5 FAH-2 H-230
TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS AND PRECEDENCES
(CT:TEL-71; 11-08-2018)
(Office of Origin: IRM/BMP/GRP)
5 FAH-2 H-231 WHAT INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SPECIALISTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ADDRESSES
(CT:TEL-11; 07-19-2004)
(Uniform all agencies)
a. All plain language address designators (PLADs) must follow standard formats. On the pseudo-header, the database in the communications terminal, normally the TERP V, sets the format used. This database is duplicated on the CableXpress server. When the terminal formats the telegram, it adds a routing indicator (RI) for each addressee listed. This is a five to eight letter symbol usually starting with "R." Communications terminals and switches use this RI to route the telegram to its destination.
b. The PLAD is the telegraphic address name for U.S. Government transmission facilities. Allied Communications Publication 117 (ACP 117) lists PLADs and RIs used by all U.S. Government transmission facilities. The Department of State Teletypewriter Routing Guide (DOSPUB) lists PLADs for Department of State transmission and relay facilities.
c. The Information Programs Center (IPC) is required to maintain the DOSPUB with all current changes. You can also access the DOSPUB on the publication section of the IRM home page, the InfoCenter section of the IRM home page, and on IRM/OPS/MSO site on OpenNet.
5 FAH-2 H-232 ORIGINATING ORGANIZATION'S ADDRESS
(CT:TEL-71; 11-08-2018)
(Uniform all agencies)
The originating organization’s telegraphic address is separated from the pseudo header by one line of space or appears directly after the operating signal ZFF, if used. The listing of your originating station is always a PLAD entry. The communications terminal automatically enters your RI in the appropriate place when it formats the outgoing telegram.
5 FAH-2 H-233 ACTION AND INFORMATION ADDRESSEES
(CT:TEL-71; 11-08-2018)
(Uniform all agencies)
a. Immediately after the line containing the originating post's address, the drafter first lists the action addressees—those that need to take action on the telegram. They are followed by the info addressees who are those that simply need to know the content of the telegram.
b. See 5 FAH-2 H-440 on the proper format to use for action and info addressees and their precedences.
5 FAH-2 H-234 SINGLE-ADDRESS AND MULTIPLE-ADDRESS TELEGRAM
(CT:TEL-71; 11-08-2018)
(Uniform all agencies)
a. The drafter can send a telegram to one or many addressees simultaneously (unless the telegram is captioned NODIS. NODIS telegrams are to be sent only to the Department, unless the Executive Secretary has explicitly authorized lateral transmissions to other addressees, as with certain NODIS subcategories):
(1) A single-address telegram is addressed to only one addressee. On a single address, TERP V will not include the routing indicator on the PLAD line. See 5 FAH-2 H-321.7-1 for more information; and
(2) A multiple-address telegram is addressed to two or more addressees. When you use multiple addresses, TERP V will format the heading to include the routing indicator for each PLAD, separated from the PLAD by a forward slant (/). See 5 FAH-2 H-321.7-2 for more information.
b. See 5 FAH-1 H-210 for more information on formatting addresses on outgoing telegrams.
5 FAH-2 H-235 COLLECTIVE ADDRESS
(CT:TEL-71; 11-08-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID)
a. Collective addresses group posts according to regional bureaus, geographic areas, or common interest in a policy or issue. This makes addressing telegrams to several addressees more manageable.
b. Collective addresses usually do not include non-Department of State posts or missions. The drafters must list these addresses separately.
c. At post, you can use only field-originated collective addresses. To send to a Department collective, the drafter can send the telegram to the Department with an attention indicator to pass (or also pass) to the collective.
d. Drafters and approving officers must consider whether a collective is warranted and tailor the address pattern, using XMT, to only those posts that need the information. Indiscriminate use of collective addresses will result in posts receiving telegrams that do not pertain to them.
e. See 5 FAH-2 H-235 for more information on collective addresses.
5 FAH-2 H-235.1 Collective Address from Other Agencies
(CT:TEL-11; 07-19-2004)
(Uniform all agencies)
Some Federal agencies with offices abroad that use the Diplomatic Telecommunications Service (for example, USDOC, DEA) originate their own telegraphic collective addresses.
5 FAH-2 H-236 MILITARY ADDRESSEE INDICATOR GROUPS (AIGS)
(CT:TEL-11; 07-19-2004)
(Uniform all agencies)
A military addressee indicator group (AIG) is a military address designator representing a group of addressees, military or civilian. It is used in the same manner as Department collective addresses. Using AIGs reduces message heading size and expedites telegram handling. The format for this type of address is the acronym AIG followed by an identifying number assigned by military authorities, for example, AIG 346.
5 FAH-2 H-236.1 Restrictions Regarding Use of AIGs
(CT:TEL-11; 07-19-2004)
(Uniform all agencies)
Only military facilities may originate telegrams addressed to AIGs. However, information programs centers (IPC) processes all AIG telegrams of which the post is a member.
5 FAH-2 H-236.2 Method for Updating AIGs
(CT:TEL-11; 07-19-2004)
(Uniform all agencies)
a. Military commands regularly send telegraphic updates of an AIG's composition to the members of that AIG. These provide the current list of action and information addressees, and any descriptive information for the addressees comprising the AIG.
b. Periodically, a military command sends updated lists incorporating all previous changes in AIG composition to the defense attaché's office (DAO) by mail or pouch.
c. The information programs center (IPC), as the post’s information and records authority, must coordinate closely with DAO and post management on AIGs. Together they must ensure that post is a member of only AIGs addressing subject matter of interest to the post and DAO.
d. To relieve your post from receiving an abundance of unneeded telegrams, and if information management (IM), post management, and DAO agree, IPC can request not to receive telegrams sent to particular AIGs. To do so, IPC must send a formal telegraphic request to the appropriate AIG cognizant authority requesting that it remove your post from that AIG. All offices concerned must clear the telegram.
5 FAH-2 H-237 INFORMATON MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST (IMS) INFORMATION ON PRECEDENCE AND HANDLING SYMBOLS
5 FAH-2 H-237.1 Precedences
(CT:TEL-71; 11-08-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID)
a. The precedence denotes the relative order in which telegrams are processed and handled: at the originating station, the relaying station(s) if any, and the recipient station. Precedence of a telegram indicates:
(1) To the originating station, the order of transmission;
(2) To the relay station, the order of relaying the telegram;
(3) To the receiving communications center, the order of processing and delivery; and
(4) To the action addressee, the order in which the recipient should note or take action on the message.
b. Drafters should bear the following points in mind when assigning precedence:
(1) Importance of the subject does not imply urgency (high precedence); and
(2) Drafters should not assign a high precedence to a telegraphic response just because the original telegram carried a high precedence. Drafters should consider each telegram on its own merit.
c. See 5 FAH-2 H-423 for more information on authorized precedences and acknowledgment services for high-precedence traffic.
5 FAH-2 H-237.2 Handling Symbols
(CT:TEL-2; 05-23-2002)
(Uniform State/USAID)
The handling symbols CRITIC, NIACT, and POUCH define unique procedures for handling telegrams.
5 FAH-2 H-237.2-1 CRITIC
(CT:TEL-11; 07-19-2004)
(Uniform State/USAID)
a. Use CRITIC to communicate vital national security information. You must process this type of telegram before those with any other precedences. Critic telegrams use a different format (DOI-103) than other telegrams.
b. See 5 FAH-2 H-431 and the Critic Handbook for more information on Critic and Critic Exercises.
5 FAH-2 H-237.2-2 NIACT
(CT:TEL-71; 11-08-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID)
a. NIACT is an acronym for "Night Action Required." It is used with the IMMEDIATE precedence. You must include the operations signal "ZZK" on ACP-127 format line four of the formatted telegram.
b. See 5 FAH-2 H-422 for more operational information on using NIACTs.
5 FAH-2 H-237.2-3 Pouch
(CT:TEL-71; 11-08-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID)
a. Use the handling symbol POUCH to send the telegram by pouch to the associated addressee. A telegram in ACP-127 format should have "ZEN/" precede the addressee and the word POUCH immediately after, separated by a space. For example:
ZEN/AMEMBASSY SOFIA POUCH
b. See 14 FAH-4 H-200 Diplomatic Pouch Descriptions and Procedures for more drafting information on POUCH. See 5 FAH-2 H-250 Special Format Requirements for special formatting for POUCH, and 5 FAH-2 H-432 for more operational information on POUCH.
5 FAH-2 H-237.3 S/ES-O Review of Precedence Designators
(CT:TEL-11; 07-19-2004)
(Uniform State/USAID)
The Executive Secretariat Operations Center (S/ES-O) reviews all incoming FLASH and NIACT IMMEDIATE telegrams to ensure they warrant high precedence designators. If S/ES-O determines the originating post misused the high precedence, it will request that the approving officer of the telegram provide an explanatory statement. If the explanation shows communications regulations were not followed, S/ES-O will advise the chief of mission of the originating post.
5 FAH-2 H-238 AND H-239 UNASSIGNED