I know that my grandfather served in both Europe and the Pacific during the Second World War, but since he died several years before I was born, I’ve never been able to ask him questions about it. I would like to know the specifics, though, so I was wondering if it would be possible for me to obtain his military records.
When faced with mounds of paperwork that must be sorted in order to identify which documents are deemed “important,” people tend to freeze, push the papers back into the drawer, closet or box they came out of, and leave the project for another day. By the time that day finally comes, the papers seem to have multiplied. In the ensuing whirlwind of sorting through, it’s easy for some to mistakenly end up in the trash, which could lead to serious problems.
The documents might be needed for identification, medical history, financial issues and property or estate management. While they aren’t needed too frequently, most find that when they are necessary, locating them quickly is usually important. Breaking the project down into a few easy steps will make it seem much more manageable.
First, decide what documents you want to store. Consider the following:
- Personal: birth certificates, marriage records, divorce records, social security cards, education records, military records, medical records
- Family: social security cards, education records, medical records, genealogy records, death certificates
- Financial: Tax returns, bank statements, stock certificates, savings bonds
- Home: Closing docs, loan docs, home warranties, home insurance, homestead docs, car titles
- Estate: Life insurance, real estate deeds, collectibles, wills
Why is this necessary?
After looking at the extensive list of documents that should be securely saved, many need to be reminded exactly why this is an important organizational project.
If the house is on fire, knowing exactly where to grab important documents, if there’s time to rescue any household items, can make the aftermath much easier. Alternately, if the documents have been stored in a fireproof safe, they’ll be one less thing to have to worry about rescuing. On a day to day basis, an organized system can help save time; bank and property statements will be easy to locate at tax time and birth certificates easy to lay hands on during sports registration periods, for example. In the event of a death, family members won’t have to wonder where the deceased could have hidden a will, but will find it easily.
From a more sinister viewpoint, it’s important to know where your documents are to be sure that no one else has managed to steal them. Identity theft, a ballooning problem in today’s society, often occurs when thieves are armed with just the sort of personal information listed above. A secure, organized system will make the chances of a birth certificate being discarded much less likely, and will make it easier to realize if anything has gone missing.
Where to find official copies of important personal documents?
If key vital documents, like birth, death, marriage or divorce certificates, are missing from the now organized files, it’s easy to locate them quickly by purchasing them through a reliable online service vital record agencies. Good luck with storing your important personal records. Remember, when broken down into a few simple steps, this task becomes much more manageable.
By: Shakora Malik
About the Author:
Shakora Malik is a mother and a vital records industry expert. She assists customers who have questions about ordering Maryland Birth Certificates, Arizona Birth Certificates, and North Carolina Birth Certificates.
I have found my relatives service numbers from ww1 and have found the disritation papers (sign up papers) online but would like to get more details on where and what battles specifically they (my grandfathers) were in and other information that must be out there somewhere. Any thoughts on where I should begin or does anyone have suggestions?
CHEVIS
The Church is requesting a new record before we are to be married, and I am at a loss as to where to find a recent baptism record.
I’m an Army brat, and at the end of my baptism record it says to contact the Military Ordinaritate of United States of America. I tried and only got the history, bishop names, etc. No contact information
http://www.milarch.org/
Thanks for the link above desert viking! I hope this helps others
LARAMIE
The Air Force has no assignment records older than 1970. Trying to find info on a group of comrades.
TAVARIL



