scope:

Purpose. The purpose of Army recordkeeping is to properly manage information, from its creation through final disposition, according to Federal laws and Army recordkeeping requirements. This regulation--;

a. Establishes the Modern Army Recordkeeping System (MARKS) as a portion of the Army Information Resources Management Program (AIRMP). (See AR 25-1.)

b. Furnishes the only legal authority for destroying nonpermanent Army information.

c. Provides life cycle management instructions for the systematic identification, maintenance, storage, retirement, and destruction of Army information recorded on any medium (paper, microforms, electronic, or any other).

d. Ensures that the commander and staff have the information needed to accomplish the mission; that they have it when and where they need it; that they have it in usable format; and that it is created, maintained, used, and disposed of at the least possible cost.

e. Preserves those records needed to protect the rights and interests of the Army and its members and former members, and those that are of permanent value. (See AR 25-55 and AR 340-21.)

f. Ensures records related to matters involved in administrative or legal proceedings will be retained until the staff judge advocate or legal adviser authorizes resumption of normal disposition.

g. Provides for the systematic removal of less active records from office space to low-cost storage space.

Applicability. This regulation applies to the Active Army, the Army National Guard of the United States, and the U.S. Army Reserve.