DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY WASHINGTON DC 20310 0 1 JUl 2013 MEMORANDUM FOR SEE DISTRIBUTION SUBJECT: Collection of U.S. Army Records From Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn 1. The Department of Defense takes the matter of recordkeeping for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan very seriously, and we are working closely with the Department to explicitly clarify the roles and responsibilities for records preservation during contingency operations. Collection of these records is critical to meet Federal records management requirements but, perhaps more importantly, the records will help the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs respond to health-related compensation claims for servicemembers and veterans. 2. The Federal Records Act of 1950, as amended, requires all Federal agencies to maintain records documenting official actions. The Act's fundamental purpose is to protect the legal and financial rights of the Government and persons directly affected by Government activities. This is especially true for operational records from Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation New Dawn (OND). Operational records are defined in Department of the Army Pamphlet 25-403 (Guide to Recordkeeping in the Army) and include such items as daily staff journals, situation reports, tactical operations center logs, command reports, operational plans and operational orders. In addition to providing support for health-related compensation claims, these documents will help capture this important period in Army history. 3. Given the number and complexity of unit deployments to OEF, OIF and OND over the past 12 years and the importance of maintaining the official records of our Army during this critical period, it is our intent to establish a consolidated Armywide repository of war records. Therefore, Army Commands, Army Service Component Commands and Direct Reporting Units will consolidate a copy of all respective subordinate unit records for OEF, OIF and OND. Copies of these records will be transferred, regardless of medium (including paper and electronically stored information on computer systems and removable or portable electronic storage media) to the U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH). In coordination with U.S. Army Records Management and Declassification Agency, CMH will be responsible for structuring and organizing the records and determining the "completeness" of Army operational records from OEF, OIF and OND. SUBJECT: Collection of U.S. Army Records From Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn 4. Copies of all operational records related to OEF, OIF and OND are to be collected and sent to CMH no later than 31 December 2013. The CMH point of contact is Dr. R. Scott Moore, (202) 685-2991 or richard.s.moore3.civ@mail.mil. Raymond T. Odierno General, United States Army Chief of Staff J hn M. McHugh S retary of the Ar DISTRIBUTION: Commander: U.S. Army Forces Command U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command U.S. Army Materiel Command U.S. Army Pacific U.S. Army Europe U.S. Army Central U.S. Army Africa/Southern European Task Force U.S. Army Special Operations Command U.S. Army Medical Command U.S. Army Corps of Engineers U.S. Army Reserve Command U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command Director, Army National Guard CF: Principal Officials of Headquarters, Department of the Army Commander: U.S. Army North U.S. Army South U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command U.S. Army Military District of Washington 2