Throughout its brief history, the United States has been involved in major world wars, numerous Indian wars, police conflicts, various NATO and humanitarian actions, civil disorders, and international disputes. U.S. aggressive actions date from 1675 to the present. It is, therefore, a rare generation of American men and women who have not been inspired or required to fight, who have not registered for war, shown up for training, or even misled authorities to avoid service.

Many of us have undoubtedly grown up hearing heroic war stories recounted over and again. The excitement of these stories has inspired many family historians to learn more about their family members’ military service. Others want to document the service of an ancestor to join a patriotic society.

Because the military, being the archetype of bureaucratic organizations, has kept detailed records, these records are an invaluable source of information about servicemen and women and the families they may have left behind. Aside from the additional information to family stories, consider what these records represent in the history of the world.

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