THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARMY MILITARY HISTORY 1775
Headquarters
Department of the Army
Washington, DC
8 July 2024

*Army Regulation 870–5

Effective 8 August 2024

Historical Activities

Military History: Responsibilities, Policies, and Procedures

By Order of the Secretary of the Army:

RANDY A. GEORGE

General, United States Army

Chief of Staff

MARK F. AVERILL

Administrative Assistant to the

Secretary of the Army

History. This publication is an expedited revision. The portions affected by this expedited revision are listed in the summary of change.

Authorities. This regulation prescribes Department of the Army policy concerning the conduct of Armywide historical activities.

Applicability. This regulation applies to the Regular Army, the Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States, and the U.S. Army Reserve, unless otherwise stated.

Proponent and exception authority. The proponent of this regulation is the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. The proponent has the authority to approve exceptions or waivers to this regulation that are consistent with controlling law and regulations. The proponent may delegate this approval authority, in writing, to a division chief within the proponent agency or its direct reporting unit or field operating agency, in the grade of colonel or the civilian equivalent. Activities may request a waiver to this regulation by providing justification that includes a full analysis of the expected benefits and must include formal review by the activity's senior legal officer. All waiver requests will be endorsed by the commander or senior leader of the requesting activity and forwarded through their higher headquarters to the policy proponent. Refer to AR 25–30 for specific requirements.

Army internal control process. This regulation contains internal control provisions in accordance with AR 11–2 and identifies key internal controls that must be evaluated (see appendix F).

Suggested improvements. Users are invited to send comments and suggested improvements on DA FormDA FormDepartment of the Army form 2028 (Recommended Changes to Publications and Blank Forms) directly to the Chief of Military History, U.S. Army Center of Military History, (ATMH–ZA), 102 Fourth Avenue, Building 35, Collins Hall, Washington, DC 20319–5060.

Committee management approval. AR 15–39 requires the proponent to justify establishing/continuing committee(s), coordinate draft publications, and coordinate changes in committee status with the U.S. Army Special Programs Directorate at usarmy.pentagon.hqda-hsa.mbx.committee-management@army.mil. Further, if it is determined that an established "group" identified within this regulation later takes on the characteristics of a committee as found in AR 15–39, then the proponent will follow AR 15–39 requirements for establishing and continuing the group as a committee.

Distribution. This publication is available in electronic media only and is intended for the Regular Army, the Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States, and the U.S. Army Reserve.

*This regulation supersedes AR 870–5, dated 16 September 2021.

AR 870–5 • 8 July 2024

UNCLASSIFIED

Accountable officer A DoD commissioned or warrant officer; civilian employee in the pay grade of general schedule (GS)–07 or equivalent or higher; DoD enlisted person in the pay grade of E – 5 or higher when appointed by the commander or head of an HQDA agency; or foreign national in the pay grade of GS – 07 or equivalent or higher when designated by the commander.

Archivist An individual responsible for appraising, acquiring, arranging, describing, preserving, and providing ac- cess to records of enduring value, according to the principles of provenance, original order, and collective control to protect the materials’ authenticity and context.

Army art Original art objects owned or controlled by the DA, including paintings, watercolors, drawings, prints, car- toons, sculpture, sketches, and miscellaneous visual art forms depicting military activities or expressing the artist’ reaction to combat or other military experience.

Army historical collection The entire historical collection under the control of the Chief of Military History, to include historical arti- facts in the custody of installations, units, or agencies. The Army Historical Collection forms a part of the national historical collection.

Army Staff Principals and their staffs and forward operating agencies (FOAs) reporting to and supporting the CSACSACommunications service authorization.

Army University Press Replaces Combat Studies Institute.

Certification inspection The process by which both Army history offices and Army museums are peer-reviewed for compliance with applicable professional standards, regulatory requirements, and legal mandates as prescribed in AR 870 – 5 and AR 870 – 20.

Combat and contingency operations Those activities caused by combat, civil disturbance, natural disaster, or other emergency or special activ- ities, as well as by associated support operations.

Combat Arms Regimental System The concept under which combat arms (infantry, artillery, armor, and cavalry, except armored cavalry reg- iments) were organized between 1957 and their reorganization under the U.S. Army Reserve. See USARS term.

Conservation Attempts to preserve records in their original format, or treatment and repair of individual items to slow decay or restore them to a usable state.

Department of the Army Historical Summary The DAHSUM serves as the annual command history of HQDA. It is a historical overview of significant Army events, decisions, and activities.

Director or curator The civilian chief of an Army museum responsible for all phases of museum operations. The director is the accountable custodian for the artifacts and supervises one or more other staff members of lesser grade.

Headquarters, Department of the Army HQDA; consisting of the SECARMYSECARMYSecretary of the Army; Army Secretariat; CSACSACommunications service authorization; and Army Staff and their FOAs.

Historian An individual, either military or civilian, who has received specialized academic training and occupies a military history position specified by a TDATDATables of distribution and allowances, TOETOETable(s) of Organization and Equipment, or MTOEMTOEModification table of organization and equipment.

Historical artifacts Historically significant items that have been designated historical artifacts by the Chief of Military History, a senior commander, or the commander of a military organization. Such objects also may not have been so designated but, because of their age or obvious historical significance, are inherently historical arti- facts.

Historical collection The assortment of historical artifacts in the custody of a particular organization, installation, or agency and accountable by an Army museum or museum activity.

Historical officer An individual who is responsible for military history activities in addition to other duties. This person should be a military officer with the additional SI 5X (Historian) or can be a civilian.

Historical research collection Consists of historically significant documents (non-artifact and other media) from a specific organization, including the following: annual histories, special studies, monographs, reports, manuscripts, photographs, organizational charts and directories, messages, correspondence, interview tapes and transcripts, maps and overlays, and electronic records. The collection serves as the institutional memory of an organization, provides a basis for original research and preparation of narrative history and for bringing historical per- spective to bear on the organization’s planning and decision-making processes, and supports leadership development programs.

Honors Unit decorations and credit for campaign participation and war service that have been bestowed by a competent authority upon an organization.

Lineage The line of descent of an MTOEMTOEModification table of organization and equipment unit from its origin, stated in terms of events that have changed its status.

Military history An objective, accurate, descriptive, and interpretive record of all activities of the Armed Forces in peace and war, including history written by official Army organizations. In this regulation, military history is used in both general and official contexts.

Modified table of organization and equipment A document that prescribes the modified basic TOETOETable(s) of Organization and Equipment necessary to adapt it to the needs of a specific unit or type of unit.

Museum activity An appropriated fund entity that does not meet the minimum requisite standards of a certified Army mu- seum, but holds a historical collection, has a full-time staff, and is open to the public at regular hours.

Oral history Oral history is an integral part of the AHP. It involves interviewing participants or experts in a particular subject or issue and preserving their judgments and recollections. Oral history materials-sound and video recordings, transcribed interviews, interview notes and memoranda-supplement but do not replace, offi- cial written records. Oral history materials contain information not normally preserved in official docu- ments. They are compiled for reference purposes and are not considered official Army records.

Organic element A unit that is an integral part of a larger organization, for example, a lettered company of a battalion, as prescribed in the MTOEMTOEModification table of organization and equipment.

Organizational historical property Historical property of unique significance to and belonging to a particular Army organization.

Organizational history file Historical documents, photographs, and other items of significance to and belonging to a particular Army organization. See AR 25 – 400 – 2.

Parent regiment An administrative entity organized under the CARS or the USARS to perpetuate the history of the ele- ments of the organization.

Preservation Activities which prolong the usable life of archival records. Preservation activities are designed to mini- mize the physical and chemical deterioration of records and to prevent the loss of informational content.

Records For purposes of this regulation, records include all documents that are either official or unofficial, unless otherwise specified.

Special designation An authorized nickname granted to a military organization. A special designation is not to be confused with a motto, which is part of a unit’s heraldic items. See AR 840 – 10.

Table of distribution and allowances A document that prescribes the organizational structure and the personnel and equipment authorization and requirements of a military unit to perform a specific mission for which there is no appropriate TOETOETable(s) of Organization and Equipment.

Table of organization and equipment A document that prescribes the official designation, normal mission, organizational structure, and person- nel and equipment requirements for a military unit and is the basis for an authorization document.

U.S. Army Regimental System See AR 670 – 1. In this regulation, the term applies only to the following combat arms regiments: Air De- fense Artillery, Armor, Aviation, Cavalry, Field Artillery, Infantry, Rangers, and Special Forces.

Unit Any military organization whose structure is prescribed by a competent military authority, and which has its own UICUICUnit identification code.

Unit historical officer Uniformed officers or civilians assigned as unit historians as an additional duty designated by the unit commander.

Unit identification code A six-character symbol identifying each unit in the Army.

Warfighting functions Replaces Battlefield Operating Systems.