Did you catch Climbing My Family Tree’s recent post, “Wow! Reclaim the Records Got BIRLS Files for Us for Free“? If so, have you requested a BIRLS file for your ancestor yet?
While a subscription to Ancestry or Fold3 allows you to search the BIRLS database, neither platform provides a way to request the actual file. However, thanks to Reclaim the Records’ site, birls.org, you can now both search the database and access a direct link to request the file.
Searching the birls.org site, I found my grandfather, Leon Crawford.
When I searched the birls.org site, I found my grandfather, Leon Crawford. Expanding his entry revealed details about his World War I military service. Following the site’s suggestion, I used the link to the Veterans Administration Master Index dataset to locate his military serial number.
With that information, I submitted a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request for my grandfather’s veteran’s “C file.” Now, I just have to wait!
A huge thank you to Reclaim the Records for making these records accessible to all of us. Your efforts are truly appreciated!
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