CAS3 Staff Officer Guide - U.S. Army

© 2005 CAS3 For Instructional Purposes Only
Compiled by www.ArmyToolbag.com
Correspondence 76
d. Separate the body of the document clearly, using paragraphs, headings, titles, etc.
e. Write with clarity and brevity.
f. Write in the active voice—subject of action, verb, object of action. The exception to the use
of active voice occurs when the object of the action is the focus of the sentence (e.g., The President
was re-elected to a second term).
g. Use short, commonly understood words. Try to keep words with three or more syllables to
under 15 percent of the total words. Avoid using the “-ize” words (e.g., maximize, utilize, etc.).
h. Write short sentences, averaging no more than 15 words.
i. With few exceptions, use paragraphs no more than 10 lines.
j. Do not start a sentence with “It is,” “This is,” or “There are.” Do not use “this” without a
modifying noun (e.g., “This completes the action …”).
k. Use “I,” “you,” and “we” as subjects instead of “this office,” “the division,” etc.
l. When tasking a subordinate command, do not use “it is requested” or “request that.” Use a
simple direct statement that tells the subordinate the action required in a way that answers the five
Ws.
m. Watch your tone when writing to senior officers.
n. Use specific rather than general words. For example, use “soldiers” rather than “personnel”
when discussing soldiers. Use “tank” rather than machine.
o. Pleasantries such as “please” and “thank you” are normally not appropriate for most military
correspondence.
p. Do not use wordy phrases (e.g., “as you may recall” vs. “reference,” “in accordance with”
vs. “per,” etc.).
q. Use the spelling and grammar check tools found in MS Word. Remember the computer is
only a tool; the staff officer makes the decisions.
r. Proofread your document again after you print the document.
9.1 Informal Memorandum
a. Use. The informal memorandum is correspondence used internal to an organization. Use the
informal memorandum to correspond to another unit, organization, or tenant activity on Fort Riley or
within the 52d ID (M). Do not send the informal memorandum to a higher headquarters off Fort
Riley.
b. General format. Use plain white paper without letterhead. Make every attempt to keep the
memorandum to two pages; however, a single page is ideal. Should you feel the information you are
providing requires more than two pages, summarize the essential points in the body of the