Army Writing Style

To write texts according to Army standard, you have to follow all requirements of Army writing style. The Army standard is in general described as a concise and clear message that has no grammar errors and is based on properly used mechanics and words. Here are some basic principles of the Army writing style:

• You must use the active voice only.
• At the beginning of the paper, you have to define reasons for writing, recommendations, and conclusions.
• Each paragraph is 6 to 7 sentences long.
• You must use only short sentences (fewer than 15 words).
• You must avoid long words (more than three syllables);
• Don’t retype correspondence to make minor changes. Do it only if you ink and pen corrections are not allowed or when changes can make your text look sloppy. Another reason for retyping may be the need to show your correspondence to the general public or outside DA.
• Avoid such subjects as “all participants,” “this office,” or “this headquarters.” Replace these subjects of sentences with such words as “I,” “we,” “you,” etc.

Getting used to the Army writing style and its components, you’ll be able to write your documents according to the Army writing standard.