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DOW issuances contain the various policies and procedures the govern and regulate activities and missions across the defense enterprise. They take the form of formal directives, instructions, publications and manuals, administrative instructions, and directive-type memorandums.

DOW also publishes forms that are used for a variety of internal purposes and for members of the public to request information and services.

These documents may be found on the DOD Washington Headquarters Services issuance website.

Each Military Department publishes forms and regulations that similarly govern and regulate the activities within its respective military branch:

• U.S. Army:  https://armypubs.army.mil
• U.S. Marine Corps: https://www.marines.mil/News/Publications  
• U.S. Navy:  https://www.secnav.navy.mil/doni/default.aspx
• U.S. Air Force: https://www.e-publishing.af.mil/Product-Index
• U.S. Space Force: https://www.e-publishing.af.mil/Product-Index/#/?view=cat&catID=20

The Defense Office of Prepublication and Security Review manages the Department of War's security review program, reviewing written materials both for public and controlled release. This includes the mandatory pre-release review of official government and defense industry work products, as well as materials (such as books and articles) submitted by cleared or formerly cleared individuals pursuant to their voluntary non-disclosure agreement obligations. DOPSR also coordinates official work products with DOW enterprise stakeholders to ensure that information being released is both accurate and represents the department’s official position.

The Department of War and military seals are protected by law and reserved for official use only. Under U.S. Code Title 18, Section 506, unauthorized use of the seals may include, but is not limited to commercial, marketing, advertising or promotion use by any nongovernment entity and is punishable.

Military services have provided alternatives to their seals for commercial purposes. They include logos or coats of arms. Permission to use any of these emblems must be granted by the respective services. There is no substitute for the Department of War seal.

Department of War photographs and imagery, unless otherwise noted, are in the public domain. They are available for use, subject to specific guidelines. For current guidelines on using DOW photographs and images, and limitations for public and commercial use, please visit the Defense Imagery Management Operations Center.

As part of its mission to provide central visual information management, the Defense Media Activity provides distribution services to DOW, other U.S. Government departments, archivists, historians, the media and interested members of the general public. DOW imagery may be found from various official sources.