Writing Emails

Please any thoughts would be appreciated here.

No.  Use some form of mirroring (e.g. "I'm sorry, do you want to write the email yourself?" or "I'm sorry, how am I supposed to do that?") whenever this happens.

Are you an AN1? have you just joined?

I don t completely agree with the above. it is normal for the AN2 to direct you on the choice of Subject Line (some higher ups like to see a standard format) and it is normal for them to tell you which so-called Salutation/ Closing the MD likes (my higher ups like "Dear x" as well as "Respectfully,"). Any direction beyond these is just over the top and you should tell the hardo AN2 to chill. 

Good luck!

This is pretty normal, especially if you’re in your first few months on the desk. There’s a lot of nuanced information that you may not understand or know is important to communicate in your first few months. I would say if it’s still happening in the new year then it’s an issue but otherwise it’s just part of the learning curve. 

Experienced analysts and associates, please comment if anyone has had experience with this.

My Associates would do this for me all the time when I was an analyst and I hated it. I usually prefer to let my analyst take a first stab at the email and send it off, and if I feel like they missed anything or failed to call something out, I would just reply all to their email so that 1. they know what to include next time and 2. they still feel some level of ownership.

Not normal, but if you say something stupid or inadvertently upset people in your email, it's going to be 2nd year that gets in trouble, not you. 

It's probably a combination of the 2nd year doesn't know how to manage and you don't know how to write an email in a business setting. Obviously can be super frustrating in your shoes, but you need to learn to pick and choose your battles, and there is no way you come out ahead on this one if you fight with him over this. 

Rewording / helping clean up emails is pretty common, but not to the extent you're describing where it's word for word, unless the intern or analyst is actually braindead (or where English is clearly not their first language).

The A2 you're working for probably doesn't have much faith in you, or thinks your approach is far too casual / lazy. You are ex-military and likely older than your standard A1, so lets assume 1. you're not lazy, and 2. you have the common sense on how to construct a basic email. 

It is one thing to point out mistakes you made (e.g., email is too long, too casually worded, doesn't get the point across effectively, etc.), but to write your emails line by line shows a serious disconnect between you and the A2. If this persists beyond one to two emails (I am assuming it has, hence your post), it might be time to accept you are dealing with an EXTREMELY type A personality who is also very controlling. Worked for someone just like this, who would micro-manage my every interaction with both my seniors and the client (I was in consulting at the time). In order to validate my ability to operate independently, my last project before working for Manager X was one where I was entirely alone on the project, reporting directly to client Directors and C-suite members. I was regularly given solid feedback on my analysis, deliverables, and professionalism (mentioned given I was less than 2 years out of school).

However, on my new project, this psycho manager was doing the same thing to me, micro-managing every deliverable and interaction I had with our client. When I would write emails, I would get the exact same treatment, with my manager revising, going line by line. I am talking about changing "could" and "would", stating "could" was far to casual. I would be instructed to bold font in a two line email, it was beyond superfluous feedback, and it was absolute hell. 

In terms of what I did, I hyper analyzed every email my manager sent out and ensured my format matched theirs exactly. At the beginning, I would read any email to the client with them in order to ensure there were no disparities and that my approach and intent was correct. I wanted to kill myself the entire time, but after a full week of this I was given the autonomy to send my own emails. 

The bigger issue is how are you going to work with this person on a live deal, knowing full well they will micro manage your every move the entire time? Few thoughts below: 

1. Write down everything they say VERBATUM 

2. Make sure you run every draft by them before sending or set up time to review prior to the deadline

3. Double check on things they have said when they dont make sense. People like this will overestimate their ability to forsee what the final product will look like, regardless as to if its the EV from a DCF or a specific CIP slide. When they inevitably demonstrate they dont have the ability to see into the future, check with them and propose your alternative strategy. NEVER go about using your preferred, more logical approach without their sign off. These people are serious control freaks, and will take it as you thinking to yourself, "I know better than you".

Good luck OP, sorry you found yourself in this situation. My recommendation, make sure you never work with this A2 again. 

Honestly I’ve met a lot of people who write awful e-mails. A2 to A1 is a weird dynamic but I have definitely asked to see emails my juniors are drafting before sending so I can avoid annoyingly coming over top with some clarifying comment or additional info that they inevitably forget.

Interning and FT are two different experiences. It is reasonable for the An2 to critique your emails/work over the first 6 months or so. If it persists beyond that then there is a control issue with that person.