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Letter to the Editor: Please Don’t Utilize That Word!

SUMMARY

NSA old-timers recall a directly worded memo from an NSA director about the use of the word “utilize.”

DOCUMENT’S DATE

Nov 18, 2005

PUBLICLY AVAILABLE

Mar 01, 2018

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Page 1 from Letter to the Editor: Please Don’t Utilize That Word!
DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL (U) Letter to the Editor: Please Don't Utilize That Word! FROM: the editor Unknown Run Date: 11/18/2005 (U) The recent article (U) Acronyms Anonymous touched on the benefits Maj Gen Morrison of using short, simple words over longer ones. This reminded a few readers of a noteworthy NSA memo from many years ago. The memo was issued by NSA's Assistant Director for Production, Maj Gen John E. Morrison, USAF (pictured) on 28 December 1971, and read in its entirety: Subject: Utilization Please stop utilizing "utilize" and utilize "use." (U) Thanks to the Center for Cryptologic History for providing a copy of this memo. See also a bio of Maj Gen Morrison . "(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)." DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108