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More than 60,000 service record books have been scanned and digitally archived creating a new, more efficient way of storing vital records at the Marine Corps' Mobilization Command in Kansas City, Mo.
The project had been discussed for several years, said Mary L. Salazar, a functional analyst for MOBCOM. She and her small team recently finished scanning and shredding record books at the rate of about 2,000 a month. MOBCOM contracted a document shredding company to assist in the project. Document Automation and Production Service from Oklahoma City began working with MOBCOM in June 2008.
MOBCOM is on the Base Realignment and Closure list and is slated to relocate and join Marine Forces Reserves in New Orleans, La., this summer. "It would have been very expensive to ship and store all of the records during the move," Salazar said. The cost would have exceeded more than $1 million dollars to coordinate the effort, she said. "Going digital just made more sense."
The record books belong to Marines who have recently left active duty and are in Individual Ready Reserve status. For years, users would often have to wait days to retrieve a record book or get copies of documents inside.
An added benefit of scanning the records Salazar explained is that Marines can receive their entire record right away. "Users love it because they don't have to wait to pull their book and their no chance of it getting lost in the shuffle."
Service documents will be at the fingertips of the users and soon can be accessed through the Manpower Management Support Branch in Quantico, Va. The digitizing of the records will complete the transformation of hard-copy records to a completely digital format for users in the future. Active duty forces' records are now scanned and archived digitally at the beginning of their enlistment.
If you have questions about your records or would like a digital copy of your military file, contact MOBCOM at (800)255-5082.
| Date Taken: | 02.04.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 02.04.2010 00:45 |
| Story ID: | 44879 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 593 |
| Downloads: | 476 |
This work, MOBCOM Shreds Record Books, Goes Digital, by LCDR Amy Forsythe, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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