Official Military Personnel File

Official Military Personnel File
Name	Official Military Personnel File
Abbreviation	OMPF
Established	20th century
Jurisdiction	United States Armed Forces
Administered by	National Personnel Records Center, Department of Defense
Type	Personnel record

Official Military Personnel File The Official Military Personnel File is the centralized administrative record that documents the service history of individuals in the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Air Force, and United States Space Force. It serves as the primary evidentiary repository for assignments, awards, training, medical entries, and separation actions used by agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security Administration, and the National Archives and Records Administration. The file plays a central role in adjudicating benefits under statutes like the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 and regulatory frameworks promulgated by the Defense Department.

Overview

The OMPF arose from early 20th-century personnel practices in the United States Navy and was standardized across services during and after World War II to support mobilization for conflicts including the Korean War and Vietnam War. It is maintained in service-specific formats by custodians such as the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri and is referenced in litigation before courts including the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Military personnel systems that interface with the OMPF include MILPDS, DEERS, and successor personnel management information systems developed by contractors such as Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.

Contents and Organization

An OMPF typically contains service dates, duty assignments, promotion records, performance evaluations, and decorations such as the Medal of Honor, Purple Heart, and Bronze Star Medal. It may include enlistment contracts, commissioning documents tied to institutions like the United States Military Academy or United States Naval Academy, fitness reports from commands such as United States Pacific Command, training records from centers such as Fort Benning and Naval Station Great Lakes, and separation forms like the DD Form 214. Medical entries may reference care at facilities such as Walter Reed National Military Medical Center or note exposures tied to events like the Gulf War. Organizational structure follows regulatory guidance from the Department of Defense and service-specific instructions issued by the Secretary of the Navy or Secretary of the Air Force.

Access and Privacy Regulations

Access to OMPFs is governed by statute and regulation, including provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and the Freedom of Information Act, with adjudication involving agencies such as the Office of Personnel Management and oversight by the Department of Justice. Eligibility for release varies: veterans, next-of-kin, and authorized representatives may request files through the National Archives and Records Administration or service personnel centers; third-party requests can be denied or redacted to protect privacy interests of third parties and to comply with decisions of the United States Supreme Court and circuit courts. Disclosures involving classified material are coordinated with entities such as the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency under executive orders like Executive Order 13526.

Use in Personnel Actions and Benefits

Commanders, boards, and agencies use OMPF entries to determine promotions, selections for command, and adverse actions adjudicated under manuals such as the Uniform Code of Military Justice and guidance from the Judge Advocate General's Corps. The Department of Veterans Affairs relies on OMPF documents when awarding disability compensation, pension benefits, or adjudicating claims under statutes like the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000. Civilian employers, licensing boards (for example, state Bar Associations or medical licensing boards), and educational institutions such as Princeton University or Harvard University may request verification of service using DD Form 214 and related OMPF entries for credentialing, veteran preference, or academic credits tied to programs at institutions like the Naval War College.

Record Maintenance and Amendments

Maintenance protocols for OMPFs are prescribed in service regulations and involve retention schedules coordinated with the National Archives and Records Administration and oversight by boards such as the Defense Health Agency for medical records. Amendments or corrections—such as upgrades to awards, corrections of service dates, or removal of erroneous entries—are processed through mechanisms like boards for correction including the Army Board for Correction of Military Records, the Naval Records Correction Board, and the Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records. Disputes may proceed to the United States Court of Federal Claims or involve legal representation from organizations like the American Bar Association.

Historical and Archival Importance

OMPFs serve as primary source material for historians researching figures from World War I through contemporary conflicts, informing scholarship on leaders such as Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, Chester Nimitz, George S. Patton, and contemporaries whose service records shaped events like the D-Day landings and the Tet Offensive. Archives and museums—such as the Smithsonian Institution, the National World War II Museum, and the U.S. Army Center of Military History—use OMPF-derived documents to curate exhibits, support biographies, and verify provenance for collections related to campaigns like the Battle of Midway or treaties including the Treaty of Versailles. Genealogists and scholars access OMPFs to trace service-linked migrations, demographic shifts after the GI Bill, and the institutional history of military education at places like the United States Naval Academy and West Point.

Category:Military records