Notice: Our website is currently undergoing a migration, and some content may have been moved to a new location, be actively migrated, or be temporarily inaccessible. We appreciate your patience as we continue to add content gradually over time.

Field Historians


The Center of Military History's Field Historian Program ensures that military history meets the needs of the Army and nation. The Army Historical Program preserves, interprets, disseminates, and teaches military history; provides historical advice to decision makers and their staffs; and stimulates historical mindedness within the Army and throughout the nation. Field historian operations include command historians at all levels of command, unit historians and Military History Detachments.


The Center of Military History's Field Historian Program ensures that military history meets the needs of the Army and nation. The Army Historical Program preserves, interprets, disseminates, and teaches military history; provides historical advice to decision makers and their staffs; and stimulates historical mindedness within the Army and throughout the nation. Field historian operations include command historians at all levels of command, unit historians and Military History Detachments.

Command Historians

The command historian or unit historian advises the commander on historical matters relating to the command; documents the command’s history; provides historical perspective to the commander and staff during planning and execution of operations; assists with professional development and training of officers and Soldiers; and supports the Army Historical Program through the collection of historical documents and artifacts.

Unit Historical Officers (UHOs)

UHOs are military officers or non-commissioned officers assigned at brigade and battalion level commands, in an additional duty capacity, to collect historical documents and media, maintain the unit's historical research collection, ensure the unit's lineage and honors are kept current ( as applicable) , and most importantly, write and submit the units annual command history report to their higher headquarters for o consolidation and ultimate reporting to the U.S. Army Center of Military History.

Effective immediately, all Unit Historical Officers should register for the Unit Historical Officer Fundamentals Distance Learning Course to receive the baseline training required to fulfill their assigned duties. The course is available on demand in Blackboard (ELLC domain) . UHOs must first establish an account in Blackboard ELLC and then they can select the following Course ID or Course Name from the course catalog Course ID: 912_CMHUHOFDLC_2023_001_00_N , Course Name: Unit Historical Officer Fundamentals Distance Learning. Once selected, the UHO can request enrollment in the course in Blackboard ELLC.

When registering for the course, UHOs should also send a copy of their additional duty appointment orders, signed by their brigade or battalion commander ( as applicable), to the following e-mail address: usarmy.mcnair.cmh.mbx.unit-historical-officer---cmh-coordination@army.mil

Additionally, send all questions regarding the course to the following e-mail address: usarmy.mcnair.cmh.mbx.unit-historical-officer---cmh-coordination@army.mil

Military History Detachments

The image shows a group of military personnel wearing camouflage uniforms and face masks, standing outdoors near a body of water. One soldier, in the foreground on the right, is taking a photograph using a camera. Another soldier on the left is holding a flag with the number "54" visible on it. In the background, across the water, there is a city skyline with several tall buildings under a clear blue sky with scattered clouds. This setting appears to be near a waterfront or port area with the cityscape as a backdrop.


MHDs carry out directed collection of historical material during combat and contingency operations for later use in writing the official history. They are trained and equipped to gather historical documents and materials, conduct oral interviews, photograph actions and events, and advise supported units on planning and conducting historical operations. The MHD collects historical documents and materials and conducts oral history interviews throughout the Army.

Upcoming MHD Courses

Course # Location Date
921-9E-F68/920-F58 25-002 Fort Knox, KY 2-7 February 2025
921-9E-F68/920-F58 25-003 Fort Knox, KY 13-18 April 2025
921-9E-F68/920-F58 25-004 Fort Belvoir, VA 08-13 June 2025

POC for enrollment:
 
MAJ Russle Steward
USARC Command History Office
russle.c.steward.mil@army.mil


A 625 Field / Unit Historian Distance Learning Course (ASI 5X)

Officers holding the ASI 5X are qualified to supervise unit-level historians from battalion to division level or to serve as unit historians themselves.

Read more here...

Contact Us

U.S. Army Reserve Point of Contact

Mr. Christopher J. Ghiz
USARC Command Historian,
Office of Army Reserve History, USARC, HQ
4710 Knox Street
Fort Bragg, NC 28310
christopher.j.ghiz.civ@army.mil

U.S. Army Reserve, National Guard & IMA Field Historian Point of Contact

COL Jeffrey R. McGeary
Chief, Military Programs
U.S. Army Center of Military History
Fort McNair, DC 20319-5058
usarmy.mcnair.cmh.mbx.military-programs@army.mil

Field Historian Resources and Repositories

Field Historian Teams Site

The Field Historian Microsoft Teams site provides Army Field Historians with access to up to date examples, templates, doctrine, and course content relating to conducting Army field history operations.

Common Access Card (CAC) holders should request access to the Army Field Historian Teams Site by sending a request to CMH’s Field and Military Programs Division at:
TR-CMH-FP-Military-Programs@army.mil

 

Please include your current position title with your request.

Submit Unclassified Records

Common Access Card (CAC) holders should coordinate with CMH to submit unclassified records via an approved File Transfer Program. Please email CMH’s Field and Military Programs Division at the following email to arrange for submission:
TR-CMH-FP-Military-Programs@army.mil
 

Submit Classified Records

The Army Historical Resources Online (AHRO-C) classified database is accessible on the SIPR network. Please find information about requesting access and uploading material to AHRO-C here:
Army Historical Resources Online (AHRO-C) Fact Sheet and FAQ [PDF file]

Articles / News

Gallery

Click here to see the complete "gallery" !
Pictured are members of the 52nd and 130th Military History Detachments with LTG Ronald Clark and Command Sergeant Major Brian Hester, the Commander and Command Sergeant Major of US Army Central. Photo taken at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.
FORT BELVOIR, Virginia- U.S. Army Historian Maj. Sandy Knoll gazes up at a statistical display at the National Museum of the U.S. Army, a U.S. flag of toy Soldiers representing the over 11 million U.S. Soldiers who served during World War II. Today, many years ahead of the Women's Services Integration Act of 1948 and even five years past the full integration of women into all military occupations since Dec. 4, 2015, women comprise 18 percent (about 200,000) of the total strength of the Army, according to the 2020 Office of Army Demographics. (Photo by Master Sgt. Crista Mary Mack, U.S. Army Center of Military History)
Military History Detachments conducted some revolutionary training at Joint Base Myer Henderson Hall, Virginia May 18, 2021.
4 / 56 Lt. Col. Lyle Finley, Officer in Charge of the 130th Military History Detachment, North Carolina Army National Guard, conducts Army Combat Fitness Test familiarization during pre-mobilization training at Fort Myer, Virginia May 2021.
 

Cookie Disclaimer - CMH Online does not use persistent cookies (persistent tokens that pass information back and forth from the client machine to the server). CMH Online may use session cookies (tokens that remain active only until you close your browser) in order to make the site easier to use. CMH Online DOES NOT keep a database of information obtained from these cookies. You can choose not to accept these cookies and still use the site, but it may take you longer to fill out the same information repeatedly and clicking on the banners may not take you to the correct link. Refer to the help information in your browser software for instructions on how to disable cookies.

External Links Disclaimer - The appearance of hyperlinks to external sites does not constitute endorsement by the Department of the Army of the linked web site or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and Morale, Welfare and Recreation sites, the Department of the U.S. Army does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this web site.

Migration Notice - The Center for Military History has recently completed the initial migration process to a new content management system (CMS). Please note that not all content has been migrated over yet, but it will be gradually transferred over time. If you are unable to find specific content, feel free to send us an inquiry, and our team would be happy to assist you in locating the information you need.

Inquiries - For inquiries related to organizational history, military programs, or research at the U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH), please email CMH Answers at usarmy.mcnair.cmh.mbx.answers@army.mil. Due to high correspondence volume, response times may vary. Before reaching out, review the Army Records Master List, FAQs, and Online Bookshelves. On-site research appointments require one week’s notice. For more information, please visit the CMH website at https://history.army.mil/About-CMH/Inquiries-and-Visitor-Policy/.