| How to Refer to a Deceased Military Officer?
Sir, What is the correct written form of address for a retired US Army Colonel who is now deceased? The family hosts a golf tournament in his honor and for the benefit of the Wounded Warrior Project and Operation Homefront, and I have been tasked with developing an accompanying website and graphics materials. I would like to use the proper designation for him. (I have received several varying suggestions from various persons involved, all of whom are military or retired military who insist their version is correct though all versions are different to some degree.)Thank you kindly for your assistance.
-- James Costello
Dear Mr. Costello,
I can understand why you are getting mixed opinions ... there are plenty of established rules about addressing the living ... but when writing the name of the deceased you are referring to them in the third person ... not addressing them directly ... so those rules don't technically apply.
But that said .... Department of Defense (DOD) manuals suggest to to address a retired officer there are three acceptable formal forms for official correspondence:
Colonel Jamie Abbott, USA, Retired
COL Jamie Abbott, USA, Retired
Colonel Jamie Abbott, USA Ret.
COL Jamie Abbott, USA Ret.
1) comma after USA when "Retired" is spelled out
2) no comma after USA when when abbreviated "Ret.
3) "COL "is the service-specific abbreviation for an "Army Colonel" used in within the services .... Air Force and Marine Colonels having slightly different abbreviations ..... but these are generally not used by civilians, although they are free to do so.
However since this is a Golf Tournament and not an official military function ... I suggest you use the social form suggested by the DOD which excludes both the branch of service and the Active/Retired status
Colonel Jamie Abbott
If there is a bio in the program somewhere, you could state he served in the the United States Army from XXXX to XXXX .... etc
I know they have a copy of my book at the Wounded Warrior Project in Florida ... because Margie Kelly, a graduate of The Protocol School of Washington and Etiquette Consultant based in Georgia and Maine volunteers there gave them one.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address the Chair of a Tribal Council?
Mr. Hickey,
I am an 11 year old 5th grader working on a school project. I have to write to the Tribal Council Chair of an Indian Tribe. I have found the Chair's name and the address. However, I am not sure of the proper salutation and don't want to offend him. I am hoping you could give me some advice on this. Do I use Mr., Chairman or another salutation?
Thank you for your advice.
-- Sarah Strahan
Dear Miss Strahan,
Most ... if not every ... tribal chair is elected like a mayor, governor, or senator .... and are addressed on the envelope as:
The Honorable (Full Name)
Chair
Tribal Council of the (name)
(Address)
and in the salutation write:
Dear Mr. Chairman: -or- Madame Chairman:
-- Robert Hickey
How to List a Judge in a Journal's Table of Contents?
Mr. Hickey,
If a student law journal is publishing an article by a judge, should they list him in the table of contents as Honorable (first name, last name) or just by name?
-- Jason Brand
Dear Mr. Brand,
Most formally in written direct address he or she is:
The Honorable (first name, last name)
Then after his name identify him as "Chief Judge of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals of New York" or whatever ...
In a academic journal ... if academic post-nominals are appropriate ... "The Honorable" is never used with post-nominal
YES: (First name. last name), JD
NO: The Honorable (first name. last name), JD
I've seen Harry Reid, Senator from Utah referred to in a law journal as Harry Reid, JD, then they went on to identify him as the "Majority Leader and Senior Senator from Utah ..."
A 'by line' in a journal is not a direct form of address so the rules of 'how to address a letter' are not so definitive.
-- Robert Hickey
How and When to Use First Name in Business?
Hi Robert,
Greetings from Ireland. I had an interesting question at business etiquette presentation I gave last night to a Network Group of people who were starting up their own businesses.
This man came up to me after the presentation and introduced himself as Frank. He told me that he had applied for a job in an international bank -- which he described as a very formal company. He then got a phone call to say that he was shortlisted, which he was delighted about. He has been in constant contact with the interviewer's assistant, with whom he has built up a very good rapport -- and they are now on first name basis. But his predicament is how will he address the assistant in front of the interviewer? Does he address her by first name or does he call her Ms. (last name)? He doesn't want to give a bad first impression.
I would very much welcome your thoughts on this. Thanking you in anticipation,
-- Colleen O'Leary, Dublin
Dear Colleen,
It's an international bank ...and a formal environment, so I'd advise he start with formality. He can figure out how formal/casual it is 'inside' after he gets the job.
Even though Frank is already on a first name basis with the assistant ... He should call her Ms. (surname) in the presence of anyone not a part of their more familiar relationship.
Say you are a personal friend of "Sean" who is a member of the Irish Parliament (another formal environment). You and a colleague (who has never met Sean) are at a meeting where Sean is there officially. It would not be considerate for you to introduce Sean simply as "Sean" to your colleague -- or others not also on a first-name basis with Sean. Sean might invite your colleague to call him by his first name .... but that's his option. And since he's there in an official capacity it's appropriate to keep it formal in the public arena.
Or, say you worked very closely with a Irish Army General who you called by his first name in private ... but everywhere in public you called him "General Lyles" and he called you "Ms. O'Leary" .... so as not to invite others to address either of them by their first names until it was appropriate to do so.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address Enlisted USN Personnel on an Invitation?
I am engaged to a member of the Marine Corps and have several military invitations that I'm trying to address. I seem to have all the Marine's under control with their ranks; however, I have a couple of members of the Navy and am unsure how to address their outer envelope. I know that enlisted Navy personnel have rates (such as HM2) instead of an actual rank, but do not know how you use this on the invitation. Thank you in advance for your help!!i
-- Katie (and Todd)
Dear Katie (and Todd),
The USA, USMC, USN, and USAF all have both officers and enlisted personnel. All are addressed the same way on social correspondence: Rank + Name. The most formal way to address an envelope is to do so without abbreviations, spelling out every word. So, for example, Hospital Corpsman Second Class (name) is preferable to HM2 (name) for example. But when a name gets very long and space becomes an issue ... using the abbreviation HM2 is acceptable.
USN (branch of service) not included after a name on social correspondence. It is used on official correspondence.)
You don't say which ranks/ratings your guests have so I can't be much more specific but Cranes Blue Book of Stationery has lots of information on addressing wedding invitations and place cards for your reception.I updated the book with Pamela Eyring (Director of The Protocol School of Washington) last year.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Address General Who Is an M.D.?
My fiance and I are having a terrible time addressing some of our envelopes for our wedding. We have a number of high-ranking military officials that are retired and are medical doctors.
For example we have a three star retired general (US Army) -- a Lieutenant General who is a physician.
How do I write this: Lieutenant General James Doe, MD, Retired and Mrs. Janice Doe???
Does Mrs. Janice Doe go on another line I would assume?
We are including the women's names on our envelopes because I am a bit of a feminist and hate the idea of leaving off any reference to the woman's identity.
Thanks for your help!
-- Carrie Worsham
Dear Ms. Worsham,
The most formal forms, e.g. how The White House would address an invitation to a Lieutenant General and his wife. (BTW, they use my book.)
1) No M.D.: You never use an academic degree with a military rank.
2) The name of the person with the rank goes first.
3) You can address your wedding invitations however you like, but as you infer it's traditional that when a couple uses the same last name ... and the woman uses "Mrs." ... woman's first name is not included.
Traditionally use of Mrs. (first name) + (last name) indicates a woman is divorced -- e.g., it's how she would be listed on a wedding invitation if they were no longer married, but she and her former husband were hosting the wedding.
4) Branch of service and retired status are not used on social correspondence.
So on the mailing envelope:
Lieutenant General James Doe
and Mrs. Doe
(address)
And on the inside envelope you use 'conversational forms":
General Doe and Mrs. Doe
Or if they are family or very close friends
Jim and Janice
Uncle Jim and Aunt Janice
-- Robert Hickey
How to Use Rank in Retirement on a Business Card?
I am a retired Brig Gen from the MTANG(USAF) and would like to know what I would use as a name block on a business card prepared for me by a company I'm consulting for. Thank you.!
-- Charles Worthington
Dear General Worthington,
If you are prefer to be address in retirement by your rank, then the recommended forms of address in DOD manuals are:
Brig Gen James W. Higgins, USAF, Retired
or
Brig Gen James W. Higgins, USAF Ret.
With comma after USAF if "Retired" is spelled out, and without the comma after USAF if "Ret." is abbreviated.
Only caveat is for the retired officer who takes a civilian job in retirement, and he or she interacts with active-duty personnel. ... e.g,, when a retired Air Force officer takes a job at The Boeing Company selling airplanes to the Air Force. That retired officer would use Mr./Ms. (name) professionally to comply with guidelines to avoid the use of ranks in connection with "commercial enterprises." If you are working somewhere where no one would imagine you were still on active duty then using "General" or "Brig Gen" is not confusing.
-- Robert Hickey
How to Identify a Member of City Council on a Name Tag?
I am preparing name tags for our City Council members attending an event. What is the proper way to address the name tag? Should Councilman/woman be in front of their name? Thank you. I currently have it as:
Ghent Business Association
Dr. Linda Wethman
Councilwoman
City of Norfolk
Guest
-- Kathleen E. Hughes
Administrative Assistant
(Law Firm), Norfolk, VA
Dear Ms. Hughes,
If I think what you have is very good. Councilwoman and councilman are used in some places as the honorific, but typically in the US we actually call members "Mr. (name)" "Ms. (name)" etc, and identify them as a Councilman/councilwoman, City of Norfolk or Member, City Council, City of Norfolk
FYI, in the UK 'Councillor" is used before the name of a member of a council ... but I've never seen it in the US.
The purpose of a name badge is so the viewer knows who the other person is ... and what to call the other person in conversation. So if they should call this person Dr. Wethman your format tells me that.
-- Robert Hickey
What is the Salutation for a Lieutenant Colonel?
We need to send a thank you letter to a retired USMC Lieutenant Colonel. I understand how to address the envelope, but do not know how to list him in the salutation of the letter. Should it be Dear LtCol (name)..... or Colonel (name) ?? Please advise. Thank you.
-- Judi P.
Dear Judi P.,
Colonel and Lieutentant Colonel are "Graded Ranks" of the "Rank" of Colonel
Official letters are to the complete "Graded Rank"
But conversation and salutations are the same for both:
Dear Colonel (surname),
-- Robert Hickey
What is the Salutation for a Lieutenant Colonel?
I hope you can help. I'm trying to have an item engraved to commemorate a retirement from the Army for a 1st Sgt., and I want to do it appropriately.
His ranking/title, and what I'd like to have engraved is = 1st Sgt. John Lister
He retired on 8-1-09 from the Army.
What would be the best engraving? (Without costing me a bundle??---I can't afford any unnecessary letters!)
-- Connie Robinson
Dear Ms. Robinson:
I always give the "most formal" answer ... and most formally and officially abbreviations are not used .... except in places where space is an issue, like on little place cards or if a name is terrifically long.
But on an engraved item I think your abbreviated version 1st Sgt. for First Sergeant would be O.K.
I'd advise you use the fully spelled out version on a certificate, letter, or ultra formal invitation.
-- Robert Hickey
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