Navy serial letter log

The various components of a naval letter are discussed in the following paragraphs and are illustrated in figure Letterhead stationery of the activity responsible for signing the correspondence is used for the first page of a naval letter. If printed letterhead stationery is not available, the letterhead is typed or stamped in the center of the page, four lines from the top of the page. Second and subsequent pages are typed on plain bond paper similar to letterhead paper in size, color, and quality.

The left and right margins on the first page of all naval letters are 1 inch, and the bottom margin is at least 1 inch. The second and succeeding pages have a top margin of 1 inch. The other margins remain the same as on the first page. Correspondence formats are important; however, writing is more important.

As an administrative assistant or a supervisor, you may be required to compose letters from brief notes or even from oral instructions. Write with clarity and conciseness.

Use simple, plain language. Avoid cumbersome wording. Identification Symbols. The types of identification symbols maybe used on correspondence for reference purposes. Located in the upper-right comer and blocked one below the other, they include the standard subject identification code, the originator's code with or without the serial number, and the date.

The SSIC is a four- or five-digit number that represents a letter's subject, and helps in the filing, retrieving, and eventual disposition of correspondence. The SSIC should be typed in the upper-right comer, two lines below the printed letterhead.

Originator's Code and Serial Number. The originator's code is the office symbol of the drafter. Commands may decide the makeup of an originator's code that is typed on all letters, either alone or as part of a serial number.

A serial number is required on all classified correspondence. Whether your unclassified correspondence is serialized depends on local practice. When a serial number is used, it starts a new sequence of consecutive numbers at the beginning of each new calendar year.

The date should be typed or stamped on all copies of a letter the same day it is signed. Never type or stamp the date on correspondence that will be signed at a later date. When material is dated, use a day-month-year order, using only the first three letters of the month and the last two digits of the year. Heading Format. The heading of official naval correspondence includes six blocks: from, to, via, subject, reference, and enclosure. From Block. The from block identifies, by title, the official in charge of the activity originating the letter.

When a reply is required, this is the official to whom the reply is directed. When an originating official has more than one title such as commander of a naval base or commandant of a naval district , normally only one of the titles is used in the from line of a letter, depending on the placement of responsibility for the subject matter involved. The precise wording of this block is established in one of the following publications:.

To Block. The to block on official correspondence is used to address the chief official of the bureau, office, command, or activity having responsibility for the subject matter. Give a complete mailing address, including the ZIP Code, and, whenever practical, the office that will act on your letter. The latter is done by including a code or a person's title in parentheses following the activity's name. Via Block. The via block is used when one or more activities outside your command should review the communication or should provide an endorsement on it before it reaches its ultimate addressee.

The via block is placed on the line below the to line. When there is more than one via addressee, each is numbered with Arabic numerals enclosed in parentheses; for example, 1 , 2 , 3.

These numerals indicate the order in which the correspondence is to be sent. A via addressee may alter the list of the other via addressees, but the endorsement should include the reason for the alteration.

A copy of the letter, together with a copy of each endorsement, is provided for each addressee. Follow your chain of command when corresponding on substantive matters, such as command decisions, policy issues, and official recommendations. Correspondence should be routed through intermediate commands to keep them informed, and allow them to comment on or approve the basic communication.

You may list any interested addressees in this block when you want them to see a letter before it reaches the action addressee. Sometimes, there is not enough time for a letter to progress through all the via addressees before action by the addressee is required. In that case, you may elect to take one of the following actions:.

Route the original communication through the via addresses as usual, but send an advance copy to the action addressee. To alert all activities involved, repeat the action addressee's SNDL short title in the copy-to block. Include the word advance in parentheses. Route the original communication to the action addressee and, at the same time, send copies to all the via addressees.

Include in the text a statement that copies have been mailed to all addressees simultaneously and that via addressees should forward endorsements directly to the action addressee. Then repeat the SNDL short titles of the via addressees in the copy-to block.

Subject Block. The subject block of an outgoing letter tells the reader what the letter is about in approximately 10 words or less. In response to incoming correspondence, the subject block of the reply should be the same as that of the incoming letter, unless a change is essential for clarity.

The subject line starts two lines below the previous line. Every letter after the colon should be capitalized. Microfilm copies of muster rolls of ships, stations, and other naval activities, 25, rolls , with indexes. Textual Records: Letters sent by the Signal Office, Personnel jackets of applicants for and appointees to the Board of Visitors of the U. Naval Academy, Naval militia bills, Applications and registers of employees, Records showing complements of ships and shore units, Watch, quarter, and station billbooks, Textual Records: Application, examination, and appointment records, Commissions and warrants, Orders and related records, Identification, , and age, , certificates.

Registers, rosters, and records showing complements, Personnel jackets and other records, , including a microfilm copy of index to officers' jackets 2 rolls. Service records, Miscellaneous records, Textual Records: Records, , relating to enlisted men who served between and ft. Correspondence jackets for enlisted men, Microfilm copy of an index to rendezvous reports, muster rolls, and other personnel records, 67 rolls. Registers and lists of recruits, Enlistment returns, changes, and reports, Continuous service certificates, Records concerning discharges and desertions, Textual Records: Certificates of consent for minors, Journal of enlistments, U.

Allegheny, General record of apprentices, U. Portsmouth, Records relating to apprentices and apprentice training methods, U. Sabine, Register of enlistments, History: Established in Office of the Secretary of the Navy, March , to handle assignment and detailing of officers. Placed under Bureau of Navigation, April 28, Textual Records: Letters sent, Letters received, 86, with registers, Initially responsible for recruiting and equipping officers, managing naval enlisted personnel and, after , directing the apprentice training system.

Functionally abolished by redistribution of responsibilities pursuant to an act of June 24, 36 Stat. Formally abolished by act of June 30, 38 Stat. Naval Academy, ; and china, glass, and plated ware manufacturers, Letters sent to commanders of squadrons and naval forces, ; and commandants of navy yards and stations and other officers, Letters received from the Secretary of the Navy, ; the Fourth Auditor and Second Comptroller of the Treasury, ; and the Commissioner of Pensions, Letters received from officers, ; and commandants of navy yards, Miscellaneous letters received, , Indexes and registers of letters sent and received, Conduct reports and shipping articles, Records of discharges and desertions, Continuous service certificates and records of merit awards, Records relating to naval apprentices, Record of vessel complements, n.

History: Established in the reorganization of the Navy Department under authority of an act of July 5, 12 Stat. Initially responsible for providing nautical charts and instruments and for supervising the Naval Observatory, Hydrographic Office, and Nautical Almanac Office.

Renamed Bureau of Naval Personnel, History: Established to centralize administration of expanded force of navy chaplains. Textual Records: Correspondence, Biographical data about chaplains, Photographs images : Of paintings and other graphic media relating to navy events, FP, 64 images.

Navy chaplains who served between and , n. Navy religious facilities, NRF, 12 images. History: Supervision of state naval militias vested in Assistant Secretary of War, Textual Records: General records, Index to correspondence, Letters sent, Organization reports, Summaries of units' enrolled forces, Naval militia ratings' qualification certificates, July-December Allowance books, Textual Records: Inspection reports of organized naval reserve units, 1st and 9th Naval Districts, Textual Records: Letters received, Correspondence, Registers of correspondence, Appointments of paymaster clerks, ; and acceptances of appointments, Lists of naval and marine officers, and civilian officials at yards and stations, History: Bureau of Navigation, upon its establishment in , assumed supervision of the U.

Naval Academy from the Bureau of Ordnance and Hydrography. Textual Records: General correspondence of the Academy Superintendent, Appointment letters, Personnel files jackets of naval cadets, principally those who failed to graduate, Registers of midshipmen, Redesignated Morale Division, Textual Records: General correspondence, Correspondence of the Commission on Training Camp Activities, Correspondence with foreign stations, ; and relating to ports, Recreation expenditure reports, History: Established April 19, , to administer training programs for enlisted men in World War I.

Reduced to section status in Enlisted Personnel Division, Restored to division status, March 1,