Be Your Own Historian

In today’s information driven world, there is no reason for military members not to maintain copies of their own records. Papers fall out of files or over-worked clerks forget to enter something in your record…things happen, and records are only as good as the people creating them. To mitigate negative impact on your records (and potential veterans’ benefits), you need to step up, build your “I Love Me Binder,” and be your own historian. This diligence today will better enable you or your family to be an effective advocate for you in the future.   

Once on active duty, your promotions, awards, and orders have been added to your records along with your flight logs and every time you have caught a cold and were unable to fly. Once your military journey is complete, your records go to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for scanning and storage. Most people take this process for granted with the belief that those records will always be there if needed. Unfortunately, that is not the case. In 1973, a devastating fire tore through the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St Louis, MO, destroying 16 to 18 million Official Military Personnel Files (OPMFs). The Army lost 80% of their files for personnel discharged 1 November 1912 to 1 January 1960 and the Air Force lost 75% of the files for the personnel discharged 25 September 1947 to 1 January 1964 and alphabetically after Hubbard, James E. This was a time before easy access to copiers and scanners and no duplicates of the records existed, creating a paperwork nightmare for veterans and their families for decades. If they were lucky, they kept copies of their discharge papers and DD-214. 

Here’s a guide to help get you started:  

1. You’ll want both physical (paper) and electronic versions. Get a binder for the paper version and set up a cloud account (Google, Apple, etc.), if you haven’t already, for the electronic version. Ideally, you’ll want the electronic version in more than one place PLUS on an external drive. Don’t forget to password the file! 

2. Organize your files. Here’s one possible configuration:  

1. Enlistment/In-take records  

2. Orders and TDYs  

3. Awards and Promotions 

4. Flight Logs and Certifications  

5. Medical  

6. Discharge 

3. Save your documents in .pdf format.  

4. Compatibility and updates 

1. At LEAST once per year--your service anniversary is a good day for this--do the following:  

1. go into your binder and add new files. Even if you think it’s not important or you’ll never need it, err on the side of caution because you can always take it out, but it may be impossible to add it later. 

2. make sure you can still open your files and update any formats that are due. By keeping everything up to date, you avoid losing access later.  

1. If something better than .pdf comes out in the future, then it’s time to convert your files and switch them out. 

5. Make sure someone else knows where and how to find your records, including password(s).  

6. When PCS’ing, DO NOT put your “I Love Me Binder” in your pack-out! If it gets lost, then someone else will have access to your PII and you lose your original copies.  

7. If you keep a journal or a diary during your time in service, keep it because that can provide evidence for future VA claims.  

If you have an iPhone, you have a scanner. In the “Notes” app, create a new note, choose the attachment paperclip, scan document. On the 14 FTW/Historian Teams channel, there is a template available for download: I LOVE ME BINDER 

Being your own historian gives you the power to control your story. Keep control of your records and information and keep control of your military legacy.