What Does V/R Mean in an Email Signature?

V/R stands for “Very Respectfully.” It’s a formal closing (sign-off) used at the end of an email, most commonly in the United States military and government agencies. You write it on the line just above your name, exactly like you’d write “Best regards” or “Sincerely” in a civilian email.

So a military email might end:

V/R, SSgt. Jordan Reyes

If you’ve received an email signed off with “V/R” and weren’t sure what it meant, that’s the whole answer: it’s a respectful, rank-appropriate way of saying goodbye in writing.

Where V/R comes from

V/R is rooted in U.S. military correspondence etiquette, where sign-offs signal the relationship between sender and recipient. The convention borrows from formal letter-writing traditions, compressed into an abbreviation for the speed of email and message traffic.

You’ll see it used across all branches (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Force), as well as by many Department of Defense civilians and federal employees who work alongside the military.

What’s the difference between V/R and R?

The abbreviation you choose signals a degree of formality and, often, relative rank:

Sign-off	Meaning	Typical use
V/R	Very Respectfully	Writing to someone senior in rank or position
R	Respectfully	Writing to a peer or someone junior
R/S	Respectfully Submitted	Submitting a formal document or report
Semper Fi	“Always Faithful” (Marine Corps motto)	Informal, Marine-to-Marine

The general rule of thumb: use “V/R” when addressing someone above you, and “R” when addressing peers or subordinates. When in doubt, “V/R” is the safer, more deferential choice.

Should you use V/R in a civilian or business email?

Generally, no. V/R reads as distinctly military. In a standard business context it can come across as either confusing (recipients may not know what it means) or slightly out of place.

Use V/R when:

• You’re active-duty, a reservist, or a veteran writing within military or defense circles.
• You’re a civilian contractor or federal employee corresponding with military personnel who use it.
• The recipient has signed off to you with V/R first.

Stick to civilian sign-offs when you’re emailing clients, customers, or colleagues outside that world.

Professional alternatives to V/R

If V/R doesn’t fit your audience, these closings carry a similar tone of respect without the military connotation:

• Best regards: the safe, universally professional default.
• Kind regards: slightly warmer, common in the UK and Europe.
• Respectfully: formal and deferential, good for senior recipients.
• Sincerely: traditional and appropriate for formal correspondence.
• With appreciation: when you’re thanking someone.

The part most people forget: consistency

Whichever sign-off you use, the lines that follow it (your name, title, and contact details) are your actual email signature. In a team or organization, those details drift fast: people format them differently, use outdated titles, or forget them entirely.

That’s the problem Firma solves. Instead of trusting every person to type their sign-off and signature correctly, an admin designs one on-brand signature and deploys it across the whole team’s Gmail accounts in one click. The closing line stays personal; everything below it stays consistent.

Frequently asked questions

Is V/R capitalized? It’s typically written as “V/R” with both letters capitalized and a forward slash between them. You may also see “Very Respectfully” spelled out in more formal letters.

Does V/R go above or below your name? Above. V/R sits on its own line, then your name and signature block follow beneath it, the same placement as “Sincerely” in a letter.

Can officers and enlisted members both use V/R? Yes. V/R is about the relationship and relative rank between sender and recipient, not the sender’s own rank. Anyone writing to someone more senior can appropriately use it.