In the next 4-6 months, I'll start putting in packages for various reserve units, ANG units, and airlines.

Is there any standard protocol to use when approaching current or former bosses with a recommendation request?

IE, do you give them the name of who to write it to and they write it themselves? Do you do the above and add some tasty bullets of good things you did to jar their memory if its been awhile? Do you write the whole thing yourself and just ask them for their John Hancock? Is there a standard recommendation format/content?

How do you handle multiple recommendations? Since I'm looking at about 3-4 different reserve units and probably as many ANG and airline applications, do you just get one generic recommendation that you send to everybody or ask for 8-12 individually addressed applications?

I guess I'm looking at not trying to bother the old men with having to type up so many different versions of their recommendation, and I certainly don't want to have to go back and ask again 6 months from now if I get 8-12 no's and have to start over from scratch.

Also, is there any particular way to make the announcement fairly painless, or can I pretty much expect to be persona non grata once its out that I'm "quiting"?