Navy and Marine Corps Fraternization Policy

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Navy and Marine Corps Fraternization Policy
University of PennsylvaniaNaval Reserve Officer
Training Corps
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HISTORY

• Custom is a long established practice, which
  has attained the force of law within the
  military.
• Proper social interaction among officer and
  enlisted members enhances unit morale and esprit
  de corps.

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HISTORY (cont)

• Unduly familiar personal relationships
• Undermine respect for authority
• Inhibit mission accomplishment
• Experience has demonstrated that seniors must
  maintain thoroughly professional relationships
  with juniors at all times.

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HISTORY (cont)

• Custom recognizes the need to prevent use of
  senior grade or position that results in (or
  gives the appearance of)
• Favoritism
• Preferential treatment
• Personal gain
• Custom requires that junior personnel recognize
  and respect authority.

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FRATERNIZATION DEFINED

• A term traditionally used to identify personal
  relationships that contravene the customary
  bounds of acceptable senior-subordinate
  relationships.
• Also includes improper relationships and social
  interaction between officer members of different
  grades and enlisted members of different grades.

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NAVY AND MARINE CORPS FRATERNIZATION POLICY

• Personal, unduly familiar relationships that do
  not respect differences in rank and grade are
  prohibited.

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FRATERNIZATION POLICY (cont)

• Relationships that are unduly familiar between
  officers of different rank/grade or between
  enlisted members of different rank/grade are
  prohibited.
• These relationships may sacrifice good order and
  discipline or be of such nature that they bring
  discredit on the Naval Service.

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FRATERNIZATION POLICY (cont)

• Commands are expected to take administrative and
  disciplinary action as necessary.

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PROHIBITED RELATIONSHIPS

• NAVY
• Personal relationships that are unduly familiar
  between
• Chief Petty Officers (E-7 to E-9) and junior
  personnel (E-1 to E-6)
• Officers and enlisted personnel
• Staff/Instructor and Student Personnel
• Recruiters and recruits/applicants

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PROHIBITED RELATIONSHIPS (cont)

• NAVY
• If such relationships exist
• A seniors objectivity can be called into
  question.
• It can result in actual or apparent preferential
  treatment.
• It can undermine the authority of the senior
  member.
• It can compromise the chain of command.

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PROHIBITED RELATIONSHIPS (cont)

• MARINE CORPS
• Mirrors Navy policy, except that the same
  provisions apply to the relationship of
  noncommissioned officers (E-4 to E-5) with their
  subordinates (E-1 to E-3).
• Personal relationships between officers and
  enlisted are prohibited.

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• Surrounding circumstances often determine whether
  the conduct in question is appropriate or not.

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PROPER RELATIONSHIPS

• Appropriate personal relationships are an
  important part of building unit morale and esprit
  de corps.
• Examples
• Officer and enlisted personnel playing on the
  same command sports team.
• Other command-sponsored events.

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INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIORS

• Behaviors considered unduly familiar and
  inappropriate
• Dating
• Shared living accommodations
• Intimate or sexual relations
• Commercial solicitations
• Private business partnerships
• Gambling and borrowing money between officers and
  enlisted members

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CONSEQUENCES

• Article 134, UCMJ
• Article 133, UCMJ
• Article 92, UCMJ

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OTHER REMEDIES

• Non-punitive
• Formal or informal counseling
• Transfer of one or both parties
• Evaluation or Fitness Report comments
• NJP
• Court-martial

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MARRIAGE OTHER RELATIONS

• Conduct not excused by subsequent marriage.
• Okay if married before commissioned.
• If married or related, must maintain official
  relationship while on duty.
• Must not be in the same chain of command.

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NROTC Fraternization

• Midshipmen are not allowed to establish
  relationships with enlisted (MECEPS, OCs, members
  of the fleet) or officers
• Possible Exception If you start the relationship
  when you are in an equivalent grade eg The
  marriage exception
• Any questions should be addressed to your unit
  advisor

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On Cruise

• Midshipmen are subject to the UCMJ fraternization
  articles while on cruise (Both Navy and Marine
  Options)
• In most cases, any type of social contact with
  enlisted personnel is prohibited during Marine
  Option Cruises
• Midshipmen from NROTC Philadelphia HAVE gotten
  kicked out of cruises such as CORTRAMID in the
  past for fraternization and were subject to an
  investigation

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Midshipmen Dating

• Midshipmen ARE allowed to date other midshipmen
  within the unit, however keep the following in
  mind
• NROTC unit staff must be aware of the situation
• In most cases, two midshipmen that are dating
  will be moved to separate companies within the
  battalion
• Both MIDN must act professional to each other
  during all ROTC-related functions

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Fraternization Consequences for MIDN

• Besides being covered under the UCMJ for the
  MIDN, other consequences include
• Aptitude Probation
• LOA
• Disenrollment from the Program

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RESPONSIBILITY

• Fraternization is a gender-neutral concept.
• Seniors throughout the chain of command will
• Provide guidance on appropriate relationships.
• Ensure all personnel are aware of the current
  policy.
• Provide annual indoctrination/ training.
• Address prohibited behavior.

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RESPONSIBILITY (cont)

• Responsibility is shared by all individuals, but
  ultimately rests on the senior.
• The leader must be careful to avoid even the
  perception of fraternization.
• When allegations are made, the CO must carefully
  study both the case at hand and the
  fraternization directives.