I am an Army Reservist with 36 years. My wife and I have adopted 21 special kids. I invited my former Brigade Commander (Now a Major General) and his wife to an event this coming weekend, because he always was interested in my family and was the first commanding officer I ever had that actually cared about my family.
My question is: How do I introduce him and his wife to others at the event? To me he is a friend who happens to be a General Officer. I just don’t want to be disrespectful or go overboard.
– MS
Dear MS:
Your question is one of etiquette rather than forms of address, but here’s my advice:
Say his name is James Johnson.
It won’t see overboard to him if you introduce him socially as General Johnsonor General James Johnson. To him that’s his name.
Even though one might be on a first-name basis with a high office holder, I would always let them have the option of maintaining their formality with others. Most of us in the US assume we are on a first-name basis with everyone we meet socially. But it’s still an individual’s option to decide with whom they are on a first-name basis. I wouldn’t address a high ranking officer or elected officials by their first name … until invited to do so.
What to Do: Introduce him in this social situation as General Johnson orGeneral James Johnson and let him suggest (if he wants to) he wants you to introduce him as JIm Johnson (no reference to his rank) henceforth.
Or let him suggest to the others they should call him JIm saying Please call me Jim on a case-by-case basis.
I would introduce his wife in a social situation as Sarah Johnson and let the other person decide to call her Sarah or Mrs. Johnson,
– Robert Hickey www.formsofaddress.info
