Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF) are the official record of an individual’s military service. They include information on enlistment, training, promotion, pay, overseas service, decorations, discharge, and many other details. OMPFs from World War I and after are located in St. Louis. Earlier files are in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Most OMPFs from World War I forward also contain a photograph taken during basic training. While Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel files are very complete, a majority of Army and Army Air Forces files burned during a massive fire at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973. However, it is still possible to reconstruct portions of a service member’s file through medical, pay, and military unit records.