There shouldn't be any "official" records scattered anywhere.
"There shouldn't be any "official" records scattered anywhere."
I beg to differ. Official records are recorded for different purposes, and go to different places.
The Official Officer Personnel Record File (in the Army, we called it the 201 file) WOULD be in one place, so to speak. But some documents are not personnel-matters-related and don't go into the personnel file.
They are also looking for other records which relate to Bush. E.G. his flight logs would not have been in his Personnel file, just guessing here, but would have come from flight operations at the unit(s) where he flew; this is an e.g.
The After Action Reports relating to Kerry's awards are not in HIS personnel file. They come from the unit history. Etc. and for example.
Your pay records are not in your Personnel file; they are in your Finance File. Your Medical record is not in your Personnel File, it is in your Medical File at the hospital. etc. What I have seen about Lt Bush was his personnel file from the Tx NG.