In a message dated 8/17/03 8:11:58 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: > If you do want to look at civil war pension or > service records, go to the Archives your first day in DC to make a request > to have the particular files you want pulled because they will not have them > available for you until the next day. > No, I get them the same day. They pull at least twice a day, but you must have your request in by a certain time. 11:20 is the first, I believe...a few minutes one way or another...and the files are ready within 2 hours. The second pickup is 1:30, and again, the files are ready within 2 hours. Did it just two weeks ago. But specify that you want it that same day and the time you want it. If you have your request in prior to the 11:something pick up, you can specify that you want it for the 1:30 or the 3:30 reading. I suppose you can request it for the next day and I imagine after 3:30 that is what you will get, but if you are early enough, you can get it within 2 hours. So I would suggest that the very first thing you do at the NARA is get the film for specific pensions, copy the NARA information from it, have the personnel check to make sure the form is filled out properly and get it into the pickup box ASAP. If you don't find a pension, check for military records in the state film. It isn't as intensive as the pension file, but I was surprised to find as much as I did in the military records. Shirley Maynard