Addressing Mail
- Delivery address. The address should have a uniform left margin and be legible. An effort should be made to limit the number of lines to five. Uppercase/lowercase letters are acceptable on all lines of the address block. With the exception of the hyphen in the ZIP Code, punctuation can be omitted in the delivery address block. Street addresses will be used for all locations having an assigned street address.
a. Address format. Use the format in figure 1 for addressing envelopes.
Figure 1: Format for addressing envelopes (click for Serbian latin example)
b. Office name line (attention line). This line contains the name of the office that is to receive the item. “Commander” is used only when the mail is intended for the commander or when the name of the appropriate office is unknown.
c. Optional line.An optional line can be used when the Office Name Line and the Name of Activity Line do not adequately identify the addressee. The optional line would be inserted between the Office Name Line and the Name of Activity Line (see fig 2).
Figure 2: Example of an optional line (click for Serbian latin example)
d. Name of activity line. This line consists of the name of the activity to whom the mail is addressed, for example, US Army Forces Command.
e. Delivery address line.This line consists of either a street address or Post Office Box number. It may also include a suite number, apartment number, building, floor, unit, room, department, and so forth. When this secondary delivery information is part of the address but does not fit on the delivery address line, wrap up all components of the secondary information immediately above the delivery address line (see fig 3).
Figure 3. Examples of the delivery address line (click for Serbian latin example)
f. City, State, Code line. All activities should use the city, State, and address specified by the Postal Service for their physical location.
g. Preparation. Addresses may be hand printed only when no automation or other methods of typing are available. Hand printed addresses must be legible and easy to read. Handwritten or mechanically produced script and slanted letters shall not be used in addresses. Labels may be used for addressing all sizes of mail, but they should be applied carefully, on a straight, horizontal line. Rubber stamps will not be used.
h. Abbreviations. The standard abbreviations as specified by the Postal Service are to be used. Individual words in activity names may also be abbreviated using POSTAL SERVICE; however, acronyms should be avoided.
i. Window envelopes. Be sure that the complete address shows in the envelope window. Have at least a 1⁄4-inch clearance between the window and both sides and bottom of the address.
j. Foreign mail. Use uppercase letters and the full name of the post office (city) and the country of destination. Include the postal delivery zone number (if any). The address should have a uniform left margin. Type only the country name on the last line of the address.
- Letters.Use the same address on the envelope as on the letter. Make sure the address is error-free and in the correct format.
- Address locations on larger than letter-sized (flat) mail. Enter the address on “flats” parallel to the long edge of the envelope and approximately in the center.
- Return address
a. Placement. Show the return address in the upper left corner of all envelopes, labels, or other covers used for sending mail. Type the address. Addresses may be hand printed only when no automation or other method of typing is available.
b. Format. See figure 4 for examples of the return address.
Figure 4: Example of the return address (click for Serbian latin example)
When including an office symbol, it should be placed in parentheses after the office name.
- Envelope address
For letters only, the envelope address content will be the same as on the letter. Forward official correspondence about a reassigned member of the Army in a new envelope. Address it “To the Commander of” the individual concerned, and show grade and full name. Do not show individual social security numbers on the outside of the envelope.
- Addressing—Format and Content
a. Addressing. If correspondence is for the head of a major department, send it to the individual by title. Use the title of the activity head for correspondence to boards, military missions, commissions, and other such activities. Use titles when addressing correspondence to commanders or heads of Army field commands. Route correspondence to the head of the office involved (by title), but inform intermediate headquarters when necessary.
b. Address format. When addressing military correspondence to an individual by name, show the military grade or civilian prefix, first name, middle initial (if known), and last name in that order.
c. Address content. Make sure addresses are complete and accurate.
- “To the Commander of”
Certain official correspondence cannot be addressed directly to the individual because it requires the attention of his or her commanding officer. Address such correspondence to the commander of the individual; indicate the individual’s grade, full name, and last-known unit of assignment. This will assure the continued identity of the material as official mail. Do not combine mail for several individuals in a single envelope.