How to request a veteran's Official Military Personnel File (OMPF)

What the OMPF is

The Official Military Personnel File, or OMPF, is the government's file on one person's military service. Depending on the era and branch, it can include enlistment or induction paperwork, the record of assignments and transfers, promotions, training and qualifications, awards, and the discharge document. For a World War II soldier, that discharge is usually a WD AGO 53-55. For later service it is typically a DD-214. That single page is often the most useful document a family can hold, because it summarizes rank, dates, and separation in one place.

Who can request it, and how much they get

What you can receive depends on your relationship to the veteran and how much time has passed.

• The general public can request limited, releasable information on any veteran.
• Next of kin, meaning the surviving spouse, parent, child, or sibling, can request the fuller file, including documents not released to the general public.
• Files generally open fully to the public sixty-two years after separation from service.

Having the veteran's full name, branch, and approximate service dates makes any request stronger. A service number or Social Security number helps the archive find the right file, but do not post those numbers publicly.

The two request paths

Both routes lead to the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. Our guide to the records held in St. Louis explains what that repository holds.

• eVetRecs is the National Archives' online request tool. It is often the quickest path for records after World War II.
• Standard Form 180 (SF-180) is the mail or fax form. It is still required for certain requesters and record types, and it is the fallback when the online system does not fit your situation.

The basic request goes directly to the National Archives. Expect the process to take weeks and sometimes months, depending on the record and the current backlog.

What to expect back

One of three things usually happens. The file exists and you receive copies, which is the straightforward case. The file exists but is limited by privacy rules, so you receive only part of it unless you qualify as next of kin. Or the file was lost, most often in the 1973 fire, in which case the archive may return a partial reconstruction or a notice of the loss. If that happens, see our guide to the 1973 St. Louis fire, because a lost file is not the end of the research.

Reading the file is its own step

Getting the documents is only half the work. A discharge form is dense with abbreviations, unit designations, and codes that do not mean much without context. Assignment entries and award orders point outward to unit records that fill in what the veteran actually did. Making sense of all of it and knowing which threads are worth pulling is where a research project earns its keep.

Frequently asked questions

What is an Official Military Personnel File?

The OMPF is the government's personnel file on one veteran. It can include enlistment paperwork, assignments, promotions, training, awards, and the discharge document, and it is held at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis.

Is there a fee to request military records?

The National Archives does not charge for a basic personnel record request submitted through eVetRecs or SF-180. Some copying services and certified copies carry a fee, and independent on-site research is a separate cost.

How long does an OMPF request take?

Plan on several weeks for a straightforward file and sometimes several months for older or complex records, depending on the current backlog. Emergency requests for military funeral honors are expedited.

What is the difference between a DD-214 and a WD AGO 53-55?

Both are discharge documents that summarize a veteran's service. The WD AGO 53-55 was used around World War II, while the DD-214 became the standard separation document for later service.

Can I request the records of a deceased family member?

Yes. As next of kin, meaning the surviving spouse, parent, child, or sibling, you can request the fuller file. Records also open to the general public sixty-two years after separation.

How we help

For records we can obtain remotely, we prepare the request, submit it with your authorization when you are the next of kin, track it, and interpret the result. From there we follow the trail into unit histories, deck logs, morning reports, and award orders to build a sourced account of your veteran's service. Everything we confirm carries a citation; we tell you plainly what cannot be confirmed, and your family's information stays private. You can see how a project is scoped and priced on our pricing page.