[or-roots] Military records

[Leslie Chapman]

Judy;

I am a little confused, if you are sending this to me the link I sent you
was to obtain the records;

http://members.aol.com/forvets/htomr.htm

if you scroll down the page it will take you to a link to the NARA archives;

http://www.archives.gov/research_room/vetrecs/index.html

where you can find detailed instructions for filing a records request, as
you are looking for your father's record, (I am assuming he is deceased?)
you can scroll down to the button

Request Military Records

which will open another window which takes forever to download if you are
using dial-up as I am, I didn't wait to see just what it was but it looks to
me like it may a\want to install something on your computer. You will just
have to take it in faith that a government archive won't be installing
something inimical or else you will need to go the paper request route.

If you would rather do that you need to obtain a copy of an SF-180, this web
page gives you three options for that, a pdf, a windows version or
directions to your nearest VA center. If you have one near you it might be
your best bet as I am sure they will help you with the process. If you are
unfamiliar with obtaining information from the bureaucracy I would strongly
recommend the latter option as getting info from the gov that isn't posted
on a web site is usually a pain.

I hope the following doesn't apply to your father's records?

this is a summary of military records lost to a fire, it goes on to explain
that if this is relevant to your records of interest there is virtually no
hope of finding them.

Branch 	Personnel and Period Affected 						Estimated Loss
Army 		Personnel discharged November 1, 1912, to January 1, 1960  				80%

Air Force 	Personnel discharged, September 25, 1947, to January 1, 1964
75%
(with names alphabetically after Hubbard, James E.)

Now as to what is going to be in any records you receive I have no idea, I
can give you a couple of notions though; I have had a history of seasonal
employment with the Federal government and somewhere in their vast archives
is record of every injury report i ever filed with them. They probably long
since destroyed all of my attaboys and other personnell records, but my
history of clumsiness will last forever. What I am trying to say is the only
way to know what your are going to get is to get it, and if on first attempt
you don't get what you are looking for that may not mean it isn't available,
but that you just haven't pushed the right buttons. Here agian I recommend
going to the VA folks as they would have a better handle on what and where
those buttons would be.

Not to rain on your parade or anything there is one other ugly possibility;
if your father married this woman without going through channels, ie.
getting the army's permission, there will not be any record. I would think
that fairly unlikely as that sort of thing usually got the soldier in a lot
of trouble in the long run and hence you would be aware of it. As to what is
there if he did it by the book, again the VA folks would know more than I
would as I never had the pleasure of serving my country in a military
capacity. I believe however, that that sort of thing usually involved a
background check and if you can get ahold of the full record you will
probably have way more than just her name.

I hope this helps and let me know if you would like more help with this,
another time when I am not on the way to the dentist I can go ahead and
download the SF-180 and see what it is all about if you would like.

Les C

-----Original Message-----
From: or-roots-admin at sosinet.sos.state.or.us
[mailto:or-roots-admin at sosinet.sos.state.or.us]On Behalf Of
JudyRobertson39 at aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 8:34 PM
To: or-roots at sosinet.sos.state.or.us
Subject: [or-roots] (no subject)


Do you have the address I need to write to to obtain the complete record?
Do you know if it will include his wife's name and whether there were
children of the marriage and where he was residing at the time?  Or any of
the above.  In all the years I have done research I have never been called
upon to look for a service record so I know nothing about such goings on.  I
did find him in the index you directed me to but I don't have a clue what to
do next.  Thanks for any help you can give. Judy Robertson