SECNAV M-5216.5 - Department of the Navy Correspondence Manual

Scope

SECNAV M-5216.5 is the Department of the Navy Correspondence Manual. The manual sets the standardized format and signing rules for naval correspondence, memoranda, business letters, electronic mail, and naval messages across the Department of the Navy. Every Marine Corps unit drafts, signs, and files correspondence using the formats and signing rules in this manual.

Audience

S-1 officers, S-1 chiefs, legal clerks, adjutants, action officers, by direction signers, and every Marine Corps Marine drafting or signing official correspondence. Directives Control Points and records managers use the manual for filing, retention, and SSIC labeling.

Chapter structure

• Chapter 1. Naval Letter. The most common formal correspondence between DON activities and to other Federal agencies.
• Chapter 2. Endorsements. Forwarding action on received correspondence.
• Chapter 3. Memorandum. Internal correspondence within and between DON activities.
• Chapter 4. Business Letter. Correspondence with non-Federal recipients.
• Chapter 5. Multiple Address Letter. Naval letter with multiple recipients.
• Chapter 6. Other Correspondence. Joint letters, point papers, and special-format correspondence.
• Chapter 7. Standard Subject Identification Codes (SSIC). Cross-reference to SECNAV M-5210.2.
• Chapter 8. Signing and Authenticating. By direction signing, signature authority, DD Form 577, and acting signature rules.
• Chapter 9. Electronic Mail. Email format rules for official DON communication.
• Chapter 10. Naval Messages and GENADMIN. Naval message format and release procedures.
• Appendices. Sample letters, sample endorsements, SSIC indexes, and stationery rules.

Connection to Marine Corps policy

• MCO 5216.20 Marine Corps Supplement to SECNAV M-5216.5. The Marine Corps supplement covering Marine Corps-specific format adjustments and templates.
• MCO 5215.1K Marine Corps Directives Management Program. Directives format and routing cross-references SECNAV M-5216.5.
• SECNAV M-5210.2 Standard Subject Identification Codes. Provides the SSIC system referenced in Chapter 7.
• MCO 5000.14D Marine Corps Administrative Procedures. S-1 correspondence duties.
• MCO P1070.12K Individual Records Administration Manual. OMPF Field Folder routing.

Status

Active. Change 1 published. Verify the current edition at the externalUrl before relying on a specific paragraph for a high-stakes correspondence action.