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What Does V/R Mean in Military Email? – Military Email Etiquette

Written by Everett Bledsoe / Fact checked by Brain Bartell

what does vr mean in military email

Emails have their own language, and military email is a whole different world. If you are not used to writing and receiving military emails, there will be many phrases and abbreviations that may fly over your head. For example, “What does V/R mean in military email?”

When you finish reading this post, you will be surprised by what VR means in an email. But you will never have to wonder about it again. So, make sure you read this until the very end!

What VR Stands For in an Email…

vr-mean-in-an-email

The VR email signature that you see is an abbreviation. It is short for “very respectfully.” Hence, in the civilian world, it is around the same par as “yours truly,” or “sincerely,” or “lots of love.” However, a crucial difference is that V/R is used to acknowledge position. This means that V/R is only used for emails that are addressed to senior military members or members of the same rank and not those in lower ones.

In communicating with lower ranks, emails often conclude with just a lowercase “r” followed by a “/” as “/r”, which stands for “respectfully.”

Is There Much of a Difference Between V/R and /R as an Email Signature?

You may think that it does not matter too much if the closing remark is with or without a “v”; it is just only one letter, right?

NO!!! Hierarchy is extremely important in the military world. In order to show your respect and abide by the order of the military, you must always refer to ranks correctly.

If you use just “/r,” for someone in a higher rank than yours, you will come across as rude, and the recipient can take offense. It goes without saying that you do NOT want this to happen.

Is the Forward-slash in V/R and /R Really Necessary?

Moreover, you should be sure that you are using “V/R” or “V/r” for higher ranking recipients and “/r” for lower ranking recipients and not just VR or Vr and r. The little details matter. They show whether you are careful and serious, both of which are not taken lightly in the military. If you do not want to appear like you are half-hearted or a slacker, get your closing remarks right.

Plus, without the forward-slash ‘//’), it is possible for recipients to mistake VR as an abbreviation for virtual reality or vertical resolution, which are both technical technology terms.

Although Very Unlikely, if You Are Not Sure What Rank Your Email Recipient Is, Use “V/R”.

Can I Use V/R Outside of the Email, for Instance, in Business Emails?

vr-email-signature

Now, you know the VR meaning in the military. But what about outside of the military? If you end your email with VR, will your recipient understand? Or will they send back an email asking?

  • We think no: Do not use V/R in civilian business emails

The abbreviation V/R is not mainstream or common knowledge. Even though most people can find out what it means without a simple search online, you’re really giving them more work to do. So, we do not recommend using V/R as your closing remark or email signature unless you know that the person on the other end knows exactly what you mean.

If you are just transitioning out of military life and into civilian life, carrying the abbreviation V/R into your emails a couple of times makes it an honest mistake. But you should not brush it under the carpet if you have been told it is confusing. Then, you will just be known as the “VR” weirdo in the office. Or, if people do understand it but have pointed out it is not necessary and you continue to use it, you will very likely be deemed pretentious.

It is best to use the spelled-out form “very respectfully,” or “respectfully.” In this case, the former is more formal while the latter is a bit more casual but still professional. It is also straightforward so there is no chance for misinterpretation or ambiguity.

Some Alternatives to V/R in Business Emails…

Instead of the spelled-out form of V/R “very respectfully” or /R “respectfully,” you can use any of the following “formal but not too formal” alternatives as an email signature or closing remark in your business emails, instead:

  • Yours faithfully,
  • Yours sincerely,
  • Yours truly,
  • Regards,
  • Best,
  • All the best,
  • Lots of love,

Conclusion

So, as you have read, the answer to, “What does V/R mean in military email? ” is very respectful. It is an abbreviation to close up an email in the military. V/R is used to acknowledge position as well as address email recipients of a higher rank. On the other hand, /r, short for respectfully, is used by senior military members when sending emails to those in lower ranks.

In the civilian world, the equivalent is “best,” “sincerely,” or “kind regards.” Hopefully, you have picked up enough information from this article. Let us know if you have any other questions in the comments below. We would love to hear from you! Also, please help us share this article with other readers, such as your friends and family!

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