How to Address a Reservist

See also
See alsoUse of Rank by a Reservist.

—-Envelope or address block on an email:
—-—-(Full rank) (Full Name), USAR
—-—-(Address)

—-—-(Service-specific abbreviation for the rank) (Full Name), USAR
—-—-(Address)

—-Salutation:
—-—-Dear (Basic rank) (Surname),
—-—-—--or-
—-—-Dear(Service-specific abbreviation for the rank) (Surname) 

How to Address a Reservist
How to Address a Reservist on Active Duty?

I am addressing a letter to an Army Reservist currently on active duty.
—-For his address block:
——–(Rank) (Full Name) USA Reserve
——–—-e.g.:
——–—-Brigadier General John Smith, USA Reserve
—-Salutation:
—-—-Dear (Rank) (Surname),
—-—-—-e.g.
—-—-—-Dear General Smith, 
——————– Jamie

Dear Jamie:
It is correct to use the all-letter version of the branch of service: USAR, USNR, USMCR, USAFR or USCGR. Don’t spell out “reserve’. See the forms that follow.

Department of Defense guidelines give two ways to address a letter… one ‘official” and another for “social” correspondence: On official correspondence you include the post-nominal abbreviation for branch of service; on social, you don’t.

Here is what the official form looks like:

—-Envelope or address block on an email:
—-—-Brigadier General John Smith, USAR
—-—-(Address)
—-—-With theservice-specfic abbreviation:
—-—-—-BG John Smith, USAR
—-—-—-(Address)

—-Social envelope:
—-—-Brigadier General John Smith
—-—-(Address)
—-—-With theservice-specfic abbreviation:
—-—-—-BG John Smith
—-—-—-(Address)

—-Either way the salutation is:
—-—-Dear General Smith,

— Robert Hickey

How to Address a Reservist

Robert Hickey author of“Honor & Respect”

__________________________
How to Address a Retired Reservist?

How do you write the name of a retired reservist?
——————–— Dave S.

Dear Dave S.:
When one retires the reference to“Reserve” disappears.

—–The formula is:
—–—–[Rank] [Full Name], [Abbreviation for Branch of Service], Retired
—–—–—–or
———-[Rank] [Full Name], [Abbreviation for Branch of Service], Ret.

BothRet. andRetired are suggested in DoD style guides. Those same style guides do not use parentheses aroundRet. or Retired. So: no parentheses.

In the following samples I’ve used the service-specific abbreviations for rank. It would also be correct to spell the ranks out fully:

—–ARMY
—–—–While Serving:GEN John Johnson, USAR
—–—–When Retired:GEN John Johnson, USA, Retired

—–MARINES
—–—–While Serving:Gen Patrick Harris, USMCR
—–—–When Retired:Gen Patrick Harris, USMC, Retired

—–AIR FORCE
—–—–While Serving:Gen Andrew Wright, USAFR
—–—–When Retired:Gen Andrew Wright, USAF, Retired

—–NAVY
—–—–While Serving:ADM Anne Neville, USNR
—–—–When Retired:ADM Anne Neville, USN, Retired

—–COAST GUARD
—–—–While Serving:ADM Christopher Carley, USCGR
—–—–When Retired:ADM Christopher Carley, Retired

— Robert Hickey

See These Related Posts:
—––—How to Address Active Duty Personnel
———How to Address Retired Personnel
—––—How to Address Reservists
—––—Use of Rank by Retired Personnel
—––—Use of Rank by a Reservist
—––—Use of Rank by a Veteran
—––—How to Address a Military Doctor
—––—How to Address a Military Chaplain
—––—How to Address a Military Couple
—––—How to Abbreviate Ranks

Robert Hickey author of“Honor & Respect”

When Should You Use the Forms on this Page?

You can use these forms of address for any mode of communication: addressing aletter, invitation, card orEmail.(If there are differences between the official and social forms of address, I will have mentioned the different forms.) The form noted in the salutation is the same form you use when you say their name in conversation or when yougreet them.
___What I don’t cover on this site aremany thingsI do cover in my book:all the rules of forms of address, about names, international titles, precedence, complimentary closes, details on invitations, place cards, all sorts of introductions,etc. I hope you’ll get acopy of the book if you’d like the further detail.

Not Finding Your Answer?

—-#1)At right ondesktops,at the bottom of every pageontablets andphones, is a list of all the offices, officials & topics covered on the site.

—-#2) If you don’t see the official you seek included or your question answeredsend me an e-mail. I am pretty fast at sending a reply: usually the next day or so (unless I am traveling.)Note: I don’t have mailing or Email addresses for any of the officials and I don’t keep track of offices that exist only in history books.

—-#3) If I think your question is of interest to others, Sometimes I post the question – but always change all the specifics.

— Robert Hickey

Robert Hickey author of“Honor & Respect”

Recommended Resources:  The Protocol School of Washington (PSOW) and Protocol and Diplomacy International – Protocol Officers Association (PDI-POA)   For more information see theProtocol Resources page.