U.S. Coast Guard Personnel Service Center
Records Branch (adm-3) Web site
The Records Branch creates and maintains headquarters level military personnel data records. While ensuring accountability, we consistently provide information in a timely manner to both internal and external customers.
Branch Chief's Corner
One of the most important aspects of your Coast Guard service is the record(s) that follows you throughout your career. Your Personnel Data Record (PDR) is a road map of your achievements, training, promotions and evaluations. It also documents insurance coverage, and dependent status. It holds enlistment and commissioning contracts as well as separation and retirement documents. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of you the member becoming well versed in not only what belongs in your PDR, but also what’s actually being placed in your PDR as the years go by. Ultimately, the responsibility for maintaining your PDR is yours. Check your Servicing Personnel Office PDR frequently and have them correct discrepancies immediately. I’m going to outline some important issues below. Please read them and the references listed. You can never know enough about your PDR.
Obtaining a copy of your PDR
The professional technicians that work here have been maintaining your records for many years and they're very good at it! Before contacting us here in Arlington, VA, members should read up on the PDR system. Review COMDTINST M1080.10(series) which outlines the policies and authorized content of your USCG military personnel record. The Records Branch maintains and/or is responsible for the following records:
1. Active duty officer and enlisted electronic record (PSC IPDR) 2. Reserve officer and enlisted electronic record. (PSC IPDR) 3. Temporary Disability Retirement List (TDRL) 4. Shipment of retired personnel records to NPRC, St Louis MO.
Your PSC IPDR is an electronically imaged copy of your Personnel Data Record or IPDR. It is your official Coast Guard PDR. This is why it’s very important for you to maintain a close relationship with your SPO and to understand how the PDR system works through review of the aforementioned PDR Instruction.
Active Duty & Reserve Members (Officer and Enlisted)
There will be many times when you will want to check your PSC IPDR. You will need to submit a ‘signature’ request for a copy of your PSC IPDR. Please don’t wait until the last minute before a board to obtain a copy of your record! If you know you are coming up in zone for a current year board, please don't wait until the ship is already underway or you're TAD away from your home unit. We recommend sending for your record NLT three months prior to your board. This gives all concerned plenty of time to fix problems and obtain and scan anything that may be missing.
Please submit your 'signed' simple MEMO request, along with EMPLID, as a scanned PDF attachment to an e-mail and send this in to Mr. Harrison Morten. If necessary, you may fax the request to; 202-493-1675/76. Mr. Morten will assign the request to one of our HR military records techs who will then download your record to a PDF file and e-mail it back to you usually within 48 hours. Because of security issues and your privacy safety, these files can only be sent to 'uscg.mil' addresses. Please call Mr. Morten (202-493-1670) to discuss options if the uscg.mil address is not possible.
Larger records over the 10mg e-mail attachment limit will be sent to you through the MLC Large File Upload Service. This often lands in your 'junk' e-mail folder when sent out. You must move it to your 'Inbox' or it will not open.
IN ALL CASES YOUR IPDR WILL BE PASSWORD PROTECTED WITH YOUR EMPLID.
We also suggest you download your record to a disk and delete the e-mail. We do NOT recommend forwarding your record to a home e-mail address through a commercial web carrier.
Phone-in and unsigned e-mail requests will not be honored.
Personal viewing of your record is no longer allowed here on site. In fact, our spaces are controlled now due to increased security and protection of your PII. Please do not plan a visit to PSC to review your record in person. Please call Mr. Morten or myself (John Evans at 202-493-1661) if you need other arrangements to be made to get you a copy of your record. The security of your file is the #1 priority with adm-3.
Separated/Discharged Members
Submit a request to National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), attention Coast Guard Records.
The NPRC is where all Coast Guard personnel and medical records are shipped when you separate or retire. We hold the records here for six months before forwarding them to give the SPOs time to close out your records and send them to us. So, if you separated or retired more than six months back, we most likely have sent them off to St Louis. At this point, it’s best to contact the NPRC for services connected with your PDR. To gain copies of your PDR in part or whole from the NPRC, you will have to submit a request.
Employment Verification & Retired Records
The Personnel Service Center (PSC) provides information that people commonly believe we have here, but do not. For example:
- Employment Verifications (Active Duty)
- Retired Annuitant Services
- Sea Time Verifications
All potential employers and any other legal entities should please call the PSC for assistance with these issues.
Obtaining a copy of your DD-214?
A DD-214 can be obtained from your Servicing Personnel Office normally within three months of separation. If they are unable to provide it and you have been separated less than six months contact us at the numbers above. If it has been more than six months since you separated, submit request to National Personnel Records Center, attention Coast Guard Records.
Immigration and Naturalization Issues for USCG Members
Please see our Immigration Web Page for the services we provide in this area.
Merchant Marine Personnel
From time to time former Merchant Marine personnel contact us here for information on their records. We don’t service such records, but for those who need to contact the National Maritime Center. (304-433-3400).
Other Important Tips
1. Always maintain a personal copy of everything you receive. Safeguard all such copies and keep them at home in a secure location.
2. Stay informed about the PDR system by reading the COMDTINST M1080.10G. There is no excuse for being uninformed, especially since all this information is available on the web. This is part of your own career management. Don’t expect the YN to do all the work.
3. Never leave the service without obtaining several signed copies of your DD-214. Don’t lose them!!
4. Make three copies of your medical and dental records before you turn the originals over to the Coast Guard upon separation.
5. Make a list of all important contacts listed on this site and keep this in your personal files at home.