Army Memorandum Generator

Army memorandum format: what the generator sets

The memorandum of AR 25-50. Each rule is followed by where it is written.

Page setup

Paper and letterhead

8½ by 11 inches; computer-generated letterhead for the first page, plain white paper after it. All official letterhead bears the DoD seal; no other seal, emblem or slogan. (AR 25-50 pars. 1-16, 1-18)

Font

Army senior leaders set the font and size for their organization; 12 point is recommended. The regulation's figures are set in Arial. (AR 25-50 par. 1-19)

Margins

One inch from the left, right and bottom edges. The right margin is not justified. (AR 25-50 par. 2-3c)

Army

Heading

Office symbol and date

The office symbol on the second line below the seal, with the ARIMS record number in parentheses one space after it. The date on the same line, flush right: "13 March 2020" or "13 Mar 20". (AR 25-50 par. 2-4a(1)–(3))

Suspense date

Flush right, two lines above the date, in bold, preceded by "S:". (AR 25-50 par. 2-4a(4))

MEMORANDUM FOR

On the third line below the office symbol. One address follows on the same line, a second line of it flush left. Two to five addresses go one per line below, later lines of each indented ¼ inch. More than five: MEMORANDUM FOR SEE DISTRIBUTION. (AR 25-50 par. 2-4a(5); figures 2-3 to 2-8)

MEMORANDUM THRU

Used when others must see or indorse the action in turn: MEMORANDUM THRU and the address, then "FOR" and the addressee on the second line below. Not more than two THRU addresses unless absolutely necessary. This edition has no endorsements. (AR 25-50 par. 2-4a(5)(d); figures 2-11, 2-12)

SUBJECT

On the second line below the last line of the address; ten words or fewer if possible. A second line starts at the left margin. (AR 25-50 par. 2-4a(6))

Army

Text

Text

Begins on the third line below the subject. Single-spaced, with a blank line between paragraphs. Two spaces after ending punctuation. A one-paragraph memorandum is not numbered. (AR 25-50 par. 2-4b; figure 2-1)

Subparagraphs

a. is indented ¼ inch; (1) and (a) are indented ½ inch — no further. Lines after the first return to the left margin. No subdivision beyond the third. (AR 25-50 figure 2-1)

Continuation pages

The office symbol one inch from the top, the subject on the next line, the text on the third line below it. A paragraph of three lines or fewer is not divided; at least two lines stay on each page. The authority line and signature block go with at least two lines of the last paragraph. The page number is centered about one inch from the bottom. (AR 25-50 par. 2-5; figure 2-2)

Army

Closing

Authority line

At the left margin in capitals, on the second line below the text. (AR 25-50 par. 2-4c(1))

Signature block

Begins at the center of the page on the fifth line below the authority line or the text: name in capitals; rank and branch; title, a second line of it indented ¼ inch. Civilians use name and title. (AR 25-50 pars. 2-4c(2), 6-4)

Enclosures

Listed at the left margin starting on the same line as the signature block: "Encl" for one, "2 Encls" and a numbered list for more. (AR 25-50 pars. 2-4c(3), 4-2)

DISTRIBUTION and CF

Each on the second line below whichever of the signature block, enclosure listing or distribution listing is lowest. "CF: (w/o encls)" when the copies go without the enclosures. (AR 25-50 par. 2-4a(5)(c), 2-4c(5))

Army

Memorandum for record

Memorandum for record

Plain white paper; the office symbol one inch from the top with the date on the same line; MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD on the third line below; no authority line. Anyone may prepare and sign it. (AR 25-50 par. 2-7; figure 2-17)