Army Regulation 2550

Information Management: RecordsManagement

Preparing andManagingCorrespondence

HeadquartersDepartment of the ArmyWashington, DC17 May 2013

UNCLASSIFED

SUMMARY of CHANGEAR 2550Preparing and Managing Correspondence

This administrative revision, dated 6 July 2015--

o Makes administrative changes to paragraph text (paras 3-6c, 6-5c, and 6-5c(8)).

o Makes administrative changes to table text (table C-4).

o Makes administrative changes to figures (figs 3-1 and D-7).

o Removes acronym standing operating procedure from the abbreviationssection (glossary).

This major revision, dated 17 May 2013--

o Transfers proponency for the Armys correspondence program from the DeputyChief of Staff, G-1 to the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of theArmy (para 1-4a).

o Allows for the use of Army Knowledge Online and Defense Knowledge Onlineinstant messaging for organizational and individual information transfer(para 1-7e).

o Adds policy to capitalize Soldier for internal Army correspondence (para 1-13a).

o Adds policy to capitalize Family for internal Army correspondence (para 1-13b).

o Adds policy to capitalize Civilian for internal Army correspondence whenreferring to U.S. Department of the Army civilians and used in conjunctionwith Soldier and/or Family (para 1-13c).

o Changes preferred font to Arial, point size 12 (paras 1-17a and 1-17b).

o Allows for the use of courtesy copy on letters (para 1-19d).

o Adds reference to Public Law 111-274 (Plain Writing Act of 2010) (paras 1-10and 1-36a).

o Allows for the optional use of Army Records Information Management Systemrecord numbers after the office symbol on Army correspondence (para 2-4a(2)).

o Revises policy on reducing cost and expediting distribution of official mail(chap 5).

o Standardizes signature blocks for all retired military personnel (para 6-6).

o Makes administrative changes (throughout).

HeadquartersDepartment of the ArmyWashington, DC17 May 2013

Information Management: Records Management

Preparing and Managing Correspondence

*Army Regulation 2550

Effective 17 June 2013

H i s t o r y . T h i s p u b l i c a t i o n i s a na d m i n i s t r a t i v e r e v i s i o n . T h e p o r t i o n saffected by this administrative revision arelisted in the summary of change.

S u m m a r y . T h i s r e g u l a t i o n e s t a b l i s h e sthree forms of correspondence authorizedfor use within the Army: a letter, a memo-randum, and a message.

Applicability. This regulation applies tot h e A c t i v e A r m y , t h e A r m y N a t i o n a lGuard/Army National Guard of the United

States, and the U.S. Army Reserve, unlessotherwise stated.

Proponent and exception authority.The proponent of this regulation is theAdministrative Assistant to the Secretaryof the Army. The proponent has the au-thority to approve exceptions or waiversto this regulation that are consistent withcontrolling law and regulations. The pro-ponent may delegate this approval author-ity, in writing, to members of the SeniorE x e c u t i v e S e r v i c e w i t h i n t h e p r o p o n e n tagency. Activities may request an excep-tion or waiver to this regulation by pro-v i d i n g j u s t i f i c a t i o n t h a t i n c l u d e s a f u l lanalysis of the expected benefits and af o r m a l r e v i e w b y t h e a c t i v i t y s s e n i o rlegal officer. All requests for exceptionsor waivers will be endorsed by the com-mander or senior leader of the requestinga c t i v i t y a n d f o r w a r d e d t h r o u g h t h e i rhigher headquarters to the proponent. Re-fer to AR 2530 for specific guidance.

Army internal control process. Thisregulation contains internal control provi-s i o n s a n d p r o v i d e s a n i n t e r n a l c o n t r o levaluation for use in evaluating key inter-nal controls (see appendix F).

S u p p l e m e n t a t i o n . S u p p l e m e n t a t i o n o fthis regulation and establishment of com-mand or local forms are prohibited with-o u t p r i o r a p p r o v a l f r o m t h eAdministrative Assistant to the Secretaryof the Army (SAAA), 105 Army Penta-gon, Washington, DC 203100105.

Suggested improvements. Users areinvited to submit comments and suggestedimprovements on DA Form 2028 (Recom-m e n d e d C h a n g e s t o P u b l i c a t i o n s a n dBlank Forms) directly to U.S. Army Re-c o r d s M a n a g e m e n t a n d D e c l a s s i f i c a t i o nA g e n c y , R e c o r d s M a n a g e m e n t D i v i s i o n(AAHSRDRC), 7701 Telegraph Road,Alexandria, VA 223153860.

Distribution. This publication is availa-ble in electronic media only and is in-tended for command levels A, B, C, D,and E for the Active Army, the ArmyNational Guard/Army National Guard oft h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , a n d t h e U . S . A r m yReserve.

Contents (Listed by paragraph and page number)

Chapter 1Preparing Correspondence, page 1

Section IGeneral, page 1Purpose 11, page 1References 12, page 1Explanation of abbreviations and terms 13, page 1Responsibilities 14, page 1Restrictions to this regulation 15, page 1Objectives 16, page 1

Section IIGeneral Correspondence Guidance, page 1

*This regulation supersedes AR 2550, dated 3 June 2002.

AR 2550 17 May 2013 i

UNCLASSIFIED

ContentsContinued

Methods of communication 17, page 1Direct communications 18, page 2Routing through channels 19, page 2Writing quality 110, page 2Exclusive For correspondence 111, page 2

Section IIISpecific Correspondence Guidance, page 2Dissemination of command instructions 112, page 2Unique capitalization 113, page 2Abbreviations, brevity codes, and acronyms 114, page 2Letterhead 115, page 3Paper 116, page 3Type fonts and sizes 117, page 3Ink color 118, page 3Copies 119, page 3Classified and special handling correspondence 120, page 3Identifying a point of contact 121, page 4Identifying the originating office 122, page 4Expressing a date 123, page 4Expressing time 124, page 4Suspense date 125, page 4Addressing 126, page 4Postscripts 127, page 4References 128, page 4Page and paragraph numbering 129, page 5Using boldface and italic type for emphasis 130, page 5Distribution formulas 131, page 5Identifying and listing enclosures 132, page 5Nine-digit ZIP code (ZIP+4 code) 133, page 5North Atlantic Treaty Organization correspondence 134, page 5Recordkeeping requirements for delegations of signature authority 135, page 5

Section IVEffective Writing and Correspondence: The Army Writing Style, page 6Standards for Army writing 136, page 6Constructing military correspondence 137, page 6

Chapter 2Preparing Memorandums, page 6General 21, page 6Use 22, page 6General rules 23, page 6Format 24, page 7Multiple-page memorandums 25, page 8Memorandum of understanding or memorandum of agreement 26, page 8Memorandum for record 27, page 9

Chapter 3Preparing Letters, page 32General 31, page 32Use 32, page 32Response phrases 33, page 32Abbreviations 34, page 32General rules 35, page 32

ii AR 2550 17 May 2013

ContentsContinued

Format 36, page 32

Chapter 4Listing Enclosures, Placing Tabs, and Assembling Correspondence, page 40General 41, page 40Enclosures 42, page 40Tabbing enclosures 43, page 41Tabbing correspondence packages 44, page 41

Chapter 5Processing Correspondence and Official Mail, page 43

Section ICost Reduction Methods, page 43Reducing mail costs 51, page 43Disseminating correspondence via messenger envelopes 52, page 43

Section IIEnvelopes, page 43Size 53, page 43Folding and fastening 54, page 43Preparing envelopes for mailing 55, page 43Address locations on larger than letter-sized (flat) mail 56, page 44

Section IIIAddressing Mail, page 44Delivery address 57, page 44Return address 58, page 45Addressing 59, page 45Address format 510, page 45Address content 511, page 46To the Commander of _____ 512, page 47

Chapter 6Preparing Authority Lines, Signatures, and Signature Blocks, page 48

Section IDelegation of Authority, page 48Delegation of signature authority 61, page 48Delegation of authority line 62, page 48

Section IISignatures and Signature Blocks, page 49Signatures 63, page 49Signature block 64, page 49Personnel on active duty 65, page 51Retired military personnel 66, page 52Army Reserve personnel not on active duty 67, page 52Civilian personnel and contract surgeons 68, page 52Signatures of subordinates 69, page 52Auto-pen signature 610, page 52Addressing retired military 611, page 53

Chapter 7Using Prescribed Forms and Labels, page 53General 71, page 53

iiiAR 2550 17 May 2013

ContentsContinued

Routing and transmittal slips 72, page 53Department of the Army Form 5 73, page 53Department of the Army Form 200 74, page 53Department of the Army Form 209 75, page 53Department of the Army Label 87 76, page 53Department of the Army Label 113 77, page 53Department of the Army Label 115 78, page 53Optional Form 65B 79, page 54Optional Form 65C 710, page 54

Chapter 8Marking Classified Correspondence, page 54General authority 81, page 54Guidance on markings 82, page 54Cover sheets 83, page 54

Appendixes

A. References, page 64

B. Titles and Protocol Sequence, page 66

C. Forms of Address, Salutation, and Complimentary Close, page 68

D. Model Authority Lines and Signature Blocks, page 84

E. Preparing Mass Mailings, page 93

F. Internal Control Evaluation, page 94

Table List

Table 51: Address format, page 44Table 52: Optional line, page 44Table 53: Delivery address line, page 44Table 54: Foreign mail, page