Communication is beautiful and comes in many forms – be it in writing, speaking or through your actions.
Writing is a form of expression which embodies intellectual thought and emotions of human beings. However, today’s article encompasses emails in particular, United States military emails which tend to use many abbreviations, phrases and formal language which may not be commonly used by everybody.
Let’s dissect the abbreviations used and dive in specifically to what does v/r mean in military email?
Before we continue, formal correspondence consists of the exchange of memoranda, endorsement letters, directives or even orders from the military branches which consist of the navy, air force or even the army.
What does V/R stand for?
Well, V/R is undoubtedly a form of abbreviation which means “very respectfully”. To put in perspective, people often use ‘warmest regards’ , “sincerely”, “yours truthfully”, “kind regards” in alternatives to military personnel which respectfully use v/r as a closing remark.
However, the distinct difference of V/R is to distinguish and acknowledge the position of the US military. Hence, V/R are only used in writing of emails that are sent to high ranking senior military officers or army officials of equivalent rank rather than lower rank army personnel.
As for communication with colleagues of lower ranks, closing remarks of emails consist of merely a lowercase “r” which is accompanied with “/” or “/r” which represent “respectfully”.
Are the differences between V/R and /r significant?
The simple answer is yes, these abbreviations used as closing remarks are viewed with great importance within the United States military to acknowledge position.
Hierarchy among colleagues must be respected. For example, it is rude and disrespectful if a person within the army writes a message to military personnels of higher ranks and uses “/r” as closing remarks.
Is Forward-slash in V/R and /r really required?
Yes, forward slash is incredibly important in communicating where closing remarks can’t be merely VR, Vr or just r. The proper use of abbreviations in emails shows you maintain the highest level of integrity, responsibility and appear professional among your colleagues.
In absence of forward slash, ambiguity and misinterpretation may arise. Recipients may understand VR as an abbreviation which stands for “vertical resolution”, “virtual reality”, “verification report” or even “vibrant response” which are extreme technical abbreviations that are commonly seen in the technology field.
In absence of knowledge of the rank of the recipient, it is a better idea and respectful to write and use V/R as your closing remark in your email. This idea would avoid any possible misinterpretation and to maintain proper and accurate communication.
Can I use V/R Beyond Military Emails?
Well, it is acceptable to use V/R in military emails but how about business emails? This is because readers may not understand your writing as well as what V/R means .
Using V/R is not common among lay people however, the knowledge of what V/R stands for could easily be searched within the Internet. However, this is time-consuming in the real world.
The bottom line is we do not recommend the use of V/R in writing of business emails above your signature to avoid any miscommunication or any misleading information conveyed. This would differ if you’re completely sure that the person receiving the email would understand V/R in its entirety.
For those people who are leaving the military to join civilian life, they tend to use V/R in emails by accident which is an honest and common mistake. However with time, you’d use the right words and master communicating in a more effective manner among your colleagues or even friends.
Alternatively, it is fine to write “very respectfully” or “respectfully” where some members may find it interesting and could command more respect which stands out from the other emails.
The former appears to be more suitable in formal language where the latter can be used to write casual emails or messages. This avoids any room of ambiguity however, this is a matter of preference among members as to the words used in communicating.
Conclusion
The bottom line is you’ve read through the article as to what V/R mean which stands for “very respectfully” that are directed to members of the US military of higher ranks or equivalent. Besides that, /r is spelled out from “respectfully” as a closing remark to military members of lower position within the hierarchy.
As for the civilian side, the appropriate and equivalent closing remark would be “best regards”. “sincerely”, “kind regards” are often seen above your signature as your conclusion in email.
I hope this article serves your purpose and provides the relevant information which could help you understand the abbreviation of email better.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What does “V/R” or “V/r” indicate in a signature?
V/R or V/r are often used as closing remarks in email which is accompanied with the signature of the author to abbreviate “very respectfully”. These short forms are specifically used in instances when communicating or speaking to higher ranks of military personnels or of equivalent military rank.
What does “V/r” mean among the military members?
In respect to military correspondence, “V/r” is used by military members as a closing remark in formal emails or letters to people with higher rank. Alternatively, “V/r” can be used to military personnels of the same rank but strictly against military members of lower rank to avoid appearing rude and maintain professionalism. This is also used in the air force, navy and other military branches as explained above.
What Are The Available Alternatives to V/R in Business Emails Context?
Rather than the spelled out form of V/R which means “very respectfully” whereas /R means “respectfully, I’d list down other terms or phrases that can be used as alternatives to your closing remark of your business email.
For instance, you could use “Yours Truly”, “Warmest regards”, “Best”, “All the best” or “Lots of Love” to incorporate into your language as a conclusion of your business email or letter.
How do we use “V/r” in the writing of email beyond military context?
Generally, we’d use V/r as a closing remark that is usually seen in the military field. However, as for general correspondence, it is best to opt for the spelled out form “very respectfully” to ensure man across any field could recognise the word and prevent any form of misinterpretation and ambiguity to maintain efficiency of the workforce from day to day.
Does the difference between “V/R” or “/r” really matter and must be respected?
Yes, take note that any person would appreciate good mannerism and professionalism regardless of the setting – be it formal or casual among friends.
Proper ethics and good manners have been long-established to be core things that people care about in this modernized society to a certain degree. Regardless, in the absence of proper manners, conflicts and misunderstandings may arise between men so always pay attention to detail.
Hence, professional and personal relationships may be compromised so it is recommended to be careful of your abbreviation for the sake of harmony of the human kind.
As the world and society progresses, the internet and social media may sometimes appear to be deteriorating proper mannerism so we should start by playing a part to avoid this case.
Regardless, the form of communication will continue to evolve and has changed tremendously, but manners and ethics have remained fundamental when communicating especially in email. So, guys always take note before you send your email to your colleagues.
What a military email signature should entail to appear presentable?
The proper words used is a matter of great importance in drafting a top-notch military signature, be it if you’re in the air force, navy, marines, veteran, coast guard or in the army.
Do not forget these elements in respect to your military email so you’d appear respectful and memorable among the guys.
- Your full name – you should ideally include your first name and last name for easier identification which would improve one’s impression of you in the military setting. By all means, avoid using any nicknames or solely initials if you hadn’t introduced yourself as such previously.
- List your division or unit – this is fundamental to allow ease of identification as well as to the place you’re assigned to or even in the chain of common on the project and your roles within the office. So, you should include your business address of your office in the civilian world.
- Include your rank – this is to allow clear representation of the chain of command to allow proper delegation of tasks and so on.
- Include your job or duty title – every individual has differing functions and roles so including your position would be clearer. In the event if you’re holding more than one post, then it is only ideal to incorporate only the highest rank title. Alternatively, you’d segregate the differing roles and create 2 signature blocks if the nature of the titles are equal.
- List down your contact information – you must maintain accessibility by including a direct phone line number so you’re constantly reachable. Also, you should ensure to incorporate a phone number when individuals beyond DSN can reach you as well. As for your email address, it is unnecessary as your military email would have a record of it.