Office Symbols, Correspondence and Official Mail FOIA, Privacy, & Records Management Conference 2009 Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army Records Management and Declassification Agency Office Symbols, Correspondence and Official Mail John Hall Chief, Component Programs (703) 428-6435 john.hall3@us.army.mil Daniel Medina Component Programs Branch (703) 428-6422 daniel.v.medina@us.army.mil Eve Roberts Component Programs Branch (703) 428-6435 eve.roberts@us.army.mil

Component Programs Branch has Armywide responsibility for: Rulemaking Official Mail Correspondence Authorized Abbreviations, Brevity Codes, and Acronyms (ABCAs) Office Symbols Army Address/AAO database Management Information Control System (MICO) HQDA Records Section

Office Symbols AR 25-59 prescribes policies, procedures and responsibilities for the management and construction of office symbols. Current as of Aug 07. Office Symbols are used to: Identify the originators of correspondence; and, Denote the placement of an organization within the Army structure for historical and records purposes. Properly constructed office symbols are necessary to obtain approved office records lists (ORLs) and fully utilize and accurately file records in the Army Records Information Management System (ARIMS).

Office Symbols Office Symbols are standardized, consisting of commonly used letter designations that are easily recognized. Examples: SAAA – Secretary Army Administrative Assistant AFCG – Army FORSCOM Commanding General ATCS – Army TRADOC Chief of Staff DAPE – Department Army Personnel (G-1) DALO – Department Army Logistics (G-4) Characters other than letters of the alphabet are not used.

Office Symbols RMDA is the approval authority for the Army Secretariat, ARSTAF and their associated Staff Support Agencies (SSAs) and Field Operating Agencies (FOAs), and ACOMs, ASCCs and DRUs. Records Managers at the Secretariat and ARSTAF level forward proposed office symbols through HQDA Resource Management Directorate to RMDA for approval. Records Administrators at the ACOM, ASCC and DRU level forward proposed office symbols to RMDA for approval. Records Managers at the installations, subordinate activities and units forward proposed office symbols to higher headquarters’ records administrator for approval.

Office Symbols Garrison Records Managers or other commands can provide SME assistance with office symbol construction in accordance with AR 25-59, Office Symbols, but can not approve office symbols for other commands. Office symbols of other commands must be submitted through the chain of command by the requesting agency for approval.

Office Symbols Construction of HQDA office symbols The first two letters of an HQDA office symbol indicate the organization’s primary command (for example, SA or DA). “SA” is reserved for the Office of the Secretary of the Army (OSA) or an OSA activity, and “DA” for other HQDA staff elements (for example, SAAA or DAMO). Office symbols of HQDA subordinate elements, SSAs and FOAs will begin with two letters representing their parent staff agency (for example, AAHS or MOSO). SAAA DAMO Example: AAHS MOSO

Office Symbols Construction of HQDA office symbols – cont SAAA DAMO Example: AAHS MOSO The third and fourth letters represent the principal official in the activity, or the agency, for example: SAAA, “AA” represents Administrative Assistant DAMO, “MO” represents Military Operations

Office Symbols Construction of HQDA office symbols – cont The fifth and sixth letters represent a directorate and can also represent an official in the immediate office of the agency head (XXXX-XO). The seventh letter represents a staff division or the next lower organizational element. The eighth letter represents a staff branch, and the ninth letter represents a section, group or team.

Office Symbols Construction of Command office symbols ACOMs, ASCCs and DRUs will follow the HQDA construction method: ACOM, ASCC and DRU office symbols will contain no more that nine letters. Subordinate installations and activities will contain no more than ten letters. The tenth letter will identify a staff section or comparable element (XXXX-XXX-XXX).

EXAMPLE OF AN HQDA OFFICE SYMBOL Office Symbols EXAMPLE OF AN HQDA OFFICE SYMBOL HQDA Agency Directorate Division Branch Office symbols SA The Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army Executive Support Office SA AA SAAA -EX SAAA-EX AA US Army Headquarters Services Records Management and Declassification Agency Army Records Management Division Component Programs Branch AA HS AAHS -RD AAHS-RD R AAHS-RDR -C AAHS-RDR-C

EXAMPLE OF AN ACOM OFFICE SYMBOL Office Symbols EXAMPLE OF AN ACOM OFFICE SYMBOL ACOM Directorate Division Branch Office symbols AT U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Commanding General AT CG ATCG SUBORDINATE ACTIVITY AT US Army War College Department of Academic Affairs Concepts and Doctrine Office AT WC ATWC -AA ATWC-AA D ATWC-AAD

Properly formatted office symbols are needed: Bottom Line Properly formatted office symbols are needed: To ensure regulatory compliance, uniformity, and accurate reflection of organizational alignment. Office symbols are designed to reflect organizational structures and levels of command. To identify the office of origin for correspondence. To obtain approved office records lists (ORLs) and fully utilize and accurately file and access records in the Army Records Information Management System (ARIMS). For standardizing. Office symbols are comprised of alpha characters only.

AR 25-50, Preparing and Managing Correspondence Correspondence Management Status Current edition – 3 June 2002 Currently being revised – awaiting TJAG concurrence Incorporated comments having Armywide benefit Projected Date for submitting for publishing - Dec 09

AR 25-50, Preparing and Managing Correspondence Major Changes Transfers proponency from the DCS, G-1 to the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. Eliminates the Informal Memorandum - The memorandum, using computer generated letterhead, will be used in all instances where an informal memorandum was previously used. Prescribes Mass Mailing policy. Streamlined Chapter 5 - Preparing official mail. Eliminates Appendix B – Style practices – refer to word processing spell check, a standard dictionary and/or the GPO Style Manual as needed.

AR 25-50, Preparing and Managing Correspondence Major Changes – continued Preferred font change to Arial 12. Prescribes DA Form 5, Army Staffing Form. New Appendix directs commanders, directors, or agency authorities to: Take responsibility for the unit's mass mailings Develop quality control check-points in the mailing process Ensure perfection Alleviate the risk for embarrassment to the Army

AR 25-50, Preparing and Managing Correspondence The new appendix is designed to alleviated the mistakes which occurred in recent mass mailings. Such as: The 5000 letters addressed "Dear John Doe," sent to every gold star family member. Surveys sent to deceased combat vets asking for their opinions. Congratulatory form letters automatically sent to all newly promoted 1st Lieutenants, even one who was killed before being commissioned. Unauthorized changes to a retiree newsletter after it was approved by the Army Chief of Staff. The change mistakenly moved the Army's Birthday from June to July.

Official Mail Program Overview The Department of the Army is largest user of mail services in DoD Annual budget approximately $20 million Contrary to popular opinion, mail is not always mail: Official mail is only mail when in custody of USPS Once in Official Mail and Distribution Center Staff possession mail then becomes official matter

Official Mail Program Overview Your Office OMDC USPS Post Office US POSTAL SERVICE US GATEWAY US POST OFFICE PROCESSING CENTER AERIAL MAIL TERMINAL Destination START APO

Official Mail Program: Security and Business Recovery Plans IAW Part 102-192.85 FMR and DOD 4525.8-M, Mail Centers required to have written security plan. The plan should be an annex to the Garrison/ Installation/ Compound “security plan.” Must be developed in consultation with security. Must be coordinated with first responders and other affected personnel/organizations. Such as: Anti-terrorism Office Hazmat Emergency Services USPS Force Protection

Official Mail Program: Security and Business Recovery Plans Elements of Plan Risk Assessment Mail Center Relocation Loss of Personnel Recall Procedures Evacuation Procedures Procedures for Handling Threats Notification of First Responders

Official Mail Program: Security and Business Recovery Plans Foundation of the plan: Risk Assessment – done by qualified personnel Your building security office Base security Individual agency security service (DTRA) The Federal Protective Service (HLS) Professional security consultants OMM not a trained force protection official, therefore not qualified to conduct risk assessments. Consult with trained Force Protection officials.

Official Mail Program: Security and Business Recovery Plans Components of Risk Assessment per GSA Asset/mission identification – what could be damaged through mail. Threat Assessment – potential threats to mail center (natural events, criminal acts, terrorism – plus likelihood of each). Vulnerability Assessment - to what extent is mail center vulnerable to each of the threats identified in threat assessment. Impact Assessment – impact on mail center, the facility, and/or agency if specific asset (mail center or support activity) were destroyed or damaged. Risk Analysis – Quantification of likelihood and extent of possible damage from each identified threat. Risk Assessment – The process – all the above.

Official Mail Program: Security and Business Recovery Plans Mail Center relocation requirements Supplies/equipment Vehicles Alternate location for meter mail Availability of postage (stamps, reserve meter, MOA with sister agency to meter mail on reimbursable basis, etc) Time needed to resume operations Who will allocate space (first floor) Who coordinates move Notification of move USPS Vendors Carriers Customers

Official Mail Program: Security and Business Recovery Plans Loss of personnel How to operate with loss of personnel Augmentation Procedures Recall procedures Who will be recalled Where do they report Evacuation procedures Who can order evacuation Who evacuates

Official Mail Program: Security and Business Recovery Plans Evacuation procedures - continued Where do you evacuate to/meeting place Injuries Secure facility Meter Classified material Stamps

Official Mail Program: Security and Business Recovery Plans Procedures for handling threats Chemicals, Biological or Radiological Letter/Parcel Bombs Place Bombs Impending Natural Disasters Notification of emergency services (phone numbers) Medical Fire Security Force Hazmat USPS Postal Inspector

Official Mail Program: Security and Business Recovery Plans Summary Security Plans are required by FMR Risk Assessment by qualified personnel critical Should be incorporated into Garrison/Installation/Compound Security Plan Must be practiced quarterly Review annually “When you fail to plan, you plan to fail” Benjamin Franklin

Questions????