Robert Hickey's Blog on How to Address Former US Officials

Abbess,
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Accountant
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Admiral, Rear
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   or Lt. Gov.
First Lieutenant
Flag Protocol
Former Officials
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Geshe
General
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Girl
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Honorable, The
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Honourable, The

Indian Chief
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Justice, Associate
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Justice, Associate
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King
Knight

Late, The
   (deceased persons)
Lawyer
Lieutenant
Lieutenant Colonel,
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Lieutenant General,
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Lieutenant Governor

Major
   USA, USAF, USMC
Major General,
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Man, business
Man, social
Marquess or Marchioness
Married Women
Marshal for a
   Judicial District, U.S.
Mayor, U.S. City
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Mayor Pro Tempore
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Medic
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Miss
Monk,
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Most Reverend, The
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Mr. (Social)
Mr. (Business)
Mrs.
Mr. & Mrs. / Couples
Ms.

Name Tags
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Nurse

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PhD
Place Cards
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Post-Nominal
    Abbreviations
Presbyter, Orthodox
President, corporate
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President (current)
   of the U.S.A.
President (former)
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President-elect
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Queen

Rabbi
Ranger, Texas
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Retired Military
   1. Formula For
   How to Address
   2. Q&A / Blog On
       Use of Rank by
       Retired Military
   3. Q&A / Blog on
       How to Address
       Retired Military
Reverend, The
Right Reverend, The

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Surgeon General

Texas Ranger
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The Honorable
Tribal Officials
Two Titles,
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US Attorney
US Federal Officials
US State Officials
US Municipal Officials

Venerable, The
Veteran (not Retired)
Veterinarian
Very Reverend, The
Vice Mayor
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Spouse of the
    Vice President
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Vice President-elect
    of the U.S.
Viscount and/or
   Viscountess

Warrant Officer
Widow
White House Staff
Woman, business
Woman, social

How to Address Former Officials
Questions & Answers, Frequently Asked Questions, and Blog

Site updated by Robert Hickey on February 7, 2012

How to Address Retired Military Personnel?
Questions about how to address retired officers and enlisted personnel are among the most frequent questions I get. Check out either of the two pages for additional information:

Link to Q&A just on how to address retired military personnel

Link to Q&A just on use of rank by retired military & veterans

Link to Q&A just on Joint Forms of Address
(Includes military personnel and their spouses)

How to Address a Corporate Executive
Who Use to Be Something Else?
In correspondence to a retired major general who is works for a state agency, what is the protocol for addressing them in their civilian capacity?
-- Kim

How do you address a letter a former ambassador who is now a chief executive officer of a company?
-- Toni

Dear Kim & Toni,
     Sometimes officials get a form of address that they keep when they leave office. Both of these former officials attained a personal rank, and ranks can follow them after they leave office. Here are the details:
      1) Military Officers: Department of Defense documents state when retired officers go into post-retirement jobs they should not use their rank in their new employment. The DoD guidelines suggest retired officers should not be addressed by rank in any situation which might look like they are seeking some personal benefit due active-duty personnel. Typically they use "Mr." professionally. Personally and socially they use their rank with their name ... i.e., when issuing a daughter's wedding invitation.
      2) Ambassadors: A former ambassador might likewise choose to use "Mr." in a business job, since having served as an ambassador might not be pertinent. But, most ambassadors I've met continue to prefer to be addressed as Ambassador (Name) in every situation, forever.
      3) What to do? Since you are writing to the person ... address him/her like he/she likes to be addressed. Sometimes you can Google the organization's website and see how he/she is identified on their biography. Often I can tell what's their preference from the way the text is written. The foolproof method is to call their office and find out if they prefer "General" "Ambassador" or "Mr."
       -- Robert Hickey

Is a Former President
Addressed as President (name)?
I have been directing people to refer the current president as "The President" per Letitia Baldridge's book. And to refer to former presidents as President (last name). Is that correct or am confused?
--- Anna McDonald, Stafford, Virginia

Dear Ms. McDonald:

THE CURRENT PRESIDENT
   I agree with Ms. Baldridge ... the current President is referred to as "The President". E.g., you would say The President will arrive in 10 minutes or Good evening Mr. President ... Both of those are perfect.
   All this is covered in my book by the way:

    President of the United States
    Note: While the President is referred to as President (surname) in the media, the President’s name is never used in his or her presence.
    Envelope, official:
        The President
            The White House
                Washington, DC 20500
    Letter salutation: Dear Mr./Madam President:
    Conversation: Mr./Madam President

A FORMER PRESIDENT
   This issue is complicated since we hear former President's referred to as President Clinton and President Bush on the media all the time; Here's what is actually correct:
    Former President of the United States
    Envelope, official:
        The Honorable
            (Full name)
                (Address)
    Letter salutation: Dear Mr./Ms. (surname):
    Conversation: Mr./Ms. (surname)

    This is the traditional approach for any office of which there is only one office-holder at a time. So, with officials such as mayors, governors or presidents ... only the current office holder is addressed as Mr. Mayor, Governor, or Mr. President ... formers are not officially addressed that way.
    That's not to say some reporter might not call a former mayor Mayor Smith or a former president President (Surname) ... but formally and officially these are incorrect.
    With offices of which are many office-holders at a time ... senators, admirals, judges, etc. ... former office holders DO continue to be formally address in the former style, since it's not disrespectful to a singular, current office holder.
     To explain the correct form I would say "using the title of a former position is flattering to the former official and he or she may not correct you, but is not respectful to the current office holder. There's only one "(name of the office)" at a time."
      -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Former President
of the United States in Conversation?
   Greeting from Canada. I will meet President Clinton in a few weeks in person. What would I call him when I meet him or when I introduce others to him: Mr. Clinton, or President Clinton? Thanks for your help.
        -- Politico, Toronto

Hi Politico:
    Our former Presidents of the United States are most formally directly addressed as Mr. (Name) ... not as President (name) ... and they are identified as "the former President of the United States".
    You will hear the media say President Clinton in a news story to be clear who is being discussed, and because the media does it, that form is widely thought by many to be the correct form of address. But it's not the traditional form.
    The correct form for formal introduction -- e.g. from a podium before his speech to the audience would be something like ... It is my pleasure to introduce The Honorable William Jefferson Clinton -- but you wouldn't address him that way in conversation.
    In conversation address him as Mr. Clinton. In an introduction to just one person you can say Mr. Clinton may I present...
        -- Robert Hickey

How to Address Former President Bill Clinton,
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,
Chelsea & Chelsea's fiancé?
     Hi, Robert! As you know, I sing with Lionheart – and we sang at the Metropolitan Museum of Art last night. We were surprised by some special audience members – Bill and Hillary Clinton, Chelsea and Chelsea's fiancé.
    Lionheart would like to send them a note thanking them for coming to come hear us. To whom should it be addressed? and what would be the proper salutation? I know it's “Mr. Clinton” and not “President Clinton”, but I'm not sure how to handle a mix of current office-holder, past President, daughter and daughter's fiancé all at once: “Dear Clintons,”?
   -- Kurt-Owen Richards, The bass-baritone in Lionheart

Hi Kurt:
It’s great that the Clintons came to hear you. I enjoyed your concert at The Cloisters earlier this month.
    This is probably the most frequently asked question I get, though you are the FIRST PERSON who wasn't asking it as a rhetorical question!
    The Clintons: For a social envelope it would be ....
        The Honorable William Clinton
            The Honorable Hillary Clinton
                and Ms. Chelsea Clinton
                    (Address)
    You could add "Jefferson" -- his middle name ... and "Rodham" to hers if you want to.
    The salutation would be
            Dear Mr. Clinton, Madame Secretary, and Ms. Clinton,
    Bill is first because former Presidents are #5 on the White House Precedence List ... and current Secretaries of State are #6. I include a version of the White House Precedence List in my book to look up precisely this kind of thing.
    The Fiance: His note would be addressed to him individually since he’s not a member of the family (yet). You don’t mention his name (I don’t know it and didn’t know she was engaged, actually) but he’d be a “Mr. (full name)” unless you know he’s a “Dr.” or something. If you don’t know his address mentioning his presence in the note to the Clintons would probably do.
        -- Robert Hickey

How to Address an Invitation's Inside Envelope
to The Clintons?
Dear Mr. Hickey,
       I just received your book and it is a wealth of information! I am addressing a wedding invitation to the Clinton's. I understand, per your answer, that the outer envelope would be addressed as follows:
    The Honorable
       William Jefferson Clinton
    and The Honorable
        Hillary Rodham Clinton
Would the inner envelope be addressed Mr. and Mrs. Clinton?
    -- Many thanks, Claudia

Dear Ms. Engle
    Really happy you are finding the book useful. Since you have it ... here's where where you should look to find the answers to your questions:
    Refer to the precedence on page 122 to see that a former President has higher precedence than a current Secretary of State, so you know whose name goes first.
    See on page 167 for the inside-envelope form for a former president
    See on page 170 for the inside-envelope form for the inside envelope for a secretary of a department.
    Having looked that those .... you would write:
       Mr. Clinton and The Secretary of State
-- Robert Hickey

How To List an Former President of the United States?
      Thank you for your site. I find it very useful. We have an event coming up in May and I want to be sure I have listed the public officials correctly in the program. I’m not quite sure how to list former President George W. Bush. My inclination is to list him has Former President George W. Bush. Is this correct? Your advice is greatly appreciated!
          -- SS., American Wind Energy Association, Washington, DC

Dear SS:
     Listing officials in a program is a bit different that addressing them directly, but if you want to use the form used in direct address ... it is absolutely O.K.
     Former presidents are The Honorable:
   The Honorable George W. Bush
     Not sure you need to identify that he's a former president .... but if you need to list something after his name, consider ...
   43rd President of the United States
   Former President of the United States
   President of the United States, 2001-2009
    Let me know it this helps. I hate being left in the dark!
          -- Robert Hickey

How to Refer to a Former
President and First Lady in Text?
      I was thrilled to get your book as a gift. I am enlisting your advice on the correct way to phrase the following message:
    [Company X ] commends the leadership, dedication, and commitment of former president George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush in their efforts to provide hope for cancer patients in their fight against cancer.
           -- Nelson Jacques

Dear Mr. Jacques:
    Most formally it would be:
    The [Company X] commends the leadership, dedication, and commitment of The Honorable George W. Bush and Mrs. Bush in their efforts to provide hope for cancer patients in their fight against cancer.
    1. It's not necessary to identify that he was The President and she was the First Lady.
    2. Like Hilary Clinton, Mrs. Bush liked to be referred to by her first and last name .... "Laura Bush" .... so also consider:
    The [Company X] commends the leadership, dedication, and commitment of The Honorable George W. Bush and Laura Bush in their efforts to provide hope for cancer patients in their fight against cancer.
         -- Robert Hickey

How to Refer to a
Former President of the United States?
Mr. Hickey, I learned forms of address before there were television "readers' who changed har-rass;' to har'-rass, gri-mace" to grim'ace, recently tried to change distri'-buted to "dis'-tributed" and spoke of then-president of the United States George W. Bush as "Mr. Bush", yet called former President Clinton, "President Clinton."
      In the 1940s, I was taught that judges and senators were entitled to continue using their titles because there are many judges and senators, but since there is only one president at a time, a former president resumed an earlier title held by him. Thus, it is correct to refer to William Jefferson Clinton as "former President of the United States," but one should address him as "Governor Clinton."
       You, I am certain, are much younger than I (practically everyone is!) and more cognizant of today's forms of address, so I would appreciate it if you would bring me up to date.
              --- Mrs. S.L.S.
 
Hi Mrs. S.L.S.
    What you hear in the media are not forms of address: they are reporters specifying for clarity in the third person a person in the context of their story. So, referring to "President Clinton" "President Kennedy" and "President Obama" are all clear ways of referring to a person in a written story or newscast.
    In direct address "Mr. President" is still correct ... and IS USED CURRENTLY at the White House by The President's staff, government officials, and members of the diplomatic corp.
    The one-at-a-time rule continues to be correct.
    Eisenhower went back to "General Eisenhower" -- as you note -- there are plenty of generals. Plenty of admirals, senators, and judges too.
     In Arkansas there is only one Governor at a time so I wouldn't call him "Governor Clinton" The correct form of direct address would be "Mr. Clinton." In a formal introduction from a podium you could identify him as The Honorable (full name), former Governor of Arkansas (year-to-year) and the 42nd President of the United States.
    Note: There's a concept of a 'courtesy title' in which the continued use of an official honorific is circumstantial: some officials do just love to keep their titles as "a courtesy." I understand that Nixon was called "Mr. President" by his staff in private for the remainder of his life. But in Washington, in the presence of a current president, he would have been "Mr. Nixon."
    OR -- I've seen Newt Gingrich referred to on the Sunday morning news shows as "Speaker Gingrich." It is wrong. He was "Mr. Speaker." Now he is "Mr. Gingrich, former Speaker of the House." I am certain he knows it's not correct, but for whatever reason he did not correct them.
   -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Former Foreign President?
We are heading to Russia tomorrow and we have their former president, Mikhail Gorbachev, attending a dinner we are hosting. What is the appropriate title for him, given that he is a former President?
-- Going to Moscow

Dear Going to Moscow:
       Address him as "Mr. Gorbachev", and identify him as "the former president of ... " It's considered disrespectful to current heads of government to address former head of government by their former forms of address.
       If you meet the current president, FYI, Russians do not address their national officials with courtesy titles. I checked with every embassy and included detailed information one each: the info is on the Russian Federation is on page 511.
       -- Robert Hickey

How Do I Introduce a Former British Prime Minister?
How Do I Introduce a Former Mexican President?
       In the case of wishing to introduce the former British Prime Minister and former President of Mexico during a spoken address, what's the right form?
   --- Katherine Littefield, New York

Dear Ms. Littlefield:
    FYI, I cover all this in my book: the UK, Mexico and more than 180 other countries.
You didn't mention which individuals, but I am going to answer using Tony Blair and Vicente Fox. If you were going to introduce them to the audience -- here are some good forms:
    Tony Blair would be The Right Honourable Tony Blair, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 1997 to 2007. A British prime minister will have been appointed to the Privy Council, and as a Privy Counsellor is The Right Honourable for life.
    Vicente Fox would be Vicente Fox, President of the United States of Mexico from 2000-2006. Mexicans don't use the courtesy titles when addressing their officials, so I'd use just (first name)+(last name) for Vincente Fox.
Of course you could describe them as formers. Or the United States we identify former Presidents by their number, e.g., the 43rd President. But maybe including the years provides a bit more information? So, do it however you like.
    Using the formal country names (e.g., United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) is correct .... just like we most formally say "The President of the United States of America."
   -- Robert Hickey

How to Write a Place Card for a Former Speaker of the House of Representatives?
Dear Mr. Hickey:
What is the proper form of to put on a place card for former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich? Can I write the card as "Speaker Gingrich"?
   --- Sarah Buchanan

Dear Ms. Buchanan.
         Former Speaker Newt Gingrich;s place card should be Mr. Gingrich rather than "Speaker Gingrich" in spite of what might hear on "Meet The Press" or "Face the Nation".
   -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Former State Attorney General?
Dear Mr. Hickey:
What is the proper form of address for former state attorney general?
   --- J.H. in the office of an attorney general and associate attorney general

Dear J.H.:
    In the United States, if he/she was an “Honorable" when in office, in writing he/she will continue to be “The Honorable (full name)” for the rest of his/her life.
    In conversation, address a former state attorney general as “Mr./Ms. (name)”. In a state there is only one attorney general at a time. Former officials who hold a title of which there is more than one at a time -- retired judges, retired ambassadors, retired generals, retired senators and many others -- use their “title” in every situation for the rest of their lives, but attorney generals don't use anything except "Mr./Ms.".
    All this assuming he/she left office under good terms. Those who leave a high office in disgrace do not continue to be addressed as "The Honorable."
   -- Robert Hickey

How to Orally Address a Former Secretary of State?
     First, if you were working with a former secretary, say former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, would you still address her as Madame Secretary? I think now that she's out of office she will be just Ms. Rice, or perhaps Dr. Rice -- the form of address she had before she took office and was on the faculty of Stanford University. Right?
     Second, if I am right, how do you delicately inform an executive who strongly feels she is still "Secretary Rice"?
   --- Kelly Roberts McLean

Dear Ms. McLean:
   You are right. She is officially "Dr./Ms. Rice" in direct address and identified as the Secretary of State from 2005-2009.
    To explain the correct form I would say "There are some positions of which former office holders continue to be addressed with an honorific of their former position: senators, ambassadors, and generals, for example. But there's only one Secretary of State at a time, and only the current office holder is addressed using the forms of address due the office. Using the forms of address with a former position is extending the courtesies of the office, which they might find flattering, but it is not respectful the current office holder."
   -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Former Governor Who Held Other Positions?
My former boss passed away last week. He was a U.S. Senator and a two time Oklahoma Governor. He was a Governor, Senator, then Governor. We are debating how to refer to him in programs and announcements -- as Senator -- the higher office or as Governor -- the last office? Thanks!
-- Just Wondering in Oklahoma

Dear JWIO:
   Think about it in the most formal way: would a former governor be called Governor (name) in the presence of the current governor? He would not.
     Former governors are not 'officially' addressed as Governor (name) because there is only one Governor of a state at a time ... and doing do is not respectful of the state's current governor.
     This holds true for other offices where there is a single office holder ... The Speaker of the House ... the Mayor of a City .... the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
     WHEREAS there are many senators, admirals, judges, ambassadors at a time ... so calling a former office holder by one of those titles is not in conflict with a current office holder.
     So most correctly he is addressed by his highest, non-exclusive honorific:
                Senator (Name) a man who served as Governor twice ...
    When Dwight Eisenhower left the presidency he went back to General Eisenhower.
    That's also what Albert Gore has done ... he's back to Senator Gore, because he can't be Mr. Vice President.
     Bill Clinton and George W. Bush don't have a title to go back to so they are both "Mr."
     ... and Colin Powell is not longer Mr. Secretary or Secretary Powell ... He's back to General Powell.
   -- Robert Hickey

Robert
Yea! I knew it! In Oklahoma, every person who is a former governor is called governor by those who address him in every social setting I am attending. Do the Okie's just not know any better? They are not doing this in front of current Governor, just in the addressing of any former governor. So, if I see former governor what do I call him?

     It's not just the Okie's ... it just people repeating what they hear the newscasters say.
     If you had been President of some local club ... there would doubtlessly be someone who would continue to call you President (Your Last Name) just to flatter you. Not technically or traditionally correct ... but it happens.
     I have seen hosts of the Sunday morning programs interview Newt Gingrich and call him Speaker Gingrich ... it's not right, but when I observed, he did not correct them on air.
     I see people doing lots of ill advised things ... that they do them -- doesn't make them right. They are either lazy or don't know any better.
     If you meet a former governor and call him "Mr." it won't offend him ... because he will know what's right.
   -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Former Governor in Conversation?
I read a story recently which said that the organizers of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin’s book tour have asked the public to address her as “Governor Palin” at her book signings. Is that proper?
-- William Perry

Dear Mr. Perry:
    It's not traditionally correct. Officially is back to Ms. Palin.
    She is not correctly addressed as Mayor Palin because Wasilla has a new mayor, and she is not addressed as Governor Palin because Alaska has a new governor.
    Here is the tradition behind this: Jobs of which there is only one at a time ... Governor, Mayor, President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, Chairman of a Board, .... do not continue to be directly addressed in writing or conversation by their former "office" because it is not respectful to the current office holder and confusing to those in the (organization/state/whatever) as to who is currently in charge.
    Jobs of which many hold the same office at the same time DO continue to be addressed by their former honorific ... Senator, Judge, Captain, Admiral, General, Professor .... after leaving their position.
    Having worked with many 'formers' I find that 99% of the time they know their correct honorific. But the handlers may not know what's correct and encourage the reference to the former position -- which I suspect is the case here.
   -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Letter to a Former Governor?
Dear Mr. Hickey:
    What is the proper form of address when writing a letter to a former Governor? When he calls, he says "This is Governor (surname)” even though he is no longer the Governor. I have made it “The Honorable (full name)” in the letter's address block, and “Dear Governor (surname)” in the salutation. Sound right?
   --- Lonnie Sue Reardon

Dear Ms. Reardon:
   In the letter’s address block a former governor is
            The Honorable (full name).
   In the saluation use:
            Dear Mr./Ms./Dr./General/Judge/Senator/etc. (name):
   Former office holders go back to whatever they were before they were governor. Only a Governor in office is formally and officially addressed as Governor (name).  The reason? There is only one Governor at at time, and it's not respectful of the current office holder to refer to former office holders as it they were still in office.
    I know we hear newscasters referring to former governors as "Governor." But officially is incorrect.
   -- Robert Hickey

   But in this case I know he still want's to be addressed as "Governor"?
   --- Lonnie Sue Reardon

I wonder if he calls the current governor and identifies himself as "Governor"?
    If we met and you introduce yourself as Monsignor Lonnie Sue I would think hummmm, a monsignor is Catholic priest and is always man. So I would think it is unlikely you are a monsignor. And you are just using your given name ... like Cher, Fabian, or Sting ... which also strikes me as a bit odd for a monsignor.
   But, I'd call you Monsignor Lonnie Sue in you presence. You say it's your name and it's not up to me to decide what your name is.
   If I knew this former governor wanted to be addressed as "Governor" I'd do it for him, however I wouldn’t think he changed what was correct.
   -- Robert Hickey

             NOTE: I got an interesting e-mail from H.D. about
             my advice on addressing Monsignor Lonnie Sue.
             Click here to read his note.

How to Address an Invitation to a Former Mayor?
Hi Robert:
I am addressing an invitation to a former mayor. How do I correctly do that??
--- Karen Szczpanski

Hi Karen:
      Address the invitation's envelope line-for-line like this:
                The Honorable (Full name)
                     Address
         If your invitation has an inside envelope use this:
                    Mr./Mrs./Dr./etc. (Surname):
        Sometimes you will see or hear former mayors addressed as Mayor (name) but it is not correct, Address a former mayor as Mr./Ms./Dr./etc. (whatever honorific they had before becoming mayor) (Name). The reason? In a city there is only one mayor at a time. It's not respectful to the current officer holder, and is potentially confusing to be addressing more than one person as Mayor (Name).
       This contrasts with officials of which there is more than one office holder at a time -- e.g, there are many judges, ambassadors, generals, admirals, professors, senators etc. at a time -- and these former office holders DO use their (Professional Honorific)+(Name) in every situation for the rest of their lives.
    And one more question: did the mayor leave office on good terms? Those who leave a high office in disgrace do not continue to be addressed as The Honorable.
      -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Former Member of the House of Representatives?
       I am meeting one of our former congressional representatives next week, and I am wondering if it is still appropriate to address them as Congressman or Representative, even though they have been voted out of office?
        -- Peter Michaels

Dear Mr, Michaels:
     Short answer is that Mr./Ms./Mrs./Dr. (name) is the absolutely correct way to address a former member of the House of Representatives.
    Now for a longer answer:
     #1 Current members of the US House address each other as Mr./Ms./Mrs./Dr. (name). That's the tradition. They don't use "Congressman" or "Represetative" as an honorific.
      So most formally you may address both current and former congressional representative as Mr./Ms./Mrs./Dr. (name), If you introduce a former member to someone ... you could then add that he/she was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 19XX to 20XX for the XXX Congressional District of (State)... or something similiar.
       I've spoken to many Members of the House Representatives on just this point and while some like prefer "Representative (name)" or "Congressman (name)" .... all agree that Mr./Ms./Mrs. (name) is absolutely correct.
     #2 On the other hand ... just to make sure everyone knows who they are .... current members do not object to being addressed as Representative (name) and Congressman (name). I'd describe that as a "practice" ... it's unofficial ... and done at the preference of the individual. It's not a rule one can safely apply to all.
    But after all that -- former members don't get a special honorific.
         -- Robert Hickey

How To Address a Former Congressman with Degrees?
Dear Mr. Hickey
We need the correct salutation for a former congressman who may or may not have a formal Ph.D. but who has 45 honorary degrees. Do we address him in a personal invitation as Dear “Dr. Surname”, “Mr. Surname”, “Congressman”, or drop the “Dear” altogether and put instead “To The Honorable First Name, Last Name”?
-- Nancy Calvin

Dear Ms. Calvin,
    Holders of an honorary doctorate do not use "Dr." as an honorific.
    I avoid "Congressman" or "Representative" unless I knew it was his preference. Most formally former members of the US House of Representatives are in conversation and in a salutation as Mr./Ms./Mrs. (name).
    Use "The Honorable (Full Name)" on his envelope and the address block of the letter. He's "the Honorable" for life.
    If this is complicated, see pages 180-181 of my book. It's all layed out in black and white there.
    -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Retired Sheriff
       I will be sending a letter to a retired sheriff. In the heading, he will be addressed as The Honorable Joseph Smith. Should the salutation read: Dear Sheriff Smith:?
       -- Gordon Ring

Dear Mr. Ring:
       When there is only one official holding an office at a time ... just one Mayor, one Chief of Police, one Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, one Speaker of the House, one President of the United States ... former office holders don't continue the use of their former office's honorific.
    Whereas ... Generals, Admiral, Judges, Senators ... of which there are many all at the same time ... DO continue to use their office's honorific in retirement.
    So ... Yes now and forever he will be addressed as The Honorable Joseph Smith .... but only the current sheriff would be addressed as Dear Sheriff (surname). So ... in the salutation use Dear Mr. Smith.
    That's not to say friends and acquaintances might not call him Sheriff informally and socially and to flatter him, but at the Court House he is definitely Mr.
         -- Robert Hickey

Referring to Former Officials
     by their Former Office in the Third Person?
       One thing I find missing is how one should reference a former United States Official in descriptive text or to a third party. I notice that former Governor Huckabee is always introduced as Governor Huckabee on his TV show. Is this correct, incorrect, or optional? I assume it is correct to use their official titles when describing their actions in office.
        -- MLB

Dear MLB:
     Mike Huckabee would not be referred to as "Governor Huckabee" at the Governor's Mansion, in Washington, D.C., at the State Capital, or in the U.S. Capital. He'd be "Mike Huckabee, former Governor of ..." or "Mr. Huckabee."
    Perhaps the producers of the show are concerned everyone won't know who he is?
    Former officials who hold a position of which there is more than one at a time -- retired judges, retired ambassadors, retired generals, retired senators, retired bishops etc. -- use their “title” in every situation for the rest of their lives. But officials of which there there is only one at a time (The Governor, The President of the United States, The Speaker of the House, The Secretary of State, The Surgeon General ...) don't continue use of their former title. They use what they were entitled before taking the one-at-a-time position. E.g., Dwight Eisenhower in retirement went back to "General Eisenhower" He was no longer The President". Same with Colin Powell ... he's no longer "Mr. Secretary" or "Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff" ... he's General Powell. Bill Clinton is now "Mr. Clinton." When you hear a TV journalist saying "President Clinton" it's a short-hand third-person phrase to quickly tell the viewer who is being discussed. It's not a form of address.
         -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Former Member of a City Council?
How do you address a letter to a former city council person?
-- Zoning on AOL

Dear Zoning:
    The rule is "once an Honorable, always an Honorable." So anyone elected to public office would be addressed (forever) on the envelope and on the letter as:
        The Honorable (First name + Last Name)
            (Address)
Note however:
    1) Not all municipalities of address the members of their council as "The Honorable." Most due, but some don't. So if you know he or she wasn't addressed that way (by local tradition) while in office I wouldn't do it now.
    2) "The Honorable" would always be used when writing the person as a former member of the city council, or if the letter is completely social -- like a wedding invitation.
    However If he/she is your insurance broker, and you are writing to him/her about a claim from a flood in your basement, you might just use "Mr./Ms. (full name)."
         -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Retired Police Officer or Fire Fighter?
      How would you address a retired county or municipal police officer or fire fighter?
      Would you follow the same rules as one would with retired armed services officials since many public safety organizations are para-military and follow a similar rank structure as our armed services?
      Would it be proper to use LAPD Captain Robert Esposito, (Retired)
     -- ALR

Dear ALR,
   If a police officer in the police or fire department wants to continue using his/her rank it's totally at his/her preference.
       In speaking to some Police organizations they tell me that sometimes retired officials DO use their ranks in the context of "being a retired officer" (e.g., at a retired officer's meeting) ... and they may use is socially among friends and family.
     But if they take another job they DON'T use their rank in a civilian work situation. This is the same as the armed services which prohibit retired personnel from using ranks or ratings at another form of work. You can't have a retired Air Force officer now working for Boeing, selling planes to the Air Force and wanting to be addressed by rank!
      And detectives often don't use their rank at any time not wanting to draw attention to their work.
      In terms of style, the name would be written on official documents like this
                Captain Robert Esposito, LAPD Retired
                 or
                Captain Robert Esposito, LAPD Ret.
      These are the forms all the style manuals use for official mail.
      Neither "LAPD" nor the "Retired" is noted on social correspondence.
      -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a former Vice President?
How do I address the envelope and what is the proper salutation and closing on the thank you note to Dick Cheney ... the former vice president of the United States?
-- About to write a letter

Dear ATWAL:
   While in office vice presidents are addressed as Mr. Vice President and they don't continue that when they leave office.
     Envelope and address block on the letter:
   The Honorable (Full Name)
       (Address)
     The salutation would depend on what their highest former honorific.
   * Dick Cheney's was "Mr." so he is: Dear Mr. Cheney:
   * Walter Mondale and Albert Gore both went back to their highest former honorific ... Dear Senator (surname): ... which is used by former Senators.
     For the closing use the very formal: Very Respectfully,
   -- Robert Hickey

Not Finding Your Question Answered?
Below are other topics covered in my blog. If you don't see your question answered send me an e-mail. I am pretty fast at sending a reply and if I think It would be of interest to others, I will post the question and the answer with all the names and personal specifics removed.
-- Robert Hickey

USE OF NAMES & HONORIFICS
Mr., Miss, Jr., III, & Names
Married Women
Deceased Persons
People with Two Titles
Post-Nominal Abbreviations and Initials
Joint Forms of Address    (How to address a couple?)

USE OF SPECIFIC OFFICIAL TITLES
Former Officials
Professionals and Academics

United States Federal Officials, Currently In Office
United States State Officials, Currently In Office
United States Municipal Officials, Currently In Office
       All About The Honorable with U.S. Officials
       Former United States Officials of all types
United States Armed Services, Active Duty
   Addressing Retired Personnel
       Use of Rank by Retired Personnel
       Use of Rank by Veterans

Tribal Officials
Clergy and Religious Officials
Canadian Officials
Australian Officials
British Officials, Royalty, and Nobility
Diplomats and International Representatives
Foreign National Officials and Nobility

SPECIFIC SITUATIONS
Etiquette
Flags: Traditions and Protocol
Introductions
Invitations: Writing & Addressing
Invitations: Just Armed Service Personnel
Name Tags
Names on Programs, Signs, & Lists
Place Cards
Precedence: Ordering Officials
Thank You Notes

Site updated by Robert Hickey on February 7, 2012

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Robert Hickey is the author of Honor & Respect:
The Official Guide to Names, Titles, and Forms of Address
Published by The Protocol School of Washington®
Foreword by Pamela Eyring

Contact the Author Link to The Protocol School of Washington