Correspondence
Correspondence
This domain tests your ability to produce official written material that is correct in format, clear in purpose, and properly marked. Format authority comes from DoD 5110.04-M and each service's supplement - Army AR 25-50, Navy SECNAV M-5216.5, and Air Force AFH 33-337, The Tongue and Quill.
Core rules and concepts
- Memorandum vs. letter. Use a memorandum for internal communication (MEMORANDUM FOR plus the addressee's title) and official letterhead for correspondence outside the organization.
- Bottom line up front. The first paragraph states purpose and recommendation; the rest supports it.
- Paragraph structure. Main paragraphs are numbered 1., 2.; subparagraphs 1.a., 1.b.; further levels (1), (a). Each paragraph should carry one idea.
- References and enclosures. References are listed a., b., c. Enclosures are listed at the end and are cited in the text. An enclosure accompanies the basic document; an attachment is cited inside an enclosure.
- Routing. Use a VIA line when the document passes through a senior official before reaching the addressee.
- Markings. Classification or CUI markings appear at the top and bottom of every page, and in the subject line when required.
Worked example
Draft: "It is requested that consideration be given to the possibility of authorizing additional telework days for the branch." Revised: "Request approval of two additional telework days per week for the five personnel in the Plans Branch, effective 1 March." The reasoning: the original hides the action, the addressee, and the effective date. The revision answers who, what, when, and how many in one sentence, which is what a reviewing official needs to approve or deny quickly.
Traps that cost marks
- Omitting an enclosure from the enclosure list even though it is referenced in the text.
- Using a VIA line as if it were an information copy.
- Leaving a page unmarked when the document is classified or CUI.
- Burying the recommendation in paragraph 4.