NATF Form 86 National Archives Order for Copies of Military Service R

OMB Control No. 3095-0027 Expires 08-31-2017

NATIONAL ARCHIVES (NARA) ORDER FOR COPIES OF MILITARY SERVICE RECORDS

Expedite your order; submit it online at

eservices.archives.gov/orderonline

We receive orders more quickly when you submit them online. We will send you an e-mail confirming that we have your request and you will be able to track the order online at no additional cost.

Order reproduction service by using this form is available ONLY from Archival Operations Washington D.C., Form 86 – Military, National Archives and Records Administration, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20408-0001. For more information, please write to us at the address above.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR ORDER

DO NOT use this form for any request relating to post-1912 military service in World War I or II, or subsequent service. Write to: National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138.

For additional information about these later records, visit eVetrecs at www.archives.gov/veterans.

Military service records rarely contain family information. Federal pension files may be requested on NATF Form 85. Pension application files generally are most useful to those who are doing genealogical research and contain the most complete information regarding a soldier's military career. We suggest that you first request copies of a soldier's pension file. You should request copies of a bounty-land warrant file or a military record only when no pension file exists. If the veteran's service was during the Revolutionary War, bounty-land warrant applications have been consolidated with pension application papers. You can obtain both files by requesting the pension file only. We will copy complete compiled military service and bounty-land application files. More information about the availability of records pertaining to military service or family histories may be found in our free genealogical information leaflets and forms. You may request these, as well as order additional copies of this form, online at www.archives.gov/contact or by writing to: Archival Operations Washington D.C., Form 86 – Military, National Archives and Records Administration, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20408-0001. Electronic versions of this and other forms are available on the NARA website, www.archives.gov.

The success of our search depends on the completeness and accuracy of the information you provide in blocks 1-13 on this form. Please note that each NATF Form 86 is handled separately. When you send more than one form at a time, you may not receive all of your replies at the same time.

USE NATF FORM 85 TO OBTAIN COPIES OF

FEDERAL PENSION AND BOUNTY LAND WARRANT APPLICATIONS

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THIS FORM

Use a separate NATF Form 86 for each file that you request. You must complete blocks 1 – 6 or we cannot search for the file. Print your name (last, first, MI) and address in the box provided at the bottom of the form. This serves as your mailing label. We destroy requests without return addresses. Please enter the Card Validation Code in the space provided on the form. For Master Card, Visa and Discover, this is a three digit code found on the back of the card. For American Express this is a four digit code printed on the front of the card. When we search your order, we will make reproductions of records that relate to your request. We accept MasterCard, VISA, American Express, and Discover credit cards. Do NOT send cash or check. Forms with incomplete Credit Card information will be destroyed. Make a copy of the completed form for your records. Mail it to: Archival Operations Washington D.C., Form 86 – Military, National Archives and Records Administration, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20408-0001. Please allow up to 90 days for processing your order. You will receive a postcard acknowledging receipt of your order and providing our tracking number. You can track the status of your order at our website, eservices.archives.gov/orderonline. Do not use this form to request certified copies of records. To request certified copies contact us at www.archives.gov/contact or write to the above address. We cannot provide digital certifications.

TYPES OF RECORDS THAT CAN BE ORDERED WITH THIS FORM

ARMY SERVICE RECORDS

Military service records are based on service in the UNITED STATES ARMY (officers who served before June 30, 1917, and enlisted men who served before October 31, 1912) and CONFEDERATE ARMED FORCES (officers and enlisted men, 1861-65). In addition to persons who served in regular forces raised by the Federal Government, volunteers fought in various wars chiefly in the Federal Government's interest from the Revolutionary War through the Philippine Insurrection, 1775-1902.

Compilations of information concerning Army service in volunteer organizations during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are available. Such records were not compiled for Regular Army officers who served before 1863 and for Regular Army enlisted men who served during most of the nineteenth century. Records pertaining to that service tend to be limited. We will copy those records which pertain to the soldier in question that can be retrieved by name. This will not represent all of the information scattered among a variety of records. We are not able to undertake the research required to locate all such documents.

The record of an individual's service in any one organization is entirely separate from his record of service in another organization. We are unable to establish accurately the identity of individuals of the same name who served in different organizations. If you know that an individual served in more than one organization and you desire copies of all of the military service records, submit a separate form for the service record in each organization.

Discharge certificates are not usually included as a part of a compiled military service record. Before 1944, Army regulations allowed the preparation of an original discharge certificate only, which was given to the soldier. Confederate soldiers in service at the time of surrender did not receive discharge certificates. They were given paroles, and these paroles became the property of the soldier.

NAVY OR MARINE CORPS SERVICE RECORDS

There are no compiled service records for Navy or Marine Corps personnel. Do not use this form to obtain information about obtaining reproductions of records relating to Navy or Marine Corps service. You may obtain information by contacting us online at www.archives.gov/contact or by writing to Archival Operations Washington D.C., Form 86 – Military, National Archives and Records Administration, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20408-0001.

RETURN POLICY: Due to the age, original media type, and general condition of many of the items in NARA’s holdings, it is occasionally difficult to make a legible reproduction. NARA staff will notify customers if they anticipate that the original will result in a reproduction of questionable legibility before requesting the reproduction and after approval of the customer. After a records reproduction is completed, the product undergoes a review to determine if it is an accurate representation of the original item. Because of the preapproval process, NARA does not provide refunds except in special cases. If a customer requests a refund, a review is made of the order to determine if the customer was properly notified of the questionable nature of the original and if the product is a true representation of the original. If the customer authorized proceeding and the product is a true representation of the original, no refund will be issued.

PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT

Collection of this information is authorized by sections 2108, 2116, and 2307 of Title 44 U.S. Code. Disclosure of the information is voluntary; however, we will be unable to respond to your request if you do not furnish your name and address and the minimum required information about the records. The information is used by NARA employees to search for the record; to respond to you; to maintain control over information requests received and answered; and to facilitate preparation of internal statistical reports. If you provide credit card information, that information is used to bill you for copies.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT

A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a current valid OMB control number. The OMB Control No. for this information collection is 3095-0027. Public burden reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be 10 minutes per response. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of the information collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to National Archives and Records Administration (ISP), 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park MD 20740. DO NOT SEND COMPLETED FORMS TO THIS ADDRESS. SEND COMPLETED FORMS TO THE ADDRESS INDICATED ON THE FORM ITSELF.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES ORDER FOR COPIES OF MILITARY SERVICE RECORDS (See Instructions page before completing this form)

If we locate the record you identify below, we will reproduce it for you. The cost for these reproductions is $30.00. Provide your Credit Card information at the bottom of this page. Orders with incomplete credit card information will not be processed. DO NOT SEND CASH OR CHECK. There is no charge for an unsuccessful search.

Reference Number: G M M D D Y Y # #

Reference Number: Enter the date you fill out the form (example – MMDDYY = 012315). Enter the number of the request being submitted in the last two boxes. If you are submitting four forms and this is your second, you would enter 02. A completed reference number example is: 01231502.

SECTION A. REQUIRED MINIMUM IDENTIFICATION OF VETERAN - MUST BE COMPLETED OR YOUR ORDER CANNOT BE SERVICED

2. VETERAN (Give last, first, and middle names)

 Please note: ARMY SERVICE ONLY. See instructions for information about Navy and Marine Corps service.

3. STATE WHICH HE SERVED

4. WAR IN WHICH, OR DATES BETWEEN WHICH, HE SERVED

5. IF SERVICE WAS CIVIL WAR:

6. KIND OF SERVICE

UNION

CONFEDERATE

VOLUNTEER

REGULAR

PLEASE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, IF KNOWN

7. UNIT IN WHICH HE SERVED (Name of regiment or number, company, etc.)

8. ARM IN WHICH HE SERVED

If other, specify:

9. RANK

INFANTRY

CAVALRY

ARTILLERY

OFFICER

ENLISTED

10. DATE OF BIRTH

11. PLACE OF BIRTH (City, County, State, etc.)

12. DATE OF DEATH

13. PLACE OF DEATH (City, County, State, etc.)

Your completed order is available either as a paper reproduction or as .pdf. Delivery of .pdf files can be done via USPS on CD/DVD or through NARA’s electronic transfer system. Check one box below for selection*. Paper Copies CD/DVD Electronic Transfer** email address: __________________________________ * If no selection is made, paper copies will be generated; a certified copy cannot be generated of a .pdf ** Download speeds will vary based upon file size and your internet connection. A valid email address is necessary for electronic transfer. Comments:

SECTION B. THIS SPACE IS FOR OUR REPLY TO YOU

We were unable to search for the file you requested above. No payment is required. Your request is returned because: REQUIRED MINIMUM IDENTIFICATION OF VETERAN WAS NOT PROVIDED. Please complete blocks 2 (give full name), 3, 4, 5, and 6 and resubmit your order. Post-1912 Regular Army service records are housed at the Military Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, MO. You may be able to obtain information about the military service of the person in which you are interested by completing the Standard form 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records. The Standard Form 180 is available online at www.archives.gov or visit eVetrecs at www.archives.gov/veterans. See attached forms, leaflets, or information sheets.

SECTION C. CREDIT CARD INFORMATION AND YOUR SHIPPING ADDRESS (REQUIRED)

CREDIT CARD TYPE: ______________________________ (see Instructions for credit cards we can accept)

Signature:

Exp. Date:

Card Validation Code (See Instructions):

Day Time Phone (Required):

e-mail Address (Preferred):

Shipping Address

Last Name

First Name, MI

Billing Address

Last Name

First Name, MI

Street

(check here if shipping address is same as billing address)

Street

Street

Street

City

State

ZIP or Postal Code

Country (if not USA)

City

State

ZIP or Postal Code

NATIONAL ARCHIVES TRUST FUND BOARD

NATF Form 86 (rev. 07-2015)