Figure 17-4.—Hold file message.
order by last name and accompanied by a letter of
transmittal. We recommend that you include the deploy-
ment information or story in the letter of transmittal.
NOTE: When you submit stories for release, the
Center does not require strict adherence to journalistic
style. Since the FHTNC is ultimately responsible for
editorial action, all you need to include is a brief
synopsis of the facts that answer the five Ws.
Before the hold file is sealed and on its way to the
FHTNC, you should make a copy of each release form
and store each one of them in an appropriately marked
office file. You hold file should be an exact duplicate
of the one received by the Center. This is extremely
critical, especially when you must change data or pull a
release form in the event of a death or injury.
PROCESSING THE DEPLOYMENT
STORY
When a unit deploys, the PAO or his representative
normally sends a message to the FHTNC that contains
the following information:
l The authority for the FHTNC to process the
deployment story.
l The date the story should be processed (usually
without delay).
. Verification that the hold file is accurate and
up-to-date.
Once the message is sent, the Center can work on
writing the deployment story, which will result in a
release for all of the release forms in the hold file.
An example of a hold file message to the FHTNC
is shown in figure 17-4.
SENDING STORIES BY MESSAGE
Once the hold file is at the Center, you may send
several different types of stories by naval message. The
mid-deployment story (fig. 17-5) and end of
deployment story (fig. 17-6) are good ways to get
multiple releases for each release form submitted
Further, you should pursue the types of stories
mentioned earlier — those dealing with the military or
personal achievements of individuals. Doing this in
connection with your hold file is easy. For instance, say
Lt. Cmdr. Nunez is awarded the Meritorious Service
Medal. When you advise the Center of the award (and
include amplifying information from the medal
citation), Lt. Cmdr. Nunez’s release f-will be pulled
from the hold file and the story will be processed. The
release form will then be returned to the file.
UPDATING THE HOLD FILE
Hold files have a 60-day life cycle. When you send
a hold file to the FHTNC, the cycle begins on the day
the Center receives it.
At day 50, your unit will be sent a message advising
that the file will be returned in 10 days unless it is
updated. Each time you update your hold file, another
60-day cycle begins.
The FHTNC considers an update as any
communication regarding the hold file. It maybe a list
of names to be deletes a list of release forms for persons
who have reported to the command, or simply a
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