Exploring the Past: An Overview of the National Personnel Records Center
The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), located in St. Louis, Missouri, is a significant part of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). This article takes a look at the key events that have shaped the NPRC into the extensive archival operation it is today.
The roots of the NPRC can be traced back to the early 1940s, with one of its earliest predecessors being the Central Records Section of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in Omaha, Nebraska. However, it was the vast amounts of paperwork generated during World War II that necessitated a change in records storage and management, leading to the establishment of the NPRC.
In 1951, the St. Louis Federal Records Center (FRC) was established, accepting significant record groups from across the country. Around the same time, the Overland facility, later known as the Department of Defense Military Personnel Records Center (DODMPRC), was completed in 1956. This facility housed millions of military personnel records from all three services.
The NPRC's role in preserving and reconstructing personnel files was highlighted in 1973, when a devastating fire destroyed many records. This event underscored the critical importance of record preservation and reconstruction in federal archival practices, leading to efforts in records reconstruction and improved preservation.
In response to the fire, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) was established as an independent agency on June 19, 1934, by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The NPRC evolved, expanding its archival operations and preservation programs. Notably, in 2000, a preservation program was set up, and in 2004, the National Archives at St. Louis was established, building on the NPRC's foundations.
In 2009, the Civilian Personnel Records Branch moved from Winnebago Street in St. Louis to the NPRC Annex in Valmeyer, Illinois, primarily housing the Official Personnel Files (OPFs) and Employee Medical Folders (EMF) of separated United States federal civilian employees. Around the same time, NARA signed an agreement with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, making the OPFs of certain former Federal civilian employees archival.
In September 2009, the first block of Air Force records was accepted into NARA's custody, marking the start of the transfer of all military OMPFs from the ownership of the military services to NARA. This transfer was completed in 2011, with the opening of a new NPRC facility in St. Louis, meeting modern archival standards and certified under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
The new facility has a storage capacity of more than 2.3 million cubic feet and houses all of the Agency's archival and permanent records, including all OMPF, Organizational and Auxiliary files, and OPF of former civilian Federal personnel who separated prior to 1973. Today, the NPRC houses over 4 million cubic feet of military and civil service personnel-related records.
In July 2005, the Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF) of veterans who served with the United States Navy and Marine Corps were opened to the public. In November 2007, NARA opened 6.3 million OMPFs of former military personnel who served in the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
The NPRC's history is marked by a series of events aimed at improving customer service, increasing the speed of record access, and ensuring the preservation of vital historical records. From its early beginnings to its current status as one of NARA's largest operations, the NPRC continues to play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and accessibility of the U.S. government's personnel records.
- Understanding the importance of preserving personnel records, the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) initiated an extensive education-and-self-development program, focusing on modern archival standards and certified under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
- In the spirit of continuous learning and self-improvement, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) expanded the NPRC's archival operations and preservation programs, fostering a culture of education-and-self-development within the organization.
