Document warriors

Army Communicator, Spring, 2004 by Judith Reid

Just how big are 39,000 feet of paper files? Big enough to fill a former truck plant, and enough work to keep six archives technicians fully engaged. That's the U.S. Army Europe Command Records Holding Area located in Bensheim, Germany. It is home to archived records from throughout the European theater.

What's an "archived record?" It is information the Army wants to keep for a long time. Information it may need in the future for medical research, legal cases, or lessons learned. Households archive records all the time. Those are the old tax files, old medical records, and past personnel papers hiding in a box in the basement. "Current records" are those hand carried during a PCS. These are the current medical and personnel records, the kids' school records and various banking documents. Current records are papers and electrons that are actively in use. Archived records are past active use but may be needed, and are, therefore, retained.

The Army also retains records, lots of records. In Europe, 39,000 boxes of paper and innumerable bits and bytes of electrons. What kind of records are these? What is in this archive library? Maybe by following a military operation, we can understand the value of this collection.

Let's use Operation Joint Endeavor in Bosnia to follow the record trail. In 1995 a Warning Order came from the Pentagon to the U.S. European Command to move the 1st Armored Division into Sarajevo, Bosnia. After that, EUCOM produced the first Operations Order to 1AD and others. From that moment on, lots of electronic and paper-based records were generated by a host of Soldiers, civilians and contractors: Fragmentary Orders and their supporting documents. Somewhere a 42L created a personnel roster and transportation orders for troops. In another office, a contractor created supply movement orders for equipment, while at the hospital, a civilian was reviewing and updating shot records. The personnel roster, the transportation and supply orders and the updated medical records are all now in the UCRHA.

Then there were the financial documents. Funding to support the OPORD came from a mix of operational funds, unfunded requirements and contingency operations funds. Count at least three different sets of records in the system to pay for the efforts of OEF. All three sets of financial records are housed at UCRHA.

When 1AD moved into Sarajevo, they set up camp. Can you hear the FRAGOs coming out in a continuous feed from the printer? With every day and every action, more documentation is created. 1AD engaged the enemy, supplies were used, maintenance occurred, Soldiers were evacuated, prisoners were taken, forms were filled out, more forms were filled out--paper, paper, paper. Electrons, bits and bytes. All documents, all records. The unending documentation, even when done electronically seems overwhelming. And to what end?

For history. For posterity. For research. For the ability to know what happened from the sounding bugle to the final battle. The ability to reconstruct the engagement from its historical records has proven critically important to the Army. It helps in creating the evaluation called Lessons Learned. It's how the Army retools itself after each operation. What went right and what could we have done differently? This information is gathered from operational records, analyzed and then plugged into the planning process for future improvement. When legal questions arise, data is pulled from the 39,000 archived boxes. When someone's past x-ray is needed, it may come from Bensheim. When the history books are written, information comes from UCRHA's primary data store-house for background.

Every day, dozens of boxes of records arrive into UCHRA. Every day new inquiries come in from lawyers, medical professionals and researchers for information from that collection. Every day six "document warriors" receive, catalogue, store, search, retire and destroy critical information the Army holds dear. One doesn't often think of that box of documents in the basement until the IRS calls or an old back injury flairs up. But just like those couple of boxes that make every move with the family, the records holding facility in Bensheim is here, active, and answering questions every day for the good of the Soldier and the good of the Army. Brigade of Excellence!

Ms. Reid is the Chief, Information Systems Management Division for the HQ, 2nd Signal Brigade in Mannheim, Germany. In this role, she leads the U.S. Army Europe's Command Records Holding Area and is the U.S. Army Europe's official mail manager. She came to this position after years of process reengineering experience, and as a researcher. Reid holds a masters of International Business Administration, and a Doctorate in International Management.