1. Purpose.  This memorandum contains reference service source document guides and instructions for their use.

2. Cancellation.  NPRC 1865.3A is canceled.

3. Reason for revision.  The source document guides are updated and the instructions for their use are clarified.

4. Applicability.  This memorandum applies to all employees who extract information from military personnel records.
 

DAVID L. PETREE
Director

1. General information.  The source document guides provide a standard method for locating information in military personnel records.  The information in the guides is divided into four categories:  personal data, entry/enlistment data, service data, and separation data.  There are separate guides for each of the following:

     a.  Air Force -- Officers (fig. 1)

     b.  Air Force -- Enlisted (fig. 2)

     c.  Coast Guard -- Officers (fig. 3)

     d.  Coast Guard -- Enlisted (fig. 4)

     e.  Army World War I -- Officer (fig. 5)

     f.  Army World War I -- Enlisted (fig. 6)

     g.  Army World War II -- Officers (fig. 7)

     h.  Army World War II -- Enlisted (fig. 8)

     i.  Army Post World War II -- Enlisted (fig. 9)

     j.  Army Post World War II -- Officers (fig. 10)

     k.  Navy Enlisted -- Records Editions Prior to 1924 (fig. 11)

      l.  Navy Enlisted -- Records Editions 1924 to March 1950 (fig. 12)

     m.  Navy Enlisted -- March 1950 and Subsequent Records Editions (fig. 13).

     n.  Navy Officers -- (fig. 14)

     o.  Marine Corps -- Officers (fig. 15)

     p.  Marine Corps -- Enlisted (fig. 16)

2. Using the source document guides.  Locate the requested information in the appropriate source document guide.  Note that each item is followed by two code letters which stand for the source documents as shown in the code legend at the bottom the guide.  Extract the requested information from the primary source document (given the Code I column).  If the primary source document is missing or if the requested information does not appear, obtain the information from the secondary source document (given in the Code II column).  If the secondary source document does not provide the information, try to find another reliable document in the folder that contains that information.  Consult the supervisor if necessary.

3.  Verifying information on the source document.  Do not attempt to verify the  information given on the source document by comparing it with other information in the record.  Accept the information as it is shown, except in the following situations:

     a.  When requests for verification of information are received from agencies which receive copies of military documents during veterans' periods of service,

     b.  When obviously incorrect or contradictory information is shown,

     c.  For Army Board or court cases,

     d.  For requests for administrative correction of documents, and

     e.  For requests which question in accuracy of a prior NPRC response.

4. Special instructions involving reconstructed records.  Since NPRC's records reconstruction efforts began after the 1973 fire, personnel working with the fire related inquiries have been instructed to use the information obtained from auxiliary records sources to answer inquiries.  The data being used, however, must be based on auxiliary records sources which are considered sufficiently substantive to enable correspondence technicians to certify information with a high degree of accuracy.  Paragraph 18a, NPRC 1865.76 (Obsolete Memo), Miscellaneous Correspondence procedures unique to Records Reconstruction Branch, lists a few of the most used auxiliary records sources, which are:

     a.  Military pay vouchers,

     b.  Enlisted registers,

     c.  Personnel discharge orders,

     d.  Clinical record cover sheets,

     e.  Veterans Administration microfilmed index tape,

     f.  Microfilmed morning reports,

     g.  Microfilmed sick reports,

     h.  Records maintained by other Federal agencies and State offices, and

      i.  Various Federal Publications.

Also, figure 4, NPRC 1865.75 (Obsolete Memo), auxiliary records information sheet - NPRC holdings, lists NPRC's auxiliary record collections, and directs correspondence technicians on which auxiliary record contains the information needed.  Technicians should check with the supervisor if in doubt as to whether or not information on an auxiliary record can be used to answer an inquiry.