Military Records

Military records can be surprisingly scattered, and this small group of resources gives researchers a practical starting point from a few different angles. The National Archives Military Records hub is the most official roadmap here, helping you figure out where U.S. federal military records may be held depending on era, service branch, and record type — from older service records in Washington to later personnel files at the NPRC in St. Louis and many unit records in College Park.

For those approaching military history through family research, Fold3 offers a searchable archive centered on military records, with name search, publication browsing, and ways to explore by war, location, or topic. Military.com broadens the picture beyond records alone, serving current and former service members, families, and prospective enlistees with news and practical information on benefits, pay, VA loans, health care, transition, jobs, base guides, fitness, discounts, and ASVAB prep. Together, these listings are useful whether you’re tracing an ancestor’s service, trying to locate the right federal repository, or looking for broader context around military life and benefits.