Military Resignation Letter
There are several different things to keep in mind when resigning from the military at the end of your commission. One of the most important is that all of your requests need to be in writing in order for them to be processed properly and in a timely manner. The wisest thing to do in this situation is write a formal military resignation letter and be sure that you send it to the correct person who needs to process it. Here is a helpful guide to writing a professional letter of resignation as a soon-to-be-ex-military member.
Format and Content
In the military, everything you do must be disciplined and according to proper process. You should strive to make your letter represent yourself accordingly: formally written, in proper English, and addressed to the proper person as shown in the example below. A good military resignation letter format includes a brief, concisely written request for your resignation to be accepted. You should also provide an expression of thanks as well as your contact details. Keep the letter short and factual; no more than one page with a few paragraphs. In most cases, you will need to find the address of the Human Resources department for your branch of the military and send the letter to the person in charge there.
Sample
Here is a military resignation letter sample from an army officer who is requesting that his resignation with honorable discharge be accepted. He writes in a formal, concise style, but is also gracious and sincere in his letter. He also remembers to express that he is proud to have served in the military and will never forget the experience.
123 Broadway Street
Suite 1
Columbus, OH 43266
Tel: (555)-555-5555
To:
U.S. Army Human Resources Command
c/o 123456
123 Main Street
Columbus, OH 43266
January 1, 2014
I am writing this letter to request resignation from my position as a reserve army officer from the U.S. Army Reserve. Please see the provisions of Chapter 1, Section 1, 11-11111. I have served the duration of my commission faithfully and hope to move on to other things with my family. I appreciate your cooperation and understanding in this matter.
It is my hope that I will receive a certificate of honorable discharge for my service if my resignation should be accepted. I hope there is no inconvenience resulting from my request. If any further discussion is needed in regards to this matter, please contact me at (555)-555-5555 or [email] I hope I can look forward to hearing back from you soon.
I have enjoyed working in the U.S. Army Reserve and am honored to have served the country. I am grateful for the experiences and opportunities I was able to receive as a reserve army officer and will always look back on this time proudly. Thank you for your consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Jason Ricketts
Jason G. Ricketts
Reserve Army Officer
SSN: 999-99-9999