Ive heard that the records of historically significant individuals, such as Presidents and famous military leaders, are available for research. What are these records, and how can I access them?
In 2004, NARA together with the Department of Defense (DOD) developed a schedule making the Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF) permanent records of the United States. This schedule mandates the legal transfer of ownership of these files from DOD to NARA 62 years after the service member’s separation from the military. In addition, this schedule also allows for the transfer of OMPF’s of “Persons of Exceptional Prominence” (PEP) as soon as ten years after the individual’s date of death. This “early” opening of the records to the public is based upon the desire of the National Archives and the DOD to make the records of historically significant individuals available for research. PEP records document the military service of Presidents, members of Congress and the Supreme Court; famous military leaders; decorated heroes; celebrities; and other cultural figures.
