THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD ATTENDEES
Headquarters
Department of the Army
Washington, DC
14 June 2021
Army Regulation 25-38
Effective 14 July 2021

Information Management: Printing and Distribution
Army Printing and Distribution Program

By Order of the Secretary of the Army:

JAMES C. MCCONVILLE
General, United States Army
Chief of Staff

Official:

MARK F. AVERILL
Administrative Assistant to the
Secretary of the Army

History. This publication is an administrative revision. The portions affected by this administrative revision are listed in the summary of change page.

Authorities. This regulation prescribes Army policy for printing and distribution. It implements Title 44, United States Code; the Government Printing and Binding Regulations published by the Congressional Joint Committee on Printing; DoDD 5205.02E, DoDI 5230.09, DoDI 5230.24, DoDI 5230.29, DoDI 5330.03, and DoDI 7750.07.

Applicability. This regulation applies to the Regular Army, the Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States, and the U.S. Army Reserve, unless otherwise stated.

Proponent and exception authority. The proponent of this regulation is the Chief Information Officer. The proponent has the authority to approve exceptions or waivers to this regulation that are consistent with controlling law and regulations. The proponent may delegate this approval authority, in writing, to a division chief within the proponent agency or its direct reporting unit or field operating agency, in the grade of colonel or the civilian equivalent. Activities may request a waiver to this regulation by providing justification that includes a full analysis of the expected benefits and must include formal review by the activity's senior legal officer. All waiver requests will be endorsed by the commander or senior leader of the requesting activity and forwarded through higher headquarters to the policy proponent. Refer to AR 25-30 for specific requirements.

Army internal control process. This regulation contains internal control provisions in accordance with AR 11-2 and identifies key internal controls that must be evaluated (see app B).

Suggested improvements. Users are invited to send comments or suggested improvements on DA FormDA FormDepartment of the Army form 2028 (Recommended Changes to Publications and Blank Forms) via email to usarmy.pentagon.hqda-cio.mbx.policy-inbox@army.mil.

Distribution. This regulation is available in electronic media only and is intended for the Regular Army, the Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States, and the U.S. Army Reserve.

AR 25-38 • 14 June 2021

UNCLASSIFIED

Army doctrine publication Fundamental principles, with supporting tactics, techniques, procedures, and terms and symbols, used for the conduct of operations and as a guide for actions of operating forces, and elements of the institutional force that directly support operations in support of national objectives.

Binding The work involved in and the equipment used for finishing books, pamphlets, or single sheets of paper after the presswork is completed. Binding processes include gluing, drilling, punching, sewing, stitching, collating, folding, cutting, trimming, covering, stamping, lettering, and related operations. Neither office operations, such as staple fastening nor the hand-operated devices designed for this use are included in this term.

Change A separate publication containing amendments in the form of deletions, or additions to portions of a previ- ously issued publication. Changes are no longer published for DA authenticated administrative publica- tions.

Composition The process for composing material by hot-metal, cold-type, photocomposition, or electronic means. Composition also includes any method of providing justified right margins and producing camera-ready copy, negatives, a plate, or an image when such material is to be used to produce printing.

Continuation sheets Note pages that provides additional writing space for the user. Typically, they are used in cases where the amount of writing space required is unknown and can vary from a few lines to several pages

Copyright An exclusive right granted by law to an author to protect an original work of authorship. These works can be literary, musical, dramatic, choreographic, pictorial, graphic, sculptural, or audiovisual. Examples of works that may be copyrighted include written or printed material, motion pictures, sound recordings, and material stored in a computer and readable only by machine.

Department of the Army publication An Army document that applies to two or more agencies or commands not in the same reporting structure that is DA authenticated and published.

Departmental forms All forms distributed Armywide, including DA forms, DD forms, SFs, and optional forms.

Departmental printing All printing for use Armywide regardless of place of origin and/or printing of a publication that applies to two or more agencies or commands not in the same reporting structure and is DA authenticated and pub- lished. DA publications that contain Army doctrine. Doctrine publications consist of ADPs, FMs, and Army training programs. The Army also uses and contributes to other doctrine publications, to include Joint publications (JPs), multi-Service publications, and multinational publications.

Doctrine, training, and organizational publications Publications that contain the doctrine, organization, tactics, techniques, and procedures adopted for use in training individuals and units of the Army and that provide guidance for units operating in the field.

Electronic compact disc–read only memory copies An electronic collection of all Surface Deployment and Distribution Command Transportation Engineering Agency publications on one CD – ROM. Some of the publications have large file sizes which limits the abil- ity to email the documents to customers. Also, the equipment transportability characteristics database fills an entire CD – ROM by itself.

Electronic printing That portion of electronic publishing including composition, reproduction, finishing, and general distribu- tion of information produced by means of high-speed (60 copies per minute and more) imaging without a plate using non-impact methods on paper, film, magnetic, or optical media.

Electronic publication Generally a digitized version of a paper publication in either a formatted or reflowable text file format. In- ternal hyperlinks may be added to all publications. External hyperlinks may only be added to administra- tive and training and doctrinal publications.

Electronic publishing An electronic means for producing a digitized version of a publication in either formatted or reflowable text file format, encompassing all aspects of the document publishing process, including creation, design, and capture of text and graphics; composition; editing; storage; transfer; printing; and distribution.

Electronic technical manual A page-oriented file usually based on a paper original that may or may not be prepared from a digital da- tabase. An ETM may have internal hyperlinks added. ETMs can be distributed as digital media or printed on paper.

Equipment publication A publication that deals with information, installation, operation, maintenance, training, and parts support of Army materiel. TMs, technical bulletins, FTs, lubrication orders, and modification work orders are ex- amples of DA equipment publications.

Field printing Printing in MTOEMTOEModification table of organization and equipment and TOETOETable(s) of Organization and Equipment organizations with documented MTOEMTOEModification table of organization and equipment or TOETOETable(s) of Organization and Equipment printing equipment for use in military operations.

Form A fixed arrangement of captioned spaces designed for gathering, organizing, and transmitting prescribed information quickly and efficiently. It also serves as a historical record. A form may be in hardcopy, elec- tronic, or other media. Certificates are forms. Items such as labels, stickers, tags, instruction sheets, no- tices, and file covers do not require insertion of information; however, they may still be considered forms for procurement purposes.

Format A suggested logical sequence that illustrates a predetermined arrangement or layout for presenting infor- mation or stating a request. Most formats are largely narrative in nature and the space needed by re- spondents to provide the desired information varies substantially. It does not have to be a form if it does not meet the definition of a form.

Forms management officer An individual who establishes and manages a forms management program for an agency or organization in order to implement policy and procedures within the given guidelines.

Government Publishing Office Regional Printing and Procurement Office Any office established by the Public Printer in accordance with the JCP authorized to acquire Federal printing needs that are determined to be commercially procurable.

Illustration Any map, drawing, photograph, graphic aid, or other pictorial device included in a publication.

Interactive electronic technical manual A TM designed for electronic window display and possessing the following four characteristics: page-oriented. tated and achievable by a variety of paths. lication” is equivalent to the term “IETM.”

Joint Committee on Printing A committee Congress established that consists of members of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Committee is charged with overseeing all Government department and agency printing ac- tions.

Joint publication A compilation of agreed-to fundamental principles, considerations, and guidance on a particular topic that guides the employment of a Joint force toward a common objective. A JP is prepared under the cogni- zance of Joint Staff directorates and applicable to the military Services, combatant commands, and other authorized agencies. A JP is approved by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in coordination with the military Services, combatant commands, and Joint Staff.

Local printing Printing of publications, documents, or other products that are not departmental and are not DA authenti- cated. Printing for agency, command, and installation use. It does not cross agency, command, or instal- lation lines, and products are not used outside of the agency, command, or installation. (The term in- cludes ARNGARNGArmy National Guard local printing facilities.)

Memorandum stationery Stationery (memorandum or notepad) used only for internal or informal notes, usually handwritten. Memo- randum stationery should not be confused with GO invitations.

Modification work order A publication that contains technical requirements for accomplishing mandatory hardware or software equipment modifications.

Multi–Service publication A publication containing principles, terms, tactics, techniques, and procedures used and approved by the forces of two or more Services to perform a common military function consistent with approved Joint doc- trine (CJCSM 5120.01).

Overpack Overpacking of publications is the packaging of a copy of an equipment manual, normally the operator manual, with the piece of equipment being fielded. This can be done by physically packaging the manual and end item together or by providing copies of the operator manual with the end item when it is issued.

Padding Is a process of applying an adhesive product commonly used in the manufacture of writing pads or any 'tear away' style paper product. It is most used in the graphic arts industry for binding different varieties of forms and notepads.

Printing The processes of composition, platemaking, presswork, duplicating, and binding for the production of publications.

Proponent The agency or command responsible for initiating, developing, coordinating, approving content, and issu- ing a publication, as well as identifying a publication for removal. Each publication has only one propo- nent. Only HQDA principal officials can be proponents for DA policy publications.

Publications Items of information that are printed or reproduced, whether mechanically or electronically, for distribution or dissemination usually to a predetermined audience. Generally, they are directives, books, pamphlets, posters, manuals, brochures, magazines, and newspapers produced in any media by or for the Army.

Publications control officer An individual who supports the publishing champion in managing all authenticated publications within an agency or organization’s functional area.

Publishing The actions involved in issuing publications to the Army. Publishing involves creating, preparing, coordi- nating, approving, processing, printing, and distributing or disseminating publications.

Reprint A second or later printing of the current, authenticated edition of a publication or existing blank form to re- plenish stock levels.

RESET When viewed in all capital letters, RESET refers to the Army imperative that will systematically restore deployed units to an appropriate level of equipment, Soldier, and Family readiness in preparation for fu- ture deployments and contingencies.

Revision A new edition of a publication; it replaces the previous edition in its entirety. A revision supersedes the previous edition of that publication or the publications that have been consolidated. (A revision action changes the issue date of the basic publication.)

Soldier training publications The publications serve to standardize individual training for the whole Army; provide information and guid- ance in conducting individual training in the unit; and aid the Soldier, noncommissioned officer, officer, and commander in training critical tasks. They consist of Soldier’s Manuals, Soldier’s Manual and Trainer’s Guides, Military Qualification Standards Manuals, and Officer Foundations Standards Systems Manuals.

System Generation Generating both the form image and the fill-in data at the same time. This includes either an exact facsim- ile or a simulation of the form.

Technical manual A publication that is one of the two types listed in subparagraphs a and b. A TM may be electronically dis- played to the user (see ETM and IETM) or presented as a paper document. Electronic display is the pre- ferred method of presentation. and support of weapon systems, weapon system components, and support equipment. An equipment TM includes operational and maintenance instructions, parts lists or parts breakdown, and related technical information or procedures. Information may be presented in many forms or characteristics, including but not limited to, CD – ROM, DVD, world wide web, and hardcopy. ous subject areas (other than specific items of equipment or groups of related equipment), such as com- munications or electronics fundamentals, medical, painting, welding, and destruction to prevent enemy use.

Army Printing and Distribution Program This is an administrative revision, dated 6 June 2023— • Changes proponency from the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army to the Chief Information Officer (title page). This is an administrative revision, dated 17 September 2021— • Corrects series title from Information Management: Printing and Distribution Program to Information Management: Printing and Distribution (title page). This new Army regulation, dated 14 June 2021— • Prescribes the provision of funds from the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army to Commanding General, U.S. Army Materiel Command, for print procurement and for publication of documents in the Federal Register (paras 1 – 7, 1 – 9, 1 – 14, 1 – 15, and 1 – 20). • Revised printing publication requirements (paras 1 – 17, 1 – 18, 2 – 2, and 3 – 1). • Extracts Army printing and distribution policies from AR 25 – 30 and places them in a new departmental regulation (throughout). • Prescribes Joint Committee on Printing Form 2 (Commercial Printing Report), Joint Committee on Printing Form 5 (Annual Plant Inventory), and Standard Form 1 (Printing and Binding Requisition) (throughout).