SC01VA1 AU Writing And Style Guide (Instructor Student Reference)

SC01VA1%20-%20AU%20Writing%20and%20Style%20Guide%20(Instructor%20and%20Student%20Reference)

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The Intellectual and Leadership

Center of the Air Force

HQ AU

Writing Style Guide

Current as of 16 Jun 14

***This Writing & Style Guide is being used to augment the Airman Leadership School Bullet Writing Lesson Plan***

Use your unit and/or wing's Writing & Style Guide after you graduate from Airman Leadership School.

Repurposed as SC01VA1for Airman Leadership School

The purpose of this guide is to establish uniform guidance in terms of writing style, reduce

commonly-made mistakes and foster compliance with established Air Force (AF) guidance. The

following AF resources have been used in establishing this guide:

- Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, Jt Pub 1-02

- AF Tongue and Quill

- AFI 36-2406, Officer and Enlisted Evaluation Systems

- AFI 36-2803, The Air Force Military Awards and Decorations Programs

This guide consists of:

- Evaluations Rules/Style Guidance

- Decorations Rules/Style Guidance

- Commonly Used Acronyms

- Abbreviations

- Hyphenated Words

- Commonly Used Words

The intent of this guide is not to be all-inclusive or exhaustive; rather to serve as a common

baseline for accomplishing evaluation reports and decorations. Also, this should not be

considered the absolute authority for all military correspondence. It is designed to help

standardize abbreviations and minimize returns for corrections on OPRs and EPRs.

Please remember OPRs/EPRs should accurately reflect the performance and accomplishments of

an individual. They must paint a picture of an individual’s performance that is understandable

across AFSCs. The reader should not have to “figure out” what the writer is saying.

OPRs/EPRs/IMT Forms 1206 can be difficult to analyze due to the overuse of abbreviations and

acronyms. The objective of this guide is to create an abbreviation listing that is common AF-

wide (not squadron, wing, NAF, or even MAJCOM specific).

Evaluations Rules/Style Guidance

Rules:

1. Spelling errors are unacceptable. Use spell-check and/or a dictionary. IMT Forms have a

spell check function…use it!

2. Ensure applicable sections of the form match the OPR/EPR notice.

3. Ensure bullets align properly on the form.

4. Do not check the AU/CC’s concur/non-concur blocks on a form.

5. If physically signing an OPR/EPR, date the document with the actual date; do not back

date documents.

6. If physically signing an OPR/EPR, use a pen that will not show through the opposite side

of the document.

7. Spell out all uncommon acronyms on the back page of an OPR. Acronyms that are not

spelled out should be commonly used AF-wide. Acronyms that are only common within

an AFSC must be spelled out.

8. For stratification, keep in mind that unless the person is an award winner or is in a unique

position where they “compete” AU-wide, AU/CC will stratify only to the level that he is

the senior rater. AU/CCE or AU/A1L can clarify the “out of” number if you want to put

a stratification in AU/CC comments.

9. Stratification statements will only be used on EPRs for SNCOs who are time-in-grade

eligible for senior rater endorsement. Stratification statements on all other performance

reports, to include CMSgt reports, are strictly prohibited.

10. In Section I, Block 5 (EPRs), Block 7 (OPRs), there is no comma between AFB, ARB,

and ANG (e.g., MAXWELL AFB AL)

a. Do not add component (AD) if member is active duty.

11. Section II (EPRs & OPRs), Duty Title, should be ALL CAPS.

12. Blank rating blocks:

a. “THIS SECTION NOT USED” (all caps) on EPRs in Section VII, if AU/CC is

the Additional Rater.

b. “THE ADDITIONAL RATER IS ALSO THE REVIEWER.” (all caps) is used on

OPRs if AU/CC is the additional rater.

c. “THE RATER IS ALSO THE REVIEWER.” (all caps) is used on OPRs if

AU/CC serves as both rater and additional rater.

Style:

1. Two-line bullets are authorized, but discouraged. These can send the wrong message,

unless that is the author’s intent.

2. Apply the use of symbols and abbreviations consistently throughout the document.

3. In signature blocks, if one rank must be abbreviated for space, then all ranks should be

abbreviated. If there is room to spell out all ranks, then ensure they are all spelled out.

4. Using a serial comma is optional. Apply this decision consistently throughout the

document (e.g., “schools, institutions, and organizations” or “schools, institutions, and

organizations”).

5. Any ratings such as “Outstanding” or “Excellent” should be in quotes and the first letter

capitalized.

6. Names of official operations should appear in this format: Operation ENDURING

FREEDOM; Operation NOBLE EAGLE. Abbreviations (e.g., OEF) are acceptable.

7. Keep abbreviations to a minimum.

8. Spell out Headquarters in all signature blocks, with the exception of the AU/CC’s

signature block which does not have Headquarters in his signature block.

9. Numbers

a. When a sentence contains numbers in a related series and any numbers in the

series are 10 or more, then express all in numbers (9 hamburgers, 12 hot dogs, 6

cookies).

b. When using the full organization name, include a “th” or “d” with the number

(e.g., 42d Mission Support Group, Ninth Air Force). When using the abbreviated

organizational name, do not include the “th” or “d” (42 MSG, 9 AF).

c. Always use numerals for:

i. Percentages, scores, ratios (10%, not ten % except in decorations which

has to be spelled out).

ii. Dimension, size, and temperature (size 11 shoe).

iii. Numbers referred to as numbers (No 1, #1, number 1).

iv. Measurements.

v. Age.

d. If using dollar amounts or numbers in the thousands or millions, you can also

express that number in K or M, such as $4M or $4K.

e. In OPRs/EPRs, an actual number can be used if requiring space.

10. If spelled out, the terms “professional military education” and “professional continuing

education” are not capitalized. Exception: if part of a title (e.g., College of Enlisted

Professional Military Education), then it is capitalized.

Decorations Rules/Style Guidance

Rules:

1. Spelling errors are unacceptable. Use spell-check and/or a dictionary.

2. Abbreviations and acronyms are not allowed in decorations.

3. Do not separate rank and name between succeeding lines.

4. Meritorious Service Medal and Commendation Medal citations are 14 lines maximum.

5. Achievement Medal citations are 11 or 12 lines maximum.

Style:

1. Attempt to alternate between rank/last name and personal pronouns at the beginning of

sentences.

2. Names of official operations should appear in this format: Operation ENDURING

FREEDOM; Operation NOBLE EAGLE. Abbreviations are not acceptable.

3. Spell out numbers under 10. When a sentence contains numbers in a series and any

numbers in the series are 10 or more, express all in numerals (9 hamburgers, 12 hot dogs,

6 cookies).

4. Symbols are not allowed in decorations (spell out “percent” and “dollars”).

Commonly Used Acronyms:

Reports and AF IMT 1206

Acronyms that are commonly used AF-wide do not need to be spelled out. This list is a guide

and is not all inclusive. Acronyms that are not commonly used outside an organization or AFSC

should be spelled out.

AF – Air Force

AFPC – Air Force Personnel Center

CGO – Company Grade Officer

CSAF – Chief of Staff of the Air Force

CMSAF – Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force

DOD or DoD – Department of Defense

FGO – Field Grade Officer

GO – General Officer

HAF – Headquarters Air Force

IDE – Intermediate Developmental Education

IA – Information Assurance

IG – Inspector General

IT – Information Technology

MAJCOM – Major Command

NCO – Non Commission Officer

PME – Professional Military Education

POTUS – President of the United States

SDE – Senior Developmental Education

SecAF, SAF – Secretary of the Air Force

SecDef – Secretary of Defense

SME – Subject matter expert

SNCO – Senior Non Commissioned Officer

USAF – United States Air Force

MAJCOMs and COCOMs do not need to be spelled out.

Decoration Citations

Spell out all acronyms in decorations.

General Correspondence

Spell out acronyms the first time they are used on all general correspondence to include

memorandums and letters.

Abbreviations

Use of abbreviations should be minimized to avoid misinterpretation and ease readability. Just

because an abbreviation is on this list does not mean it will automatically make sense in the

context of the bullet. Read it as the panel will read it.

Abbreviation abbr

Academic; Academy acad

Accommodate; Accommodation; accom

Accompanied; Accompany “

Accomplish accomp

Account; Accountant; Accounting acct

Accreditation accred

Active Duty; Administratively Determined AD

Additional add’l; addn

Administer; Administration; admin

Administrative; Administrate “

Advance; Advancement adv

Air Force AF

Air Force Specialty Code AFSC

Agency agcy

Acknowledge ack

Aircraft acft

Airman Amn

Airman Basic AB

Airman First Class A1C

Allocate; Allocation alloc

Alphabetical alpha

Alternate alt

Ammunition ammo

Amount amt

Analysis; analyst analy

And &

Air National Guard ANG

Application app; applic

Appointment appt

Approval; Approve appr

Approximate approx

Air Guard Program ARG

Arrival; Arrive arr

Associate; Association assoc

Assignment asgn

Assist; Assistant asst

Attach; Attachment atch

Attention attn

Attorney atty

Authority; Authorization; Authorize auth

Automatic auto

Auxiliary aux

Available; Availability avail

Avenue ave

Average avg

Award awd

Balance bal

Board bd

Boulevard blvd

Brigadier General Brig Gen (USAF)

Building bldg

Business bus

Calculate calc

Cancel canx

Capital; Capacity cap

Captain Capt

Category cat

Center ctr; cen

Certificate; Certification cert

Certified cert’d

Chairman Chmn

Change chg

Chaplain; Chief ch

Chapter chap

Charge chrg

Check; Checked ck; chk

Chief Master Sergeant CMSgt

Chronological chrono

Civil; Civilian civ

Clear clr

Colonel Col

Combat cmbt

Command; Commandant cmd; comdt

Commander CC; cdr; cmdr; comdr

Committee cmte

Communication(s) comm

Company co

Conference conf

Construction ; Construct const

Continue cont

Contract ; Contractor contr

Control ctl; ctrl

Coordinate ; Coordination coord

Copy cy

Corporate corp

Country ctry

Course; Courses crs; crses

Currency curr

Customer cust

Decoration dec

Deduct ded

Defense def

Degree deg

Delete del

Depart; Departure; Depot; Deputy dep

Department dept

Department of Defense DoD; DOD

Develop; Development dev

Disbursement disb

Discipline dspln

Discount; Discontinue disc

Disposition disp

Distribute; Distribution dist

Director; Directorate dir

Division div

Document; Documentation doc

Down dn

Dozen doz; dz

Duplicate dup

Each ea

Edition; Editor ed

Education educ

Effect; Effective eff

Eligible elig

Eliminate elim

Emergency emerg

End-of-term EOT

Endorsement endr

English engl

Engineer; Engineering engn

Entitle; Entitlement entl

Equal eq

Equipment equip

Equivalent equiv

Estimate est

Etcetera etc

Evacuation evac

Evaluate; Evaluation eval

Examination exam

Exchange exch; exchg

Executive exec

Exercise ex; exer

Expedite exped

Expense exp

Experiment; Experimental exper

Extend; Extension ext

Facility; Faculty fac

Facsimile fax

Faculty fac; facu

Favorable fav

February Feb

Federal fed

Field fld

Figure fig

Finance; Financial fin

First Lieutenant 1st Lt; 1 Lt

Fiscal Year FY

Fitness fit

Flight flt

Flight Plan flt pln

Foreign fgn

Form frm; fm

Format fmt

Forward fwd

Fraudulent fraud

Frequency; frequent freq

Friday Fri

General Gen (USAF)

Geography; Geographic geog

Governor gov

Government govt

Grade Point Average GPA

Graduate grad

Ground gnd

Group grp; gp

Guarantee guar

Headquarters HQ

Health hlth

Height ht

High School HS

Highway hwy

History hist

Honorable hon

Hospital hosp

Hours hrs

Identification ident

Identified ID’d

Immediate immed

Immunization immun

Implementation impl

Include incl

Incorporate inc; incorp

Increase; Increment incr

Industry; Indorsement ind

Indefinite indef

Independent indep

Individual indiv

Indoctrinate indoc

Indorsement; Industry ind

Information info

Initial; Initialize init

Injury inj

Inoperative inop

Inquiry inq

Inspect; Inspector insp

Institute; Institution inst

Instructor instr

Insurance ins

Intelligence intel

International intl; int’l

Introduced; Introduction intro

Inventory inv

Itinerary itin

Joint jt; jnt

Journal jour

July Jul

June Jun

Junior Jr.

Laboratory lab

Language lang

Large lrg

Latitude lat

Leader ldr

Leadership ldrsp; ldrshp

Leave lv

Legal lgl

Lesson(s) lsn(s)

Letter ltr

Level lvl

Library lib

License lic

Lieutenant Lt

Lieutenant General Lt Gen (USAF)

Limited ltd

Limited Active Duty Orders LEAD

Liquid liq

Locate loc

Logistic log

Longitude long

Magazine mag

Maintenance maint

Major Maj

Manufacturing mfg

Manager mgr

Managed manag’d

Management mgt; mgmt

March Mar

Master Sergeant MSgt

Maximum max

Measure mea

Member mbr

Medical; Medium; Median med

Meeting mtg

Membership mbrshp; mbrsp

Memorandum memo

Message msg

Method meth

Military mil

Minimum; Minute min

Miscellaneous misc

Mission msn

Mobilization; Mobilize mob

Modification; Modify mod

Monday Mon

Month; Months mo; mos

Multiple mult

National nat’l; natl

Negative neg

Next of Kin NOK

Nominate; Nominee nom

Normal norm

Not Applicable N/A

November Nov

Nuclear nuc

Number; Numerical num

Object obj

Obsolete obs

Occupation occup

October Oct

Office ofc

Officer(s) ofcr(s)

Officership ofcrsp; ofcrshp

On-The-Job Training OJT

Operations ops

Opportunity oppor

Option opt

Order; Ordnance ord

Organization org

Original orig

Overtime OT

Page pg

Pamphlet pam

Paragraph para

Parenthesis; Parentheses paren

Patient; Point pt

Payment (s) pmt (s)

Percent pct

Performance perf

Perimeter perim

Period pd

Permanent perm

Personnel pers; psnl

Physical phys

Package pkg

Plan pln

Planning plng

Please pls

Pledge pldg

Population pop

Positive pos

Position posn

Possession; Possible poss

Potential pot

Preference pref

Preliminary prelim

Premium prem

Prepare prep

President; Presentation pres

Previous prev

Priority pri

Primary prim

Principal prin

Private priv

Problem prob

Process proc

Professional; Professor prof

Program; Programmers prog; prgm; prgmrs

Project; Projectile proj

Promotion promo

Psychology psych

Publication pub

Purchase; Purchasing pur

Purpose purp

Quality qual

Quantity qty

Quart qt

Quarter qtr

Quarterly qtrly

Range rng

Rank rnk

Received rec’d

Recommendation rec; rcmdt

Reconnaissance recce; recon

Recognition; Recognize recog

Re-enlist re-enl

Re-examination re-exam

Refer; Reference ref

Regional rgnl

Registrar regr

Regular; Regulation reg

Reject rej

Religion relig

Reorganize reorg

Report rpt

Representative; Represent rep

Request req

Research rsch

Reserve res; resrv

Reserve Airman Not on Active Duty Orders Non-EAD

Resignation resig

Responsible resp; respon

Result rslt

Retired ret

Return rtn

Review(ed) rvw(‘d)

Require rqr

Requirements rqmts

Route rte

Runway rwy

Saturday Sat

Schedule; School sch; sched

Science sci

Screen scrn

Search srch

Second; Section sec

Secretary secy

Security scty

Select; Selection sel

Semester sem

Senate sen

Senior sr

Senior Airman SrA

Senior Master Sergeant SMSgt

Separate sep

September Sep

Sequence seq

Service svc

Signal; Signature sig

Situation sit

Size sz

Software s/w

Society soc

Specification; Specify spec

Sponsor spon

Squadron; Square sq; sqd; sqdn

Staff Sergeant SSgt

Standard std

Statistic stat

Storage stor

Strategic; Stratification; Strategy strat

Street st

Student stu

Structure strc

Subject subj

Subordinate subor

Subparagraph subpara

Substitute sub

Summary sum

Sunday Sun

Superintendent supt

Supervisor supv

Supplement supp

Supply; superior sup

Support spt

Surgeon; Surgical surg

Survey sur

Survival surv

Suspense susp

System sys

Target tgt

Tax tx

Team tm

Technical tech

Technical Sergeant TSgt

Telecommunications telecom

Telephone tel; tele

Telephone Conference telecon

Temperature; Temporary temp

Terminate; Termination term

Territory terr

Text txt

Theater thtr

Thousand thou

Thursday Thurs

Total tot

Traditional trad

Training tng; trng

Transaction; Transport; Transportation trans

Transfer xfer

Travel tvl

Transmit; transmittal xmit

Treatment trmt

Tuesday Tues

Unclassified unclas

Unfavorable unfav

Universal; University univ

Unknown unk

Unsecure unsec

Urgent urg

Ultimately ult

Vacant; Vacate vac

Vehicle veh

Vertical vert

Veteran vet

Vice President VP

Visibility; Visual vis

Volume; Volunteer vol

Volunteered vol’d

Weapon wpn

Wednesday Wed

Week wk

Weight wt

With w/

Wing wg

Withdrawn wd

Workgroup(s) wkgp(s)

Workshop wkshp

Year yr

Hyphenated Words

Air Force-wide As shown

decision-making (adj) As shown (decision-making process)

decision making (n) (process of decision making)

e-mail As shown

Force-multiplier As shown

forward-thinking (adj) As shown

hand selected (v) As shown

or hand-selected (adj)

high-tech or hi-tech As shown

in-residence use - when referring to school

attendance, otherwise can be 2 words

on-line; online As shown

single-handedly As shown

2-star or two-star As shown

Commonly Used Words

Air Force’s As shown

Airman; Airmen As shown

Counterinsurgency As shown

follow-up (adj/noun) Not followup

follow up (verb)

general officer As shown

groundbreaking As shown

handpicked (verb) As shown

hand-picked (adj/noun)

interservice As shown – defined as: between or

amongst various services

intraservice As shown – defined as: within the confines

of one service

joint Not capitalized unless part of

a title, i.e., Joint Chiefs of Staff. Otherwise

written joint air campaign or joint doctrine

linchpin; lynchpin As shown; either is acceptable

multi In forming compounds, multi is normally

joined to the following word or element

without a space or hyphen; multitalented,

multimedia, multinational, etc. However,

if the second element begins with “I,” it is

separated with a hyphen: multi-infection

nationwide As shown

non In forming compounds, non is normally

joined to the following word or element

without a space or hyphen:

noncommissioned, noncompliance,

nonproliferation, etc. However; if the

second element begins with a capital letter,

it is separated with a hyphen: non-French

point man As shown

professional military education Do not capitalize when referring to PME in

(PME) general. Capitalize when part of a title, i.e.,

College for Enlisted Professional Military

Education (CEPME)

re In forming compounds, “re” is normally

joined to the following word or element

without a space or hyphen: reopen, rearm,

recapture, redress, reissue, etc. However,

if the second element begins with “e” it is

separated with a hyphen: re-entry

self When self if joined with a word that can

stand alone, it is joined by a hyphen:

self-deception, self-confident, self-

motivated. In the rare cases when self

is joined with a word that cannot stand

alone, it is joined without a space or hyphen

topnotch; top-notch; As shown; all are acceptable

top notch

trans In forming compounds, “trans” is normally

joined to the following word or element

without a space or hyphen: transcontinental,

etc. However, if the second element begins

with a capital letter, it is usually separated

by a hyphen: trans-Canadian. Note “certain

compounds have become one word over a

period of time: transatlantic, so check the

dictionary if in doubt

Total Force Capitalize when referring to an inclusive

Air Force perspective (active duty, guard,

reserves, civilian, etc)

unwavering As shown

web master As shown

web page As shown

website; web site As shown; either is acceptable

worldwide As shown

warfighter; warfighting As shown unless, of course, if the fighting is

a verb (she is in the war fighting insurgents)

SC01VA1 AU Writing And Style Guide (Instructor Student Reference)

SC01VA1%20-%20AU%20Writing%20and%20Style%20Guide%20(Instructor%20and%20Student%20Reference)

SC01VA1%20-%20AU%20Writing%20and%20Style%20Guide%20(Instructor%20and%20Student%20Reference)

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