From Service Records to Special Collections: General and Specialized Military Resources

Abstract

The U.S. Military Academy Library, Archives, and Special Collections supports the staff, faculty, and cadets of the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) and maintains Record Group 404, which are the official records of the USMA, maintained on behalf of the National Archives. Our collection is particularly strong in the areas of military history and the history and story of USMA, West Point, and our graduates. However, that does not always make us the best source for all military-related history, and we receive daily requests that are redirected to other excellent government resources. Over the years, we have gathered a multitude of external resources that are better suited for military-related research. These include federal agencies, state and federal museums or historical sites, libraries and archives that support all services, private and nonprofit organizations, and databases. Military data sources are useful for a variety of topics of interest for users such as genealogical information, military history, awards, historical sites, military leadership, veteran’s history projects, oral histories, and many other subjects. These sources can help users find information that will assist in getting copies of their services records, find out when and where family members served, research military vehicles, or learn about the fort that used to be nearby. There are also a multitude of publications created by the military that may be of general interest. These resources are excellent additions to any librarian’s toolkit. These resources are divided into specific categories such as service records, genealogical information, and Army resources. We have also shared the specific resources USMA publicly provides to support military-related research.