NAVY ADMIN GUIDE
Navy “By Direction” Signature
“By direction” indicates that a signer is acting under delegated authority. Because that authority comes from command policy or a formal delegation, the phrase should never be inserted automatically just because a prior document used it.
Updated September 12, 2026
Before using “By direction”
- Confirm the signer has current delegated authority
- Confirm the document type is covered by that delegation
- Use the wording required by the command or governing correspondence practice
- Do not copy an old signature block without checking whether the authority still applies
Formatting the block
Once the authority is verified, keep the signer’s name, delegated-authority notation, and any required title aligned consistently with the document format.
MilAdmin safety rule
MilAdmin can format a signature block you provide, but it should not decide that someone has delegated signing authority.