Robert Hickey's Blog on Names, Titles, and Forms of Address / author of Honor & Respect: The Official Guide to Names, Titles, and Forms of Address



ON-LINE GUIDE TO
FORMS OF ADDRESS
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BLOG: Robert HIckey
Answers Questions
From On-Line Users
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VIDEO of Robert Hickey
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About the book:
HONOR & RESPECT


A Blog on
Names, Titles,
& Forms
of Address


Answers to Questions From
On-Line Users
(like you)





Robert Hickey is Deputy Director of
The Protocol School of Washington.


Site updated by Robert Hickey on March 8, 2010

Guide to Questions Already Asked
 
   If you have a question on how to address a particular office more than 140 offices are listed in the On-Line Guide To Forms Of Address,
   You can also browse all the previously asked questions They are saved by category , with a list of those categories at the bottom of this page. I've answered hundreds of questions, so your question may be covered there.
   The six most recent questions are also on this page -- with the most recent Q&A at the very bottom.
  If all that fails ... then send me an e-mail and I will reply. I most always get back within 24 hours. If I think your question would be of interest to others, I will post it with any personal specifics removed.       -- Robert Hickey

Here are the six most recent questions that have been sent in.
The most recently added question is at the bottom.
After they've been here, I move them to a page on this site with other questions on the same topic. A list of topics appears at the bottom of this page.

How to Address a Counselor (A Foreign Diplomat)?
     How should I address foreign diplomats who are not the ambassador – rather, they are in the ambassador’s office. Their positions are “Counselor, Deputy Chief of Mission” and “Counselor, Congressional Liaison Officer.” Thanks in advance for your assistance,

     -- Ellen


Dear Ellen:
    
Everyone at a foreign embassy .... except the ambassador .... is:
          Mr./Mrs./Ms. (Full Name)
               Embassy of (Official Name of Country)
                    Address

     In a salutation they would be
          Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. (Surname):
     "Counselor" is not used as an honorific in writing for a diplomat. Include their office after their name in an introduction ... but not on an envelope. 
     RE: Use of Mrs. or Ms.: Internationally "Ms." is not as ubiquitous as it is in the US, but a foreign diplomat serving in the US would be familiar with it.
     Only an accredited ambassador who has presented his credientials to the head of state or head of the international organization is addressed as "His/Her Excellency" or in direct address "Your Excellency"

   
-- Robert Hickey

How to Teach a Child How to Behave at a Restaurant?
I came across a children's etiquette book to add to your library or to give as a gift to a family with a little one -- Wiggens Learns His Manners at the Four Seasons Restaurant by Leslie McGuire and Alex von Bidder.
     About curious and high-energy puppies at the famous NYC eatery, it includes ten lessons about being a well-behaved guest. I especially liked it because it's not yet another book on table manners ... it's on how to help a kid navigate a new and complicated environment: something not all adults are flawless at either!
      I'd say it is perfect for a parent to read to a child before eating out: menu vocabulary, courses and foods, how restaurants work, who they will meet, and lots of conversation starters for parents.
      I got my copy from the restaurant itself (after a memorable dinner) but it's available elsewhere too (like on Amazon.com)
.
   
-- Robert Hickey

How to Address an Invitation's Inside Envelope to The Clintons?
Dear Mr. Hickey,
       I just received your book and it is a wealth of information!  I am addressing a wedding invitation to the Clinton's.  I understand, per your answer, that the outer envelope would be addressed as follows:
    The Honorable
  
     William Jefferson Clinton
    and The Honorable
    
   
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Would the inner envelope be addressed Mr. and Mrs. Clinton?
    -- Many thanks, Claudia


Dear Ms. Engle
    Really happy you are finding the book useful. Since you have it ... here's where where you should look to find the answers to your questions:
    Refer to the precedence on page 122 to see that a former President has higher precedence than a current Secretary of State, so you know whose name goes first.
    See on page 167 for the inside-envelope form for a former president
    See on page 170 for the  inside-envelope form for the inside envelope for a secretary of a department.
    Having looked that those .... you would write:
   
      Mr. Clinton and The Secretary of State
    -- Robert Hickey

Exchange of Gifts between High Officials?
       Please, be so kind, giving me the proper solution for the situation below: Yesterday, our President was invited to have dinner today evening with an Ambassador. Today afternoon, the Ambassador sent to our President a gift: wine and a souvenir. The dinner will take place in the evening. What should our President do? I advised him to sent a Romanian gift tomorrow, after the dinner. Will be a perfect way to thank for the delightful evening. Is it correct? Should he sent a gift before dinner like the Ambassador did?

    -- Protocol School Graduate -- Ruxandra in Romania


Dear Ruxandra:
    Yes ... your President should SEND a reciprocal equivalent gift and not present it to the Ambassador. If there is time send it in advance of the dinner .... do that ... or send it after the dinner. That way equal gifts are exchanged -- and both "sent" -- neither presented .... all is equal.
   
-- Robert Hickey

How to Use "Retired" on Checks?
       My husband "aged out" of his rank in the Army Reserve (Active Guard Reserve). It was a mandatory separation from service due to age, and he was a "grey area retiree" until he reached retirement age. Now he has full retirement benefits. His checks from his federal credit union still show his rank (LTC) and full name.
    When he orders new checks, is it appropriate to continue to show his rank? If so, how should he indicate his retired status? He is considered an Army Reserve retiree.

    -- Christine S.


Dear Mrs. S.:
     I have answered many, many questions relating to forms of address for retired officers that cover this sort of issue: Your husband can use either the "official form of his name" which would be:
    
      LTC William Sugimura, USAR, Retired
  
             or
   
       LTC William Sugimura, USAR, Ret.
     Or the "social form of his name" .... which would be:
   
       LTC William Sugimura
     Retired officers can use their ranks in retirement at their own discretion.
   
-- Robert Hickey

What is the Salutation for a Governor of the Federal Reserve?
       What is the salutation for a governor of the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States?

         -- Wales Williams


Dear Mr. Williams:
     Most formally it would be:
            Dear Mr. (Surname):
         -- Robert Hickey

Robert,
      Thanks for getting back to me so quickly! FYI, I checked the government style handbook and apparently there is no proper form of address to a governor of The Federal Reserve.  What I did was:
           Mr. John Doe
           Governor
           U.S. Federal Reserve System
           XXXXX
          
Washington, D.C.
     And the salutation:
           Dear Governor Doe,
      -- Wales


Dear Wales:
     Governors on the Federal Reserve Bank appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate .... so he is The Honorable (full name).
     Not sure which "government handbook" you are referring to which would say there was not correct form ... members of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve are
The Honorable .... See this US Senate Document.   Members of a Board of Governors are not Governors ... they are members of a board.  Members of a Board of Regents ... a Board of Visitors .... Board of Directors .... are all handled the same way ... the are just Mr./Ms. and identified as member of the board of (whatever).
     So Governor Doe is not correct. So if the letter isn't sent ... you should fix it.
       -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a General who is an Adjutant General?
       How do you address a letter to the Adjutant General of a state’s National Guard Force?  He is appointed by the Governor of the State.  Is he General Ortega
or Adjutant General Ortega, or another form of address?   I think he actually has the military rank of General. Thanks so much for your help, and for this website!
         -- Paula Saverin


Dear Ms. Saverin:
    Address by rank, identify by office
          (Rank) + (Full Name) +  (Abbreviation for his branch of Service) + (Position held)
     .. so if he has the rank of "General" and holds the office of "Adjutant General"
          General Javier Ortega, MNG  (check what the correct post-nominal is)
              
  Adjutant General
                    Maryland National Guard Headquarters
(or whatever)
                         (Address)

          Dear General Ortega:
     ... so if he is a "Major General"
          Major General Javier Ortega, MNG
                Adjutant General
                    Maryland National Guard Headquarters
(or whatever)
                         (Address)
          Dear General Ortega:

     .... all of the graded ranks of "General" are addressed in a salutation with the basic rank: "General"
         -- Robert Hickey

Site updated by Robert Hickey on March 8, 2010

And finally, from a rather challenging internet surfer:
 

What Authority Do You Have?
Dear Mr. Hickey:
What authority do you have for your answers
?
         --- Mary Louise Timmons

Dear Ms. Timmons:
    I'm not sure "what authority I have" but I've been teaching at The Protocol School of Washington® since 1988.
    After answering questions on forms of address for so long I guess I've gotten good at it!  What I've learned I've put in my book -- which I am pleased to say is used at lots of serious places: See http://www.formsofaddress.info/Collections.html. 

          -- Robert Hickey


Cartoon by Michael Diffee.
From The New Yorker, Volume LXXXV, Number 28, September 14, 2009.
Copyright c. 2009 Conde Nast Publications. All rights reserved.

USE OF NAMES & HONORIFICS   
Private Citizens        
Deceased Persons         
People with Two Titles
Post-Nominal Abbreviations and Initials           
Joint Forms of Address    (How do you write two names?)   

USE OF SPECIFIC OFFICIAL TITLES        
Former Officials            
Professionals and Academics        
United States Federal Officials             
United States State Officials              
United States Municipal Officials             
       All About The Honorable with U.S. Officials         
       Former United States Officials            
United States Armed Services             
       Retired U.S. Armed Service Officers
Diplomats and International Representatives            
Tribal Officials             
Clergy and Religious Officials           
Canadian Officials         
Australian Officials          
British Officials, Royalty, and Nobility        
International Officials and Nobility        

SPECIFIC SITUATIONS
Etiquette             
Introductions
            
Invitations
        
Precedence           
Thank You Notes             




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Robert Hickey is the author of Honor & Respect:
The Official Guide to Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
Published by The Protocol School of Washington®
Foreword by Pamela Eyring

Copyright © 2009 Robert Hickey.     All Rights Reserved.
Photo: Marc Goodman.




All information on www.formsofaddress.info is copyright © 2010 by Robert Hickey.
The Protocol School of Washington® is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.