The question here is, how do you know when a health record needs to be opened? You should open a health record when:
- An individual becomes a member of the Navy or Marine Corps
- A member on the retired list returns to active duty
- The original record has been lost or destroyed
The health record is a 4 part system that must be placed in the appropriate record jacket, current and assembled based on the current directives.
When can you open health records for active duty officers?
When a civilian applicant is accepted for the officer appointment, the command opens an HREC. This record is then transferred to the new officer’s first duty station. If there’s a need for any changes to the officer’s grade, it will be corrected, edited, and updated on record at the current station.
The record custodian will prepare summary information entries on SF 600 and NAVMED 6150/4 to include the date, place, and grade to which the member was appointed.
Health records for those selected for appointment to the Naval Academy will be prepared there at the time of the appointment. However, health records for the selected officer candidate programs will be opened upon enrollment.
When can you open health records for active duty enlist?
The HREC is opened during the original enlistment contract.
One exception to this rule would be if the that enlisted were ordered to immediate active duty at a recruit training facility. If this were to happen, then the HREC would be opened by either the Naval Training Center (NTC) or the Marine Corps Recruit Depot.
Copies of the service member’s are the:
- DD 2807 – Report of Medical History
- DD 2808 – Report of Meidcal Examination
These would be added to the Health Record by the respective training or recruit unit.
When can you open health records for reservist?
The Naval Reserve Personnel Center (NRPC), New Orleans, is the HREC custodian for inactive reserve personnel and is responsible for record preparation and maintenance.
When an inactive reservist is called to active duty, a request for their records should be initiated to the NRPC.
If this Personnel was part of the Marine Corps, been the request would be sent to the Marine Corps Reserve Support Center.
Before 1994, the request for both Navy and Marine Corps was sent to the National Personal Record Center (NPRC) for record retrieval. This is not to be confused with the NRPC which has the word Naval and Reserve in it.
For service members who work discharged after 1994, the request for record retrieval are sent to the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA).
