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to ensure continuity of traffic.
Detailed
information concerning communications guard
shift messages and formats is contained in
Naval Telecommunications Publication 4
(NTP-4).
MESSAGE AND ROUTING
ADDRESSEES
Messages may be divided into types,
according to the way they are addressed, as
follows:
l SINGLE-ADDRESS. A message that
has only one addressee, which may be either
for action or information.
l MULTIPLE-ADDRESS. A message
that has two or more addressees, which may
be either action or information and where
each addressee is informed of all other
recipients.
l BOOK. A message destined for two
or more addressees but where the drafter
considers it unnecessary that each addressee
be informed of other addressees.
Book
messages are routed according to each
addressee’s relay station.
All unnecessary
addressees are deleted from the face of the
message before being sent to the addressee(s)
served by that particular relay station.
l GENERAL MESSAGE. A message
that has a wide, predetermined, standard
distribution. General messages are normally
titled with a sequential number for the current
year; for example, ALCOM 28/94, NAVOP
30/94. The title indicates distribution and
serves as the address designator.
Address Indicating Groups
The purpose of address indicating groups
(AIGs) is to increase the speed-of-traffic
handling. They shorten the message address
by providing a single address group to
represent a large number of addressees. This
eliminates individual designators for each
address used in the heading.
Message Addresses
Absolute consistency in the format and
spelling of a plain language address (PLA)
was not critical before to the implementation
of automated message-processing systems.
Because communications personnel processed
all messages, deviations in address spelling
were tolerated.
This is no longer true.
Message drafters must now verify the PLA for
each addressee in the Message Address
Directory (MAD) and not rely on memory or
copy PLAs from incoming messages.
Message Address Directory
The MAD contains authorized message
addresses and is divided into sections: Joint
Department of Defense (JDOD PLAD), U.S.
Military Communications—Electronics Board
Publication (MCEB Pub 6), Army, Air Force,
and Navy. The Navy section, “U.S. Navy
Plain Language Address Directory (USN
PLAD 1),” includes message addresses for
Marine Corps and Coast Guard activities.
MAD UPDATEs are published four times a
year to ensure all addresses are current.
Plain Language Addresses
The PLAs listed in USN PLAD 1 are the
only designators authorized for use in message
addressing to Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast
Guard activities. Deviations from USN PLAD
1 in spelling, spacing, or formatting cannot be
tolerated because automated message-
processing systems are keyed to USN PLAD
1 entries.
Office Codes
Office codes are required for all Navy
shore activity PLAs. Office codes follow the
PLA and are enclosed in double slants; for
example, CNO WASHINGTON DC//094//.
There is no limit on the number of office
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