A 201 file is a set of documents maintained by the US government for members of the United States armed forces. 201 files usually contain documents describing the member's military and civilian education history. A 201 file may also contain personal information such as home of record, and awards documents. Typically, a 201 file contains one or more of the following: The 201 file is an important document for service members to maintain, as the documents it contains are important for access to benefits such as the VA Loan and the GI Bill. Court Martial and judicial action are recorded.