Research Division

Researchers are encouraged to contact AFHRA to let us know when you plan to arrive and how long you plan to stay. We will attempt to accommodate all researchers. AFHRA’s reading rooms are open Monday through Friday (excluding federal holidays and AETC family days), from 0830 until 1600 Central Time. You can contact us via the Contact Us page or by calling (334) 953-5697. AFHRA’s reading rooms are located at 600 Chennault Circle, Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6424.

AFHRA's primary mission is to support active Department of the Air Force requirements. Due to severe resource constraints, AFHRA staff cannot conduct historical research, lineage/honors compilation, or unit tracing for non-mission-critical requests. However, we continue to accept requests from military and federal personnel conducting official research and Veterans requiring supporting documentation for VA claims (including surviving family members and Widows) or Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) Claims. All researchers are welcome to visit our reading room or to utilize the FOIA system to request specific, identifiable, unclassified, and/or restricted documents. If your request is in support of a VA or CRSC claim, please state “VA CLAIM ASSISTANCE” or “COMBAT RELATED SPECIAL COMPENSATION ASSISTANCE” in the subject line. We will do our best to reach out as soon as possible for those specific requests.  

Often documents, unit histories, and oral history interviews housed at AFHRA contain classified or restricted information. In such cases, in accordance with DoD rules and guidelines on securing classified and restricted information, AFHRA cannot release said documents, unit histories, or oral history interviews. Researchers can, however, proceed with their request in one of two ways. The first is to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, which can be initiated electronically by going to www.foia.gov or by emailing National.FOIAPortal@usdoj.gov. The second is to submit a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) request, which will then require the agency responsible for the classification to review the document, unit history, or oral history interview for declassification. All MDR requests are handled through SAF/AAII and are initiated by either emailing usaf.pentagon.saf-aa.mbx.mdr-workflow@mail.mil or writing to the following address: Department of the Air Force, SAF/AAII (MDR), 1000 Air Force Pentagon, Room 4B143B Washington, DC 20330-1000.