DA Form 1613, the Army’s Records Cross Reference sheet, is a one-page pointer that sits inside one file series and tells anyone searching where to find a related record stored somewhere else. You fill it out by entering the ARIMS record number and title of the file where the sheet will live, then describing the related record — originator, addressee, subject, date, location, media, and a short summary — in Field 3. File the completed sheet in the record series named in Field 1.
Where to Get the Current Form
Download the fillable PDF from the Army Publishing Directorate at armypubs.army.mil. Search by form number. The Army authorizes local reproduction and electronic generation, so units print copies as needed rather than ordering them through supply.1National Archives and Records Administration. Army Regulation 25-400-2 – The Modern Army Recordkeeping System (MARKS) Confirm you have the latest edition before you start. Records officers can reject outdated versions.
What Each Field Asks For
Before you open the form, pull the ARIMS record numbers for both files: the one where the cross-reference sheet will be filed, and the one that holds the related record you are pointing to. Without those two numbers, you cannot complete the form correctly.
Field 1 — ARIMS Record Number. The record number of the file series where this sheet will be stored. This tells anyone who pulls the sheet which file they are in.
Field 2 — ARIMS Record Number Title. The title matching the number in Field 1.
Field 3 — Related Record Information. The related record’s details. Use one DA Form 1613 per related record. Field 3 breaks into seven sub-fields:
- 3a, Originator: the person or office that created the related record.
- 3b, Addressee(s): the intended recipient. Overflow goes in 3g.
- 3c, Subject: the subject line or topic of the related record.
- 3d, Date: YYYYMMDD format.
- 3e, Location: where the related record is filed. Be specific — cabinet, drawer, folder label, or full digital path.
- 3f, Media: hardcopy or electronic, along with the related record’s ARIMS record number and title.
- 3g, Summary: a short description of what the related record contains and why it connects to the current file.
How to Fill It Out Without Creating a Dead Link
Type into the fillable PDF fields whenever you can. Typed entries scan and reproduce more reliably than handwriting, which matters when records are later digitized or microfilmed. If you must complete the form by hand, use black ink and print in block letters. The goal is legibility years from now.
The most common mistake is vague location information in Field 3e. “S-1 office” will not help someone find a specific folder three years later. Include the cabinet number, drawer, and folder label, or for electronic records the full directory path and file name. Field 3g deserves the same precision. A summary that says “related correspondence” tells a searcher nothing useful. Describe what the document actually is, for example: “Memorandum from BN CDR to BDE S-1 requesting reassignment of SGT Smith, dated 20260115.”
One form covers one related record. If the file series connects to three documents stored elsewhere, you need three completed sheets.
Where to File the Completed Sheet
Place the completed form in the file identified by Field 1 — the file series where someone searching would benefit from knowing the related record exists. Anyone working through that file will see the sheet and know to check the location listed in Field 3e.
For electronic records, AR 25-400-2 requires that cross-references be built into the recordkeeping system through mechanisms that show the organizational and operational context of the record.2United States Army. Army Regulation 25-400-2 – Army Records Management Program In practice, upload the form into ARIMS and tag it with metadata that mirrors the classification of the original record. Have a records officer confirm the placement aligns with the unit’s filing plan. A cross-reference filed in the wrong folder, or carrying an incorrect ARIMS record number, becomes a dead link in the system.
How Long to Keep It
DA Form 1613 has no retention period of its own. It follows the disposition schedule of the record it supports. When the primary record reaches the end of its lifecycle, the cross-reference sheet is disposed of with it. If the cross-reference is no longer needed before that point, it may be destroyed earlier.3United States Military Entrance Processing Command. Records Management Check ARIMS at arims.army.mil for the specific schedule tied to the record number in Field 1. Cross-reference sheets are not exempt from disposition rules just because they are administrative tools.