Military (USAF) Fraternization Policies. Antiquated?

Great Debates
1

I’m an Air Force officer how also happened to be enlisted (through E-5) and have come to feel, quite strongly, that the military fraternization policies (at least those of the USAF) are far too strict.

Current rules are as follows:

An officer can NEVER date an enlisted troop from any branch of the service, regardless as to whether or not they fall in the same chain of command. Believe it or not I cannot date an enlisted Reservist per base Jag!!! A weekend warrior!!

If 2 enlisted troops are dating and one commissions, they need to get married immediately, discontinue the relationship or one of them must get out of the military.

The officer bears sole responsibility for the relationship and faces the consequences alone.

An officer can’t have a personal relationship outside of work with any enlisted troop with the exception of unit functions. ie I can’t have an NCO over my house to play some Xbox, regardless of chain of command.

The arguements of “You could be in command of the airman someday and have to order them into battle and you can’t think objectively about someone you are emotionally attached to” and “People will perceive it as preferential treatment if you go to the gym ALL the time with the same airman” do not hold water because the following relationships are 100% legal:

An E-9 and date an E-1 even though they FAR outrank them. It’s frowned upon if they are in the same chain of command, but not forbidden.

A Colonel can date a Lieutenant even though they FAR outrank them. This is HIGHLY frowned upon if they are in the same chain, but not illegal.

So why can’t I, as a 1Lt date a Staff Sergeant from another unit, let alone branch of service without risking SEVERE (ie discharge) consequence when the above relationships are perfectly legal?

(I just want to say that a Col dating an Lt or a CMSgt dating an Amn would be HUGELY frowned upon, BUT…not illegal and therefore not grounds for formal reprimand as an O to E relationship)

I put this here because I’m sure there are widely varying opinions on this subject. Also, I know you can use discretion and keep things on the down low and most people would never be the wiser but that’s neither here nor there.

2

I’m not military, but I fully support these Fraternization policies. I also agree that noncoms or officers with (large) differences in rank should also be prohibited from dating.

As women become more fully integrated into the armed services, these rules become more timely. I also believe that open homosexuals should also be allowed to serve, and they should have to abide by the same rules. The military chain of command is too important to risk compormising it over dating.

I think the real reason for this rule is to create a wall of separation between noncoms and enlisted officers. I don’t know if this separation exists in reality or if it’s a good idea.

3

Such policies might have as one aim the avoidance of coercion of low ranking military by higher ranks for sex.

4

Stinkpalm, I didn’t know you were USAF. 5-year captain, here. I think the policies are somewhat outdated, particularly on aircrews, but I also think there’s a good reason to have them. The key for me was always the phrase “impropriety, or the appearance of impropriety.” It doesn’t matter if you’re not giving SSgt. Stevens preferential treatment because the two of you play X-Box (or watch the game, or whatever) each weekend. It matters that other airmen might think you are, which hurts the unit’s cohesion. Suppose, a few months down the line, that SSgt. Stevens needs a favor from your office. Or suppose that his 2/Lt runs into you at a CGOA meeting and asks for your help drafting SSgt. Stevens’ EPR bullets.

Basically, the idea is that you never know when you might have to be an impartial authority figure in an enlisted person’s career. And you also don’t know who might see you and interpret your friendship maliciously.

5

I understand that. But if those reasons should apply to O to E relationships they should also apply to ALL senior/junior relationships.

I’m asking the question:

What makes an O-E relationship different that Senior O to Junior O or Senior E to Junior E relationships?

Nothing.

Just the ancient rules that make no sense now.