What this record can establish

Entry date and program; enlistment or appointment terms; oath; initial obligation; component; waivers and entry qualifications where documented.

What it does not establish automatically

Entry paperwork does not by itself establish later assignments, performance, disability, or discharge status.

Preservation package

Contracts or appointment instruments; oath; entrance processing documents; waivers; initial orders; service obligation; recruiting correspondence.

Minimum source metadata

• Stable source ID and record class
• Creator or issuing office
• Document date and covered period
• Subject identifiers
• Repository and exact locator
• Provenance or acquisition note
• Proposition supported and express limits
• Evidence-status code and derivative/OCR/transcription lineage

Evidence testing

• Identity: Is the record tied to the correct person, unit, platform, or event?
• Chronology: Separate document date, effective date, event date, and covered period.
• Institutional purpose: Understand why the record was created and what it was designed to record.
• Corroboration: Seek independent records; copies and derivatives from one source do not create independence.

Evidence status key: D1 direct primary; D2 corroborated primary; S1 authoritative secondary; S2 credible secondary; I inference; C conflict; U unverified; N negative research result.

Connected Life Record chapters

• MLR-01 — Before Service
• MLR-02 — Entry & Oath

Related navigation guides

• Start Here Identify Your Status Component And Objective
• Build Your Military Life File

Retrieval and authority status

This page defines the evidence family and preservation method. Repository-specific access rules, privacy limits, request forms, retention schedules, service/era differences, and governing authorities must be verified for the particular record before treating retrieval instructions as final. Start with current official repositories and the linked Navigation Guides.

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