# "v/r" in a business email? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 3, 2004, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379 "2004-02-03T21:51:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/1 "2004-02-03T21:51:10Z")
OK, so I got an email today that went something like this: > [@](#): > > CPL NENNO, > > Bla bla bla bla bla you suck bla bla bla bla. > > v/r > > MSG SNUFFY What’s the v/r mean? This guy loves to be all ‘official’ n stuff. ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/2 "2004-02-03T22:16:49Z")
My best guess is that it’s the “TO/FROM” initials, on a less formal basis. Does your first name start with V and his with an R, or vice versa? ---
**Author:** ![Kymodoce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8797f3/32.png) [@Kymodoce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kymodoce)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/3 "2004-02-03T22:17:57Z")
Virtual Regards? ---
**Author:** ![RedNaxela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ad7895/32.png) [@RedNaxela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedNaxela)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/4 "2004-02-03T22:25:22Z")
Very Respectfully? ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/5 "2004-02-03T22:29:25Z")
> [@BuckleberryFerry](#): > > My best guess is that it’s the “TO/FROM” initials, on a less formal basis. Does your first name start with V and his with an R, or vice versa? No… I’m “B.N.” and he’s “C.B.” ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2004, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/6 "2004-02-03T23:07:12Z")
My experince says “Very Respectfully”, as **RedNaxela** says. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/7 "2004-02-04T00:13:54Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > …What’s the v/r mean? This guy loves to be all ‘official’ n stuff. You’re a corporal in the Army, and you’ve never run across this before? 😉 V/R = “Very Respectfully.” This salutation is properly used for a junior writing to a senior. R/ = “Respectfully.” This salutation is used for a senior writing to a junior. For formal writing, you should write out the salutation. The “V/R” and the “R/” are used for more informal writing, such as e-mail and handwritten notes. R/ robby (LCDR USNR) ---
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/8 "2004-02-04T00:59:04Z")
Interesting, though, that the email the OP received was from a senior rank. But I get emails all the time from generals that include the same “v/r.” So I htink it’s just a common courtesy in closing. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/9 "2004-02-04T03:16:43Z")
> [@robby](#): > > You’re a corporal in the Army, and you’ve never run across this before? 😉 > > V/R = “Very Respectfully.” This salutation is properly used for a junior writing to a senior. > > R/ = “Respectfully.” This salutation is used for a senior writing to a junior. > > For formal writing, you should write out the salutation. The “V/R” and the “R/” are used for more informal writing, such as e-mail and handwritten notes. > > R/ > robby (LCDR USNR) Wow… then our little exchange was all messed up considering he (a MSG) closed with V/R and I closed my reply to his email with “Respectfully” - as I always do. So he should have closed with just an R/ and I should have closed with the V/R. I will keep that in mind. For now on my emails will close with “Very Respectfully” or “V/R”. Funny thats never come up. But not too suprising sense all my emails from superiors are usually VERY informal. Like “whats up! this is what you need for next week… bla bla bla” Thanks guys!! ---
**Author:** ![pronouncedlikewhite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@pronouncedlikewhite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pronouncedlikewhite)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/10 "2017-11-21T18:19:37Z")
Very Respectfully ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/11 "2017-11-21T18:54:29Z")
> [@pronouncedlikewhite](#): > > Very Respectfully You joined this message board just to answer a question that was already correctly answered nearly 14 years ago? 😉 Anyway, welcome to the SDMB! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/12 "2017-11-21T20:11:39Z")
What a blast from the past… ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2017, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/13 "2017-11-22T05:02:39Z")
> [@RedNaxela](#): > > Very Respectfully? That. Read the Kinsey Milhone Alphabet Mystery series. They all end in the format of a private detective’s final report at the conclusion of a case, including the closing “respectfully submitted.” ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2017, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/14 "2017-11-22T05:03:42Z")
> [@robby](#): > > You joined this message board just to answer a question that was already correctly answered nearly 14 years ago? 😉 > > Anyway, welcome to the SDMB! 🙂 Oh, crap. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2017, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/15 "2017-11-22T10:45:45Z")
That idea didn’t last too long. All my “informal” communication tends to end with “regards”, or “best regards”. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2017, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/16 "2017-11-22T11:02:27Z")
13 years Marine Corps, and I never saw that, v/r. Not doubting it, just never saw it. But then again we were in the field a lot, not a lot of time in garrison. And besides, reading and writing wasn’t a class many of us took. **Bullitt** , Gunnery Sergeant, USMC ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2017, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/17 "2017-11-22T16:34:05Z")
The US Air Force guide to professional communications, the _[Tongue and Quill](http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA404949)_ (Warning: PDF), only recommends “Sincerely” as a closing, and only for a professional personal letter. Memoranda of any type (which in my experience is the primary form of on-paper communication) don’t use a closing salutation at all. ---
**Author:** ![GinoC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f4b2a3/32.png) [@GinoC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GinoC)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2017, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/18 "2017-11-23T06:45:00Z")
I know v/r is very commonly used in the USN. I have even seen it creeping into RCN usage in recent years. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2017, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/19 "2017-11-23T18:54:21Z")
Must be a military thing. The US Air Force uses it also. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2017, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379/20 "2017-11-24T16:02:13Z")
Noted that this was answered years ago, but to clarify . . . This is definitely a U.S. Navy thing. Juniors would close a memo, now an email of course with “Vr”, meaning Very respectfully. Seniors would close a email to a junior with an “R,” meaning respectfully. Still used today in the Navy, and was used 30 years ago when I first joined. Sometimes you’ll see a “Wr,” meaning With regard from a senior to a junior, but much less often. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/v-r-in-a-business-email/227379.md?page=2)