What regulation governs Army writing style?

AR 25-50 (Preparing and Managing Correspondence) establishes the Army writing standard: put the bottom line up front (BLUF), use active voice, keep sentences and paragraphs short, and use ordinary words. Evaluations add the bullet comment format under AR 623-3 and DA PAM 623-3.

What is BLUF in Army writing?

BLUF stands for "bottom line up front." It means stating your main point or recommendation in the first sentence so the reader knows the purpose immediately instead of hunting for it. BLUF is the defining feature of the Army writing style.

Why does Army writing use active voice?

Active voice ("The squad cleared the building") names the actor and is shorter and clearer than passive voice ("The building was cleared"). The Army standard in AR 25-50 calls for active voice in nearly all writing, and evaluation bullets lead with an active, past-tense verb.

Army Writing Style Guide — BLUF, Active Voice & Bullet Comments

A plain-English guide to Army writing style: bottom line up front (BLUF), active voice, the bullet comment format, and the action–impact–result formula behind every strong NCOER and OER bullet. Aligned with AR 25-50 and AR 623-3.