There are many possible reasons why a professional researcher may become necessary.  Some are listed below.  I recommend reading this helpful guide with practical advice about engaging a professional genealogist: “Why Hire a Professional Genealogist?”, from the Association of Professional Genealogists.

Hiring a Specialist in Military Records makes sense if you…

NEED TIME & EXPERTISE:

  • Are too time-pressed to conduct the research yourself…
  • Are interested in determining military service of an ancestor during a historic period…
  • Want to reconstruct an ancestor’s military career in detail…
  • Are a genealogist or family historian and need assistance solving a difficult research question or deciding the best plan for research…
  • Have your ancestor’s service records, but now want asistance researching his or her archival unit, ship, or air group records…
  • Have conducted a reasonably exhaustive search, but are not satisfied…

HAVE A SPECIAL PROJECT:

WANT TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE & EFFICIENT:

  • Were advised your ancestor’s records were destroyed by the Fire of 1973 at National Personnel Records Center…
  • Are not sufficiently familiar with the abundance of available military records…
  • Are unfamiliar with evolving force structure and organization and how this influenced the way records were/are organized and where they are held…
  • Need assistance with the vocabulary of the armed services….
  • Are not confident you are looking at the correct records…
  • Are overwhelmed by massive archival records groups – especially the two World Wars…
  • Just don’t know where to start.