Requesting Copies of Older Military Service Records
Requesting Copies of Older (pre-WWI) Military Service Records
The National Archives and Records Administration stores the following military records:
- Older military personnel records (generally prior to 1917) are on file at:
Textual Archives Services Division
Washington, DC 20408
View the Types of Military Service Records Stored in Washington, DC
- Military records from 1917 - present are held in the:
How to Order Older Military Service or Pension Records
Select the type of Military Service or Pension Records (pre-1917) you need and select the Order Online or Download the Form link:
Military Service Records
Order Online 
| Download the Form
Form Number: NATF 86
Use to: Order compiled records based on pre-1917 military service in the United States forces.
Military Pension/Bounty-Land Warrant Applications
Order Online | Download the Form
Form Number: NATF 85
Use to: Order copies of military pension application files based on Federal (not State or Confederate) service between 1775 and 1903 (before World War I).
Categories of pension/bounty land files available using NATF Form 85:
Categories of pension/bounty land files available using NATF Form 85:
- A complete Civil War and later pension application file (up to 100 pages), based on Federal (not State or Confederate) military service during the Civil War or later (includes the Pension Documents Packet.)
- A complete Federal pre-Civil War military pension application based on Federal military service before 1861 (includes the Pension Documents Packet.)
- A pension document packet that contains reproductions of eight documents containing genealogical information about the pension applicant, to the extent these documents are present in the file.
- A complete military bounty land application file based on service 1775-1855 (includes only rejected Revolutionary War applications).
Types of Military Service Records
This is a list of the Older Military Service Records held at Washington, DC.