SAINT LOUIS, April 7, 2020 ― Although the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) here is

officially closed, a small contingent of staff continues to come into the building to process critical
record requests in support of veterans and their families during this COVID-19 pandemic.

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The National Personnel Records Center transferred 200 N95 masks to the Department of Veterans Affairs St.
Louis Healthcare System. (Photo courtesy of Scott Levins)

NPRC is part of the National Archives and Records Administration. Archivist of the United States
David S. Ferriero wrote about NPRC’s role in his blog post National Archives Operations During
COVID-19: Mission Critical Functions Continue.
Ferriero explained that NPRC’s holdings include medical records and patient clinical records from
military hospitals across the world. These collections are often referenced to support emergency
medical treatments for veterans. The Center also provides prompt access to military service records
needed to help homeless veterans obtain shelter and to support funeral honors and burials in
national cemeteries for deceased veterans.
“The national pandemic emergency has temporarily disrupted many of the services we provide,
including routine access to military records,” Ferriero said. “However, the critical requests described
above continue to be promptly serviced.”
NPRC Director Scott Levins praised his team members for their dedication to the mission during a
national emergency.
“I’m proud of the entire staff here. We have some employees working from home for the first time
ever and others who are continuing to come in on a rotational basis to respond to the most urgent
requests we receive,” Levins said. “This is an unprecedented and scary time, but it’s nice to know
that as an organization, we’re doing what we can to make access happen for those who need it
most.”