It’s been two years and the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis is still closed to researchers, but NARA College Park is taking appointments for short research slots. Individual Deceased Personnel Files are still really hard to obtain because of all the governmental red tape and games. It’s been like this for years unfortunately. Many people who just want answers about their family’s service member run into brick wall after brick wall.
Right now if you want an IDPF for WWII – Vietnam and the surname of the individual is between the letters A-L, you are out of luck until the NPRC opens and you can go there or hire a researcher to get the file. Those are in the custody of NPRC and Ft. Knox is not sending them out. Crazy because our tax payer money paid to have those files digitized for DPAA but we can’t access them.
If the surname is between M-Z then you can email a FOIA request to Ft. Knox at usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.foia@army.mil and then wait for a response.
Let’s hope NPRC opens by the end of the year and researchers can gain access to personnel files, WWI Burial Files, IDPFs, and so many other records again. Families deserve to find the answers they seek and do some healing.
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While archives are closed or difficult to use, there are still ways I can help you with your WWI – Vietnam research and writing projects. Email me at info@wwiirwc.com to discuss a research or writing project.
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