Fraternization

ABOUT THE ADVERSE IMPACT THE ASSOCIATION WAS HAVING ON THE UNIT, CPT X

PROMISED TO TERMINATE THE RELATIONSHIP.

SUBSEQUENTLY, THE BATTALION

COMMANDER LEARNED THAT THE RELATIONSHIP HAD NOT BEEN TERMINATED AND HAD

BECOME A UNIT SCANDAL, CAUSING UNDERMINING OF UNIT MORALE. THE RAMPANT

RUMORS AND INNUENDOES ABOUT CPT X'S PERSONAL CONDUCT ON AND OFF DUTY

REDUCED HER EFFECTIVENESS AS A LEADER. IS THIS RELATIONSHIP IMPROPER?

ANSWER:

THE RELATIONSHIP WAS CLEARLY WRONG BECAUSE IT UNDERMINED MORALE AND COULD

REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO ADVERSELY AFFECT DISCIPLINE AND AUTHORITY.

EXEMPLIFIES THAT ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE SAME CHAIN

OF COMMAND OR SUPERVISION SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

QUESTION:

CPT X, A SINGLE MALE, IS THE COMMANDER OF COMPANY C, 1st BATTALION.

IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO CPT X'S COMPANY IS THE 1st PLATOON OF A

COMPANY, 2d BATTALION, TO WHICH SPC Y, A SINGLE FEMALE, IS ASSIGNED.

CPT X AND SPC Y DATE OPENLY, AND ARE FREQUENTLY SEEN TOGETHER AT THE PX

AND MOVIE THEATERS ON POST. HE HAS TAKEN HER TO THE OFFICER'S CLUB AND

ACCOMPANIED HER TO THE EM CLUB ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

SINCE THEIR

RELATIONSHIP BECAME KNOWN, THERE HAS BEEN A NOTICEABLE DECLINE OF

MORALE IN BOTH COMPANIES.

WHEN SPC Y WAS PROMOTED, MANY OF THE

ENLISTED MEN AND WOMEN OF HER PLATOON COMPLAINED TO THE PLATOON LEADER,

ALLEGING FAVORITISM BECAUSE OF HER "BOYFRIEND."

SPC Y HAS ALSO

COMPLAINED ABOUT THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PLATOON CONSTANTLY MAKING FUN

OF HER ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP, COMPLAINING THAT THE WOMEN IN THE UNIT

WHO ARE FRIENDS OF SPC Y NOW HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO THE COMMANDER. ONE

PFC WAS OVERHEARD SAYING, "ANYTIME I NEED TO GET SOME SLACK I CAN

ALWAYS GO SEE TOM (CPT X). HE'LL TAKE CARE OF ME BECAUSE OF SALLY (SPC

Y)." IS THE RELATIONSHIP IMPROPER?

ANSWER:

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A RELATIONSHIP, NOT IN A CHAIN OF COMMAND OR

SUPERVISION, THAT HAS CAUSED THE PERCEPTION OF PARTIALITY AND HAS

UNDERMINED UNIT "DISCIPLINE, AUTHORITY, OR MORALE."

THE RESPECTIVE

COMMANDERS SHOULD OBJECTIVELY DETERMINE AND DOCUMENT THAT THE REGULATORY

STANDARDS (PARAGRAPH 5-F, AR 600-20) HAVE BEEN VIOLATED.

QUESTION:

IN ONE CASE, DURING THE SUMMER OF 1983, THE ACCUSED (05) WAS THE

BATTALION EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR AN ADVANCED ROTC CAMP AT FORT LEWIS,

WASHINGTON. HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAINING AND EVALUATING ROTC CADETS

WHO MADE UP THE BATTALION, AND FOR THE SUPERVISION OF MILITARY

PERSONNEL ASSIGNED AS CADRE.

A FEMALE SECOND LIEUTENANT WAS ASSIGNED

TO WORK FOR HIM AS AN AIDE AND TRAINING OFFICER. IN THE FIFTH WEEK OF

CAMP, THE BATTALION CADRE HAD A BARBECUE. AFTERWARD, THE ACCUSED SAID

THERE WOULD BE A "STAFF CALL" AT A LOCAL INN. HE BROUGHT HER SEVERAL

DRINKS AND THEY WOUND UP SPENDING THE NIGHT TOGETHER.

IS THIS

RELATIONSHIP IMPROPER?

ANSWER:

YES. THE COURT HELD THAT A SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP/DATING BETWEEN ONE OFFICER

AND ANOTHER WHO IS HIS SUBORDINATE (WHERE THE SENIOR OCCUPIES

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