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Professional and Unprofessional Relationships

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OverviewOverview AFI 36-2909

Professional Relations Unprofessional Relationships Fraternization

Responsibilities Personal/Commander/Supervisor

Courses of Actions Administrative/Punitive

Legalities UCMJ/Maximum Punishment

Case Studies

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AFI 36-2909, Professional AFI 36-2909, Professional and Unprofessional and Unprofessional

RelationshipsRelationships

Applies To All Air Force Personnel Active DutyActive Duty Air National GuardAir National Guard Air Force ReservesAir Force Reserves

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Professional RelationsProfessional Relations

Professional Relations Are Those That Professional Relations Are Those That Contribute to the Effective Operation of Contribute to the Effective Operation of the Air Force. the Air Force.

Personnel Are Encouraged to Personnel Are Encouraged to Communicate Freely With Superiors Communicate Freely With Superiors Regarding Their Careers, Performance, Regarding Their Careers, Performance, Duties, and Missions.Duties, and Missions.

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Unprofessional Unprofessional Relationships (UPR)Relationships (UPR)

Any personal relationship, whether pursued on or off-duty, that detracts from the authority of superiors or result in, or reasonably create the appearance of, favoritism, misuse of office or position, or the abandonment of organizational goals for personal interests

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UPRs - Factors to UPRs - Factors to ConsiderConsider

Unprofessional relationships can exist Unprofessional relationships can exist between:between: OfficersOfficers Enlisted membersEnlisted members Officers and enlisted membersOfficers and enlisted members Military members and civilian workersMilitary members and civilian workers

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AFI 36-2909AFI 36-2909Specific SituationsSpecific Situations

Relationships Within An Organization.Relationships Within An Organization. Personal relationships between members of Personal relationships between members of

different grades or positions in these categories can different grades or positions in these categories can easily become unprofessional.easily become unprofessional.

As differences in grade increase, even without As differences in grade increase, even without command or supervisory relationship, the risk of command or supervisory relationship, the risk of UPR or perceived UPR, increases.UPR or perceived UPR, increases.

Seniors always have authority over juniors.Seniors always have authority over juniors.

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Dating And Close Friendships:Dating And Close Friendships: Subject to the same policy considerations as other Subject to the same policy considerations as other

relationships. Become a matter of official concern relationships. Become a matter of official concern when they adversely affect morale, discipline, unit when they adversely affect morale, discipline, unit cohesion, respect for authority, or mission cohesion, respect for authority, or mission accomplishment.accomplishment.

Relationships between superiors and Relationships between superiors and subordinates invariably raise the perception of subordinates invariably raise the perception of favoritism or misuse of position.favoritism or misuse of position.

AFI 36-2909AFI 36-2909Specific SituationsSpecific Situations

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AFI 36-2909AFI 36-2909Specific SituationsSpecific Situations

Officer/Enlisted MarriagesOfficer/Enlisted Marriages An officer married to an enlisted member is not by itself An officer married to an enlisted member is not by itself

fraternization.fraternization. When evidence of fraternization does exist, subsequent When evidence of fraternization does exist, subsequent

marriage does not preclude prosecution.marriage does not preclude prosecution. Regardless of how marriage came to be, members are Regardless of how marriage came to be, members are

expected to respect all customs and courtesies when expected to respect all customs and courtesies when on duty or in uniform in public.on duty or in uniform in public.

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FraternizationFraternization

A personal relationship between an officer A personal relationship between an officer and enlisted member which violates the and enlisted member which violates the customary bounds of acceptable behavior customary bounds of acceptable behavior in the Air Force and prejudices good order in the Air Force and prejudices good order and discipline, discredits the armed and discipline, discredits the armed services, or operates to the personal services, or operates to the personal disgrace or dishonor of the officer involved.disgrace or dishonor of the officer involved.

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Element One: That the accused was a Element One: That the accused was a commissioned or warrant officer.commissioned or warrant officer.

Element Two: That the accused fraternized Element Two: That the accused fraternized with enlisted members on terms of military with enlisted members on terms of military equality.equality.

Element Three: That the accused knew the Element Three: That the accused knew the person to be an enlisted member.person to be an enlisted member.

Elements of Fraternization

(MCM, Sec IV, Article 134, Para 83)

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Elements of Fraternization

(MCM, Sec IV, Article 134, Para 83) Element Four: That the accused violated Element Four: That the accused violated

the customs of the service that officers the customs of the service that officers shall not fraternize with enlisted members shall not fraternize with enlisted members on terms of military equality.on terms of military equality.

Element Five: The conduct was prejudicial Element Five: The conduct was prejudicial to good order and discipline of the armed to good order and discipline of the armed forces or of a nature to bring discredit forces or of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces.upon the armed forces.

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Factors to ConsiderFactors to Consider

Has the ConductHas the Conduct Compromised the Chain of CommandCompromised the Chain of Command Resulted in the Appearance of PartialityResulted in the Appearance of Partiality Undermined:Undermined:

Good Order?Good Order? Discipline?Discipline? Authority?Authority? Morale?Morale?

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AFI 36-2909AFI 36-2909Specific ProhibitionsSpecific Prohibitions

Officers Will Not:Officers Will Not: Gamble with enlisted members.Gamble with enlisted members. Borrow money from enlisted members.Borrow money from enlisted members. Engage in sexual relations with or date enlisted Engage in sexual relations with or date enlisted

members.members. Share living accommodations with enlisted membersShare living accommodations with enlisted members Engage, on a personal basis, in business enterprises Engage, on a personal basis, in business enterprises

with enlisted members, or solicit sales to/from with enlisted members, or solicit sales to/from enlisted members.enlisted members.

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AFI 36-2909AFI 36-2909

Personal Relationships between AF Personal Relationships between AF members become matters of official members become matters of official concern when they adversely affect concern when they adversely affect morale, discipline, respect for authority, morale, discipline, respect for authority, unit cohesion, or mission unit cohesion, or mission accomplishment.accomplishment.

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Personal ResponsibilityPersonal Responsibility

All officers are expected to exhibit the All officers are expected to exhibit the highest standards of professional conduct highest standards of professional conduct and lead by example.and lead by example.

Members should expect to be and must be Members should expect to be and must be held accountable for the impact of their held accountable for the impact of their conduct on the Air Force as an institution.conduct on the Air Force as an institution.

The senior member in a relationship is The senior member in a relationship is primarily responsible for maintaining the primarily responsible for maintaining the professionalism of that relationship.professionalism of that relationship.

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Commander and Commander and Supervisory ResponsibilitiesSupervisory Responsibilities

Commanders and supervisors at all levels Commanders and supervisors at all levels have the authority and the responsibility to have the authority and the responsibility to maintain good order, discipline, and maintain good order, discipline, and morale within their units.morale within their units.

Commanders may be held accountable for Commanders may be held accountable for failing to act in appropriate cases.failing to act in appropriate cases.

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Courses of ActionCourses of Action

AdministrativeAdministrative Order to CeaseOrder to Cease CounselingCounseling ReprimandReprimand RemovalRemoval DemotionDemotion Loss of NCO StatusLoss of NCO Status Adverse Comments on performance reportsAdverse Comments on performance reports Administrative SeparationsAdministrative Separations

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Courses of ActionCourses of Action

PunitivePunitive Article 15Article 15 Courts-MartialCourts-Martial

Action taken should normally be the least Action taken should normally be the least severe necessary to correct the severe necessary to correct the relationship, giving full consideration to relationship, giving full consideration to the impact the relationship has had on the the impact the relationship has had on the organization.organization.

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UCMJUCMJ

Article 92, Failure to Obey a Lawful Order or Article 92, Failure to Obey a Lawful Order or General RegulationGeneral Regulation Enlisted/Enlisted UPREnlisted/Enlisted UPR Military/Civilian UPRMilitary/Civilian UPR

Article 133, Conduct Unbecoming an OfficerArticle 133, Conduct Unbecoming an Officer Officer/Officer UPROfficer/Officer UPR

Article 134, FraternizationArticle 134, Fraternization Officer/Enlisted UPROfficer/Enlisted UPR

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Maximum PunishmentMaximum Punishment

Forfeiture of All Pay and AllowancesForfeiture of All Pay and Allowances DismissalDismissal Confinement for 2 YearsConfinement for 2 Years

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FACTS: Recently SMSgt X was assigned as NCOIC of a remote detachment in Badenstein. The nearest military installation is 65 miles away. The tour is unaccompanied. Ten-hour duty days are routine, and 14 hour days are not uncommon. Morale in the unit is generally good, but being isolated is a hardship for all assigned. SMSgt X supervises 14 technicians ranging in grade from Amn to TSgt. He finds he has little in common with most of his subordinates, until he discovers that SrA Y shares his love of international soccer. Daily, they discuss the merits of various soccer players, talk about league standings and analyze upcoming games. Only rarely does SMSgt X enter into casual conversation with others.

It is known that SMSgt X and SrA Y attend local soccer matches together, and they have traveled to neighboring countries sharing the expenses of transportation and lodging. SMSgt X overhears a conversation about work schedules and is taken aback when he hears SrA Y referred to as the "teacher’s pet" who "everyone knows" always pulls the "cushy" duty. In fact, SMSgt X has attempted to spread out the details and rotate the work schedule so that everyone pulls a fair share.

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FACTS: You are a flight commander in a logistics readiness squadron. A senior airman in your flight has just been notified he's been selected for promotion to staff sergeant. The enlisted members of the flight have scheduled a promotion party at the NCO club, and you've been invited to attend. What should you do? Explain.

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FACTS: Lt Col X, single and in command of maintenance squadron, meets Captain Y, a recently divorced pilot. They discover they have many common interests, including skiing. After dating off and on, they plan to spend a Saturday at the mountains taking skiing lessons together. The flying wing is short of pilots and there have been complaints about the high ops tempo. On Friday, Captain Y is notified of a short-notice weekend mission. Capt Y calls Lt Col X and says, "I’d really rather go skiing but I’ve been assigned to a mission. Unless you can talk my commander out of this, the trip is off."

Lt Col X immediately calls Captain Y’s commander, an old acquaintance, and makes a case for changing Captain Y’s schedule. Captain Y’s commander "blows up" at the suggestion and his rather loud conversation with Lt Col X is overheard by others. The story quickly spreads throughout the squadron.

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FACTS: Major X and SSgt Y live near each other in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. They work in different organizations in the Pentagon. Carpooling is officially encouraged, saves money, cuts their commute in half and is almost a necessity. Major X places an ad for riders on the bulletin board and SSgt Y responds. They begin to share rides to work. While they have a number of common interests, they confine their relationship to carpooling and chatting in the car.

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FACTS: You're a member of the squadron bowling team. All other members are NCOs. Your fellow team members call you by your first name when you're bowling. On one occasion, while on duty, one of the members calls you by your first name in the presence of others. What should you do? Explain.

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SummarySummary

AFI 36-2909AFI 36-2909 Professional Relations Professional Relations Unprofessional RelationshipsUnprofessional Relationships FraternizationFraternization

ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities Personal/Commander/SupervisorPersonal/Commander/Supervisor

Courses of ActionsCourses of Actions Administrative/PunitiveAdministrative/Punitive

LegalitiesLegalities UCMJ/Maximum PunishmentUCMJ/Maximum Punishment

Case StudiesCase Studies

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Professional and Unprofessional Relationships