The National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records (NPRC-MPR) is the repository of millions of military personnel, health, and medical records of discharged and deceased veterans of all services during the 20th century. NPRC (MPR) also stores medical treatment records of retirees from all services, as well as records for dependent and other persons treated at naval medical facilities. Information from the records is made available upon written request (with signature and date) to the extent allowed by law.

To Obtain Military Records

Visit the National Personnel Records Center website.

Veterans or next-of-kin of a deceased veteran may now use vetrecs.archives.gov to order a copy of military records.

For all others, your request is best made using a Standard Form 180. This link includes complete instructions for preparing and submitting requests.

All requests must be in writing, signed and mailed to the address shown below.

National Personnel Records Center
Military Personnel Records
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100

Requests for military personnel records or information from them cannot be accepted by e-mail at this time. The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) and Department of Defense directives require a written request, signed and dated, to access information from military personnel records.

To Obtain Clinical and Medical Treatment Records

Clinical and medical treatment records are filed at the National Personnel Records Center by the name of the facility that last had responsibility for the records. Therefore, in order to request information from medical records, you must provide the following information:

  • Name of the last facility that had responsibility for the treatment record. Usually this is the last facility at which treatment was provided.
  • The year and the type of treatment (inpatient, outpatient, dental, mental health, etc.) If you need copies of specific records, please be sure to state the type of illness, injury, or treatment involved.
  • The patient's full name used during treatment
  • The patient's social security number and status during treatment [military, retiree, dependent of military, federal employee, dependent, or other (specify)].
  • Branch of service and sponsor's service number or social security number (if the former patient is/was a dependent).

Please provide as much information as possible. It may not be possible to locate a record if important identifying information is missing.

For medical records of separated/retired military personnel and Navy/Marine Corps dependents, send request to:

National Personnel Records Center
Military Personnel Records
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100

For medical records of Air Force, Coast Guard, or Army dependents, send request to:

National Personnel Records Center
Civilian Personnel Records
111 Winnebago Street
St. Louis, MO 63118-4126

Note

Veterans who plan to file a claim for medical benefits with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) do not need to request a copy of their military health record from the National Personnel Records Center. When you file a VA claim, the Department of Veterans Affairs will request the record automatically, as part of the claims process.

Contact

National Personnel Records Center
Military Personnel Records
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
MPR.center@nara.gov