“Seemingly, “  “it  appears,“  “seem  to  indicate,”  “in general,“ “as a usual case,“ “it is considered.” Not only are they bad, they clutter up your letters. What is worse, they often raise needless doubts in the reader’s mind. . Long, complex words and sentences The  purpose  of  letters,  like  news  stories,  is  to inform, not to impress or educate. Use short, simple sentences.  Write  the  way  you  talk.  Say  “pay,”  not “remunerate,”  and  “use,”  not  “utilize.” . Impersonal approach Why write “it is understood” when you mean “I understand”? You do not talk that way. Why write that way? Strive for the conversational touch. If you are in the  habit  of  using  contractions  such  as  “we’ll”  and “you’re,”  use  them,  but  sparingly.  Use  personal pronouns, especially “you”; it interests your reader more than any other. Try to slant your letter to tell the reader what advantage he gains, not what you want. The “Letters to the Editor” section of  All  Hands offers some good examples of the type of letters you may have to prepare. Take this one for example: “Sir: During World War II, more specifically from 1942 to 1945, I served on board the survey ship USS Bowditch  (AG 30). I’m curious as to whatever became of it. Would you trace down her history and enlighten me? Thanks.–W.R. Watkins, Greensboro, North  Carolina” All Hands’  reply: “Our thanks to you for your suggestion. ‘Typical of the Navy survey ship, Bowditch had a well-traveled career which began in Denmark in 1922 as the passenger ship  Santa  Inez. “Purchased by the U.S. Navy 11 years later, it was  renamed  after  Nathaniel  Bowditch,  the  noted 19th  century  astronomer  and  navigator,  and  placed into commission on 1 July 1940. “In   the   months   preceding   World   War   II, Bowditch made geodetic surveys in Little Placentia Bay,   Newfoundland,   Bermuda,   the   Bahamas, Jamaica,  Cuba  and  Haiti.  In  January  1942,  it steamed  from  its  home  port,  Norfolk,  to  make surveys of waters between Panama and Colombia, near the Galapagos Islands, and off Cocos Islands, Costa  Rica. “A  year  later,  after  a  brief  repair  period, Bowditch returned south to further survey areas in the Caribbean, along Panama, Colombia and the Ecuador  coast. “It was assigned to the Pacific Fleet Service Force  on  6  January  1944  in  its  initial  warship capacity and served as a survey ship during the invasion of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls from 4 February to 2 April 1944. Then it assisted in the occupation of Saipan from 22 July to 4 October that same year before participating in the capture of Okinawa  from  18  April  to  2  September  1945. During   this   siege   it   rescued   survivors   of battle-damaged  USS  Montgomery  (DM 17) and patrol craft PC 1603. “Bowditch remained in Okinawan waters until early November 1945 when it returned to the United States and San Francisco, decked out with three battle stars earned for its World War II service. But, within three months, it was again steaming toward the mid-Pacific to begin preliminary surveys around the  Bikini  Atoll  in  preparation  for  Operation CROSSROADS,  the  post-war  atomic  bomb  tests. “After  the  tests,  it  continued  surveying  Bikini until October when it returned to the Golden Gate city. Bowditch left California for Norfolk the next month  and  was  decommissioned  there  on  22 January 1947, and disposed of on 9 June 1948.–Ed.” WRITING FOR THE CO’S SIGNATURE Certain  projects  and  situations  will  require  you  to draft correspondence for the CO’s signature. This is where your letter-writing skills are really put to the test. Before you start, you should research the CO’s personal views on the subject in question and his association with the addressee. In some cases, a con- versation with the CO’s secretary or the XO may be necessary to get a feel for the CO’s perspective on a particular  topic. While researching, obtain answers to the following questions: l  What  outlying  issues  could  be  directly  or indirectly  affected  by  your  words? . What is the appropriate tone and style? .  What  is  the  desired  purpose? A good rule of thumb to know when you write a letter for the CO is as follows: KISS  OFF  (Keep  It Simple and Short Or Face Frustration). If the addressee only needs a carburetor, do not send him instructions on 1-19