Military Writing: Introduction
Documents prepared for use within DND must conform to prescribed formats and conventions. Day-to-day administrative correspondence, for example, must include mandatory components such as a file number, security markings, references, a subject line, and signature blocks. Standardized formats are intended to aid the clear, concise presentation of fact and detail, and to encourage a common set of practices within DND/CF and NATO documents. Sometimes the rules and conventions for these documents are altered somewhat to suit the preferences of a commanding officer. The conventions are also subject to change, particularly as email and other forms of electronic communication become more prevalent. |
There are currently no up-to-date guidelines on the conventions
and formats of military writing; the Staff and Writing Procedures
for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces manual
is now obsolete. A new military writing guide is in development.
In the meantime, ask your commanding officer if there are any
specific military guidelines that you should be following. Otherwise,
the information in this Handbook that pertains to grammar,
punctuation, style, and the principles of good writing should be
of great use to you.
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