National Guard status, and whether the record has become archival.

More recent personnel records may remain in electronic military personnel systems even though NPRC can access many of those electronic files to respond to records requests.

If record custody is the issue, read Where Are Military Records Stored? .

Are Current Active-Duty and National Guard Records at NPRC?

Generally, no.

NPRC primarily handles records of former service members who no longer have a service obligation, including many Veterans who have been completely discharged, retired, or died.

NARA states that NPRC does not maintain the personnel files of members who are still in active service, inactive Reserve status, or the National Guard in the same manner.

Those records may remain with the appropriate military service or Guard organization.

National Guard members looking specifically for NGB separation records should review What Is an NGB Form 22? .

How to Request Your Complete Military Personnel File

The request process begins by identifying the correct records custodian and clearly stating what information you want.

For many former service members, records can be requested through the National Archives using:

The online eVetRecs system, or
Standard Form 180 submitted to the appropriate records location.

A request should make clear that you are seeking personnel records from the Official Military Personnel File rather than only requesting a DD214.

Step 1: Decide Whether You Need the Entire File

Before requesting an OMPF, identify what problem you are trying to solve.

If you only need:

A DD214, proof of discharge, a specific award record, one personnel action, or another identifiable document,

requesting that specific information may be more appropriate than requesting a broad personnel file.

If you are researching the Veteran's overall military career or need multiple personnel records, a broader OMPF request may make more sense.

Step 2: Gather the Veteran's Identifying Information

NARA needs enough information to identify and locate the correct personnel record.

Important information includes:

Complete name used during service
Branch of service
Dates of service
Service number, if known
Social Security number, when applicable
Date of birth
Place of birth

Additional information can be especially useful when records are difficult to locate.

For a complete preparation checklist, see What Information Do I Need to Request a DD214? .

Step 3: Clearly Describe Which Records You Want

Do not assume a request for "military records" automatically tells the records custodian what you need.

NARA specifically encourages requesters to identify any information, documents, or records needed from the OMPF in addition to the Report of Separation.

If you need a broad personnel record for personal or historical research, say so.

If you need particular documents, identify them as specifically as possible.

You can also explain the purpose of the request, such as:

Personal military history, benefits, employment, retirement, military-record correction, genealogy, or another documented need.

Step 4: Request the Records Online Through eVetRecs

Veterans and qualifying next of kin can request military personnel records online through NARA's eVetRecs system when the National Archives is the appropriate records source.

The current system requires identity verification through ID.me when submitting new requests and retrieving electronic responses.

During the request, specify that you need records from the Official Military Personnel File and provide details about the information you want.

An online request does not mean the entire historical personnel file is instantly downloadable.

Many records still require retrieval, review, processing, or research before they can be released.

Step 5: Use Standard Form 180 if Appropriate

Veterans and eligible requesters can also use Standard Form 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records.

SF-180 is particularly useful because it collects the identifying, service, and request information needed to locate military records.

The form also includes a Records Location Table used to determine where the request should be sent.

Do not automatically send every SF-180 to the same destination.

The correct records custodian can differ depending on the Veteran's branch, service status, and separation date.

Who Can Request a Complete Military Personnel File?

Access depends largely on the age of the record and the relationship of the requester to the Veteran.

For non-archival records, generally meaning military personnel files less than 62 years after the Veteran's separation, federal privacy restrictions apply.

A Veteran can generally request their own military personnel records.

Qualifying next of kin of a deceased Veteran can also request non-archival military personnel records.

NARA defines qualifying next of kin as:

An un-remarried surviving spouse, father, mother, son, daughter, sister, or brother.

An authorized representative can also request specified information when appropriate authorization is provided.

Read Who Can Legally Request a Veteran's Military Records? for the complete access rules.

Can Anyone Request an OMPF?

Eventually, yes.

Military personnel files become archival 62 years after the service member's separation from military service.

Once an OMPF becomes archival, it is generally open to the public and can be requested by researchers, relatives, genealogists, historians, and other members of the public.

The Veteran's or next of kin's authorization is not required merely to order an archival OMPF.

Archival files are subject to different copying fees and access rules from recent non-archival records.

How Much Does a Complete Military Personnel File Cost?

The answer depends primarily on whether the file is archival or non-archival.

For federal non-archival records, NARA states that there is generally no charge for basic military personnel and health-record information provided to Veterans, qualifying next of kin, and authorized representatives.

NARA can charge a fee when a particular request requires excessive research, processing, or copying, and the requester will be notified if a fee applies.

Archival OMPFs follow a different fee schedule.

For online, mailed, and faxed archival requests, NARA currently requires purchase of the complete photocopy of the OMPF.

Current routine archival OMPF fees are:

5 pages or fewer: $25 flat fee
6 pages or more: $70 flat fee

NARA notes that most routine archival OMPFs contain six or more pages.

Does "Complete OMPF" Mean Every Military Record That Exists?

No.

This distinction matters.

A complete OMPF means the personnel file maintained within that military personnel records system.

It does not necessarily include every record ever created about the service member.

Separate collections can exist for:

Medical and health records
Unit and organizational records
Operational reports
Morning reports
Deck logs
Courts-martial records
VA claims files
National Guard state records
Retirement-point records
Other specialized military records

If you are searching for one of those records, identify the specific record series instead of assuming it will appear in the OMPF.

Are Military Personnel Files Available Online?

The request process can be online, but that does not mean the entire personnel file is publicly searchable on the internet.

NARA states that recent military service and medical records are not simply available online for public browsing.

Veterans and eligible requesters can begin requests electronically through eVetRecs, and NARA provides electronic responses whenever possible.

Military departments also began gradually maintaining personnel records electronically beginning in the mid-1990s.

NPRC can access electronic OMPFs for many former service members to respond to reference requests.

That is different from a Veteran simply entering a name and downloading an unrestricted personnel file from a public website.

How Long Does It Take to Receive an OMPF?

There is no universal processing time.

The National Archives says response times depend on:

The complexity of the request, availability of the records, and current workload.

NPRC currently receives approximately 4,000 to 5,000 records requests per day.

NARA currently asks requesters not to submit a follow-up before 90 days have elapsed because duplicate inquiries can create additional delays.

The 90-day guidance is not a guaranteed processing time. Some requests can be completed sooner, while large or complicated personnel-file requests can require additional research.

Read How Long Does It Take to Get a DD214? for more information about NPRC processing.

Will Express Shipping Make NPRC Process the File Faster?

No.

NARA specifically states that using Priority Mail, FedEx, UPS, or another express-delivery service may cause the request to arrive at NPRC sooner, but it does not cause NPRC to process the request faster.

Emergency requests are handled through separate procedures.

What If the OMPF Was Affected by the 1973 NPRC Fire?

Some older Army and Air Force personnel records were destroyed or seriously damaged in the July 12, 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center.

NARA estimates that approximately 16 to 18 million Official Military Personnel Files were destroyed.

The records most heavily affected were:

Army personnel discharged between November 1, 1912 and January 1, 1960; and certain Air Force personnel discharged between September 25, 1947 and January 1, 1964.

If the primary OMPF was destroyed, NPRC may be able to use alternate record sources to reconstruct basic service information.

A reconstructed record may not reproduce every document that once existed in the original personnel file.

Read How to Get a DD214 if Military Records Were Lost if you believe the Veteran's records were affected.

Can Family Members Request a Veteran's Complete Personnel File?

It depends on whether the Veteran is living, whether the record is archival, and the requester's legal access.

For a living Veteran's recent non-archival OMPF, a family relationship alone does not provide unrestricted access.

The Veteran may need to authorize the release of specified records.

For a deceased Veteran, qualifying next of kin can request greater access to non-archival records after providing proof of death.

Once the OMPF becomes archival at the 62-year threshold, it is generally open to public request.

Adult children should also review How to Get a DD214 for a Parent .

For deceased Veterans, see How to Get a DD214 for a Deceased Veteran .

What If You Only Need Awards or Medals?

You may not need the entire personnel file.

OMPFs can contain information about awards and decorations, but the replacement medal process is separate from an ordinary personnel-record request.

NARA specifically warns requesters not to use the standard SF-180 records addresses when requesting issuance or replacement of military medals.

Read How to Get Replacement Military Medals if medals are your primary objective.

What If You Only Need Proof of Military Service?

Requesting the complete OMPF may also be unnecessary if the only goal is basic service verification.

Depending on the organization requesting proof, a DD214, another separation document, NGB Form 22, personnel record, retirement record, or another official military document may be sufficient.

Read How to Prove Military Service Without a DD214 for other documentation options.

What If Your DD214 Is Missing From the Personnel File?

A missing document does not automatically mean the Veteran never served.

There are several possible explanations.

The record may be maintained by another custodian, the service member may have received an older type of separation document, the Veteran may not have completed a service period that generated a DD214, or the underlying personnel record may be incomplete.

If you are unsure whether a DD214 was ever issued, read What Happens If I Never Received My DD214? .

How to Get Your Complete Military Personnel File: The Short Version

If you want a broader record of your military career:

1. Determine whether you actually need the complete personnel file or only a specific document.

2. Gather your complete name used during service, branch, service dates, service number or Social Security number when applicable, date of birth, and other identifying information.

3. Determine which military agency currently maintains or can access your personnel record.

4. If NARA is the appropriate records source, use eVetRecs or Standard Form 180.

5. Clearly state that you want OMPF personnel records and identify any specific documents or information you need.

6. Provide authorization or proof of death when required.

7. Remember that an OMPF is an administrative personnel record and may not contain every medical, operational, National Guard, or other military record associated with your service.

If your objective is simply obtaining your discharge papers, a focused DD214 request will usually be more appropriate than requesting a broad personnel file.