This requirement was spelled out in a memorandum signed Aug. 8 by Secretary of the Army Thomas E. White and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric K. Shinseki. The memo outlines the goals and direction for Army Knowledge Management.

In the future soldiers, reservists, National Guardsmen and civilians will no longer have to send away for copies of their personnel and financial records; they will be able to access this information through an online account, Army officials said.

All Army Knowledge Online users will also be given an e-mail account that they can use for the rest of their careers and even after retirement, officials added.