This document, officially titled "Appointment of Military Postal Clerk, Unit Mail Clerk, or Mail Orderly," is a Department of Defense form used to formally authorize individuals to manage mail within military units.
The appointing official, typically a unit commander or designated officer, fills out and signs the form. The appointee, who may be a postal clerk, unit mail clerk, or mail orderly, also signs to acknowledge their responsibilities under DoD postal regulations.
The form captures the appointee's full name (last, first), rank or grade, DoD ID number, job title, and organizational unit. It also records the types of mail the appointee is authorized to handle, including personal and official mail, with any exceptions clearly noted.
The appointment becomes effective only after the form is validated. Validation requires either an all-purpose date stamp from the servicing postal agency or, for Navy mobile units, the impression of the official unit seal. Without this step, the appointment is not recognized.
To revoke an appointment, the appointing official must notify the mail receiving agency and destroy the returned form. Revocation must be recorded on both the Post Office copy and the Unit File copy to maintain accurate accountability for mail within the military environment.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Form Name | Appointment of Military Postal Clerk, Unit Mail Clerk, or Mail Orderly |
| Issuing Authority | U.S. Department of Defense |
| Form Purpose | Authorizes postal clerks and unit mail handlers in military units |
| Form Length | 2 pages |
| Fillable? | No |
| Avg. time to fill out | 30 sec |
| Other names | dd 285, dd 285 form, dd 285 postal, dd 285 mail, military mail clerk appointment form |