Effective Writing for Army Leaders U.S. ARMY SOLDIER SUPPORT INSTITUTE NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER ACADEMY 1

Concrete Experience http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clKOsf4UxNo

Learning Objective Action: Write Effectively Using the Army Writing Program Condition: FM Sergeants in a classroom environment working individually, using academically sound principles, practical exercises, personal experience, handouts, discussion ,and extracted material from AR 25-50 and DA Memo 25-52. Standard: Writing includes: 1. Elements of the six step writing process 2. Style that meets Army writing requirements of AR 25-50 and DA Memo 25-52. 3. Identification of appropriate usage of active voice. 4. Composition of correspondence with substance that supports the purpose of effective writing. Instructional Guidance: Throughout this lesson, solicit from students the challenges they experienced in the operational environment (OE) and what they did to resolve them. Encourage students to apply at least one of the critical variables: Political, Military, Economic, Social, Information, Infrastructure, Physical Environment and Time (PMESII-PT). Conditions: with an awareness of the Operational Environment (OE) variables and actors. Safety Requirements: In a training environment, leaders must perform a risk assessment in accordance with DA PAM 385-30, Risk Management. Leaders will complete a DD Form 2977 RISK MANAGEMENT WORKSHEET during the planning and completion of each task and sub-task by assessing mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support available-time available and civil considerations, (METT-TC). Local policies and procedures must be followed during times of increased heat category in order to avoid heat related injury. Consider the work/rest cycles and water replacement guidelines IAW TRADOC Regulation 350-29. The nine 21st Century Soldier Competencies outlined in Appendix C of TRADOCPamphlet 525-8-2 (The U.S. Army Learning Concept for 2015) are general areas of competence or attributes required by Soldiers and leaders to prevail in complex, uncertain environments. Together, they provide a foundation for operational adaptability. General Learning Outcomes for 21st-Century Soldier Competencies are general statements of the essential know ledge, skills, and attributes resulting from training, education and experience at each Level of Learning along a Career Continuum of Learning. The Lesson Outcomes for this lesson specify what students should know, be able to do or be able to demonstrate when they have completed this lesson and focus on critical and creative thinkers.

Effective Army Writing “Effective Army writing transmits a clear message in a single, rapid reading, and is generally free of errors in grammar, mechanics, and usage.” AR 25-50: Preparing and Managing Correspondence DA PAM 600-67: Effective Writing for Army Leaders

Characteristics of Army Writing Concise Organized To the Point GOOD Good Army writing is concise, organized, and right to the point. Two essential requirements include putting the main point at the beginning of the correspondence and using the active voice (for example (main point up front), “You are entitled to jump pay for the time you spent in training last year”).

Constructing Military Correspondence Use short words Use correct spelling & grammar Keep sentences short Use I, you, and we as subjects Write paragraphs 10 lines or < Keep letters and memo = 1 page AR 25-50, para 1-45 a. General techniques. Focus first on the main point to construct basic military correspondence. Use of the active voice is the basic style of Army writing. b. Specific techniques. Meeting the standards for correspondence requires specific techniques. Use these additional rules of correspondence construction to improve effectiveness. (1) Use short words. Try not to use more than 15 percent over two syllables long. (2) Keep sentences short. The average length of a sentence should be about 15 words. (3) Write paragraphs that, with few exceptions, are no more than 10 lines. (4) Avoid jargon. (5) Use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation. (6) Use I, you, and we as subjects of sentences instead of this office, this headquarters, this command, all individuals, and so forth. (7) Write one-page letters and memorandums for most correspondence. Use enclosures for additional information. (8) Avoid sentences that begin with “It is ...,” “There is ...,”or “There are ....” Avoid jargon Avoid sentences that start w/”It is…

Active / Passive Voice ACTIVE = DOER --- VERB --- RECEIVER ACTIVE - The subject of the sentence names the actor ACTIVE = DOER --- VERB --- RECEIVER All qualifiers will zero their weapons before qualification. PASSIVE - The subject of the sentence names the receiver of the action. PASSIVE = RECEIVER ---VERB --- DOER All weapons will be zeroed before qualification.

Active Voice Is More Effective Because … It is a stronger form of expression because it indicates the agent and shows the action. It states the action in fewer words. It prevents confusion about the actor. Use of “I” and “We; the first person takes responsibility for the action.

Disadvantages Of Using Passive Voice Leaves critical information unstated Evades responsibility Increases length

How To Recognize The Passive Voice BE AM IS ARE WAS WERE BEING BEEN PAST PARTICIPLE ENDING IN –ED OR –EN GIVEN TAKEN IMPLEMENTED CONDUCTED ORDERED

Review Practical Exercise #1 Identify Passive Voice

How To Correct Passive Voice 1. Put the doer before the verb. Appropriate clothing will BE WORN by all personnel. All personnel will wear appropriate clothing. 2. Drop part of the verb. The soldier WAS TRANSFERRED to Fort Bragg. He transferred to Ft Bragg. 3. Change the verb. Personnel ARE PROHIBITED from smoking during refueling operations. Personnel must not smoke during refueling.

Review Practical Exercise #2 Change Passive Voice to Active

Types of Army Correspondence & Documents Memorandum Letter OPORD (Operation Order) SOP (Standing Operating Procedures) DA and DD Forms Email

The Memorandum Army’s main format for preparing correspondence Basic or Formal Memorandum Informal Memorandum  Memorandum For Record (MFR) Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) or Understanding (MOU)

Information Paper Purpose- to provide information Bottom Line Up Front- BLUF One page summary Clear, concise, and logical a. An information paper provides facts in a clear and concise format (that is, for use in a discussion paper or trip book). The format may be altered to meet a specific need.   b. Include the subject and purpose. Paragraphs will contain only essential facts concerning the subject. Papers will be self explanatory and will not refer to enclosures except for tabular data, chars, or photographs. c. Papers should not exceed one page in length and need not be signed, but must include the action officer’s name and telephone number in the lower right corner. Type the name of the approval authority below the action officer’s name and number to indicate agency approval by principle, deputy, or director. d. Avoid using acronyms and abbreviations, except for those that are familiar outside of the Army (e.g., DoD, ARSTAF, etc.) Figure 19, DA Memo 25-52

Effective Army Writing PARTIAL MIND MAP Memorandum Information Paper 1. ______________ ________________ 1. 2. ______________ ________________ 2. 3. ______________ ________________ 3. ________________ 4. 4. ______________ ________________ 5. Effective Army Writing 1. ______________ 1. ______________ ________________ 6. 2. ______________ 2. ______________ ________________ 7. 3. ______________ ________________ 8. Partial Mind Map 3. ______________ 4. ______________ 4. ______________ ________________ 9. 5. ______________ 5. ______________ ________________ 10. Reasons to Use Active Voice Constructing Correspondence

Learning Objective Action: Write Effectively Using the Army Writing Program Condition: FM Sergeants in a classroom environment working individually, using academically sound principles, practical exercises, personal experience, handouts, discussion ,and extracted material from AR 25-50 and DA Memo 25-52. Standard: Writing includes: 1. Elements of the six step writing process 2. Style that meets Army writing requirements of AR 25-50 and DA Memo 25-52. 3. Identification of appropriate usage of active voice. 4. Composition of correspondence with substance that supports the purpose of effective writing.