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Anatomy of a Memorandum

This page maps the parts of a USAF / USSF official memorandum to the fields you fill in the editor. The USAF Memo Quill (usaf_memo) covers both services — letterhead and signature service line do the differentiating.

Formatting follows AFH 33-337 (The Tongue and Quill). Other document types built on this Quill — MFR, LOC, Pass Request, Rebuttal — use the same fields with different defaults; see Document Types.

Visual map

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│   [classification banner — only if `classification` is set]    │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                │
│    [seal]    DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE         [freedom250]  │  ← letterhead_title
│                  HEADQUARTERS 20TH FIGHTER WING                │  ← letterhead_caption
│                                                                │
│                                                            14 May 2026  │  ← date (auto)
│                                                                │
│ MEMORANDUM FOR  20 FW/CC                                       │  ← memo_for
│                 56 OG/CC                                       │
│                                                                │
│ FROM:  20 OSS/CC                                               │  ← memo_from  (omit for MFR)
│                                                                │
│ SUBJECT:  Weekly Status Update                                 │  ← subject
│                                                                │
│ References:                                                    │  ← references (optional)
│   (a) AFM 33-326, 31 Jul 2019, Preparing Official Comms        │
│                                                                │
│ 1. First paragraph. Auto-numbered — do not type "1.".          │  ← body (auto-numbered)
│                                                                │
│ 2. Second paragraph.                                            │
│                                                                │
│     a. Nested bullet — auto-lettered.                          │
│                                                                │
│ 3. POC: Capt Smith, 555-1234.                                  │
│                                                                │
│                                                                │
│                               JOHN A. SMITH, Lt Col, USAF      │  ← signature_block
│                               Commander                        │
│                                                                │
│ 2 Attachments:                                                 │  ← attachments (optional)
│   1. AF Form 1, 12 Mar 26                                      │     (heading shows count when >1;
│   2. Memo, 123 FW/CC, 5 Mar 26                                 │      a single attachment is unnumbered)
│                                                                │
│ cc:                                                            │  ← cc (optional)
│   Lt Col Doe, 56 OSS/DO                                        │
│                                                                │
│                                       Aim High                 │  ← tag_line
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│   [classification banner — bottom]                             │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Frontmatter fields

The authoritative field list lives in the Quill's blueprint (retrieve via get_specs); the metadata widget renders it as a form. The summary below covers usaf_memo@0.2.

Required

Field What it is
memo_for List of recipient office symbols, in UPPERCASE. To address a specific person, append rank and name in parentheses: ORG/SYMBOL (LT COL JANE DOE). For many recipients, use DISTRIBUTION and fill distribution below.
subject Memorandum subject in title case (capitalize each word except articles, prepositions, and conjunctions). Include a suspense date in parentheses if applicable.
signature_block List. Line 1 is the signer's name in UPPERCASE as signed, grade, and service (e.g., JOHN A. SMITH, Lt Col, USAF). Line 2 is duty title. Spell out "Colonel" and general officer ranks.

Optional — addressing

Field What it is
memo_from Sending office. For same-installation recipients, the office symbol alone is enough. For other installations, include the full mailing address. Leave blank in the metadata widget to produce a Memorandum for Record (write the recipient as RECORD in memo_for).
cc List of CC recipients (rank, name, office symbol).
distribution Full distribution list, used when memo_for is DISTRIBUTION.
references List of cited regulations / prior correspondence — typically <org>, <type>, <date>, <title>.
attachments List of attachments in the order they're mentioned in the body. Briefly describe each; do not write "as stated" or use abbreviations.

Optional — letterhead

Field What it is
letterhead_title Top line of the letterhead. Defaults to DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE. Only change for Joint Commands or DoW Agencies.
letterhead_caption Line(s) under the title — typically HEADQUARTERS <UNIT NAME>.
letterhead_seal Which seal renders to the left of the letterhead: dow (Department of War) — the default — or dod (Department of Defense).
letterhead_seal_subtitle Optional bold-caps line below the seal. Blank to omit.
tag_line Organizational motto rendered at the bottom of the page (e.g., Aim High).
freedom250 Show the America 250 / Freedom 250 commemorative emblem opposite the seal.

Optional — other

Field What it is
date YYYY-MM-DD. Blank uses today's date at export.
memo_style usaf (default) or daf. daf applies the DAF headquarters memorandum's date formatting and paragraph layout per AFH 33-337.
font_size Body font size in points (default 12). Decimals are allowed (e.g., 11.5).
classification Banner marking: blank (no banner), UNCLASSIFIED, CUI, CONFIDENTIAL, SECRET, TOP SECRET. See Classification.
dissemination String appended after a double slash on the classification banner (e.g., NF with CUI renders as CUI//NF).

Body conventions

The renderer handles the AFH 33-337 paragraph numbering for you. You write prose; the engine numbers and indents.

  • Top-level paragraphs are auto-numbered as 1., 2., 3.. Do not type the numbers yourself — write plain paragraphs separated by a blank line.
  • Nested bullets are auto-lettered. A - item line beneath a paragraph renders as a., b., c..
  • Deeper nesting continues to (1), (a), etc. Indent each level with two spaces.
  • Single-paragraph memos are not numbered (AFH 33-337 §2).
  • Inline emphasis. **bold**, *italic*, <u>underline</u> — use sparingly per AFH 33-337.
The first paragraph. Just write it.

The second paragraph.

- A nested point — auto-lettered as `a.`.
- Another — auto-lettered as `b.`.
  - A deeper nest — auto-numbered as `(1)`.

A third top-level paragraph.

What the renderer does for you

  • Numbers top-level paragraphs and letters nested bullets per AFH 33-337.
  • Inserts the seal, letterhead, and (optionally) the Freedom 250 emblem.
  • Stamps the export date when date is blank.
  • Uppercases office symbols on the MEMORANDUM FOR line.
  • Applies the AFH 33-337 signature-block hanging indent (0.5em).
  • Numbers attachments (single attachment is unnumbered; two or more are numbered).
  • Renders MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD and an empty FROM: line when memo_for is RECORD and memo_from is blank in the widget.
  • Adds the classification banner at top and bottom of every page when classification is set.
  • Shifts long names/titles to the left margin if they would overflow.

What you still own

  • The substance of the memo.
  • The right regulation citations.
  • Correct routing and approval before signature.
  • Verifying the rendered PDF before signing or distributing.
  • Portion markings, derivative-classification statements, and any handling caveats inside the body (the engine only applies the banner). See Classification.

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