23.3 Appropriate Working Relationships (AFH-1 Section 20C)
Key Takeaways
- Unprofessional relationships detract from the authority of superiors or reasonably create the appearance of favoritism, misuse of office or position, or abandonment of organizational goals for personal interests.
- Fraternization is an officer-enlisted unprofessional relationship prohibited by Article 134; the officer is held primarily responsible, while an enlisted member in consensual fraternization remains subject to Article 92.
- The Equal Opportunity Program covers six forms of harassment: discriminatory, sexual, bullying, hazing, retaliation, and reprisal.
- Military formal Equal Opportunity complaints must be filed within 60 calendar days of the alleged offense; informal military complaints have no time limit and do not require commander approval to accept.
- Only Sexual Assault Response Coordinators, SAPR Victim Advocates, Volunteer Victim Advocates, and healthcare personnel may receive restricted reports of sexual assault.
Professional Relationships, Unprofessional Relationships, and Fraternization
Social interaction that helps cohesiveness and effectiveness is encouraged. Keep professional relationships with civilian employees and contractors, and avoid relationships that adversely affect — or appear to affect — morale, discipline, respect for authority, or unit cohesion, or that violate law or regulation. Personal relationships become official concern when they adversely affect or reasonably could affect those same interests or mission accomplishment.
Per AFI 1-1, professional relationships are vital because the mission requires absolute confidence in command and unhesitating adherence to orders. AFI 36-2909 assigns the responsibilities.
Unprofessional relationships, on- or off-duty, detract from a superior's authority or result in, or reasonably create the appearance of, favoritism, misuse of office or position, or abandoning organizational goals for personal interests. They must be avoided between officers, between enlisted members, between officers and enlisted members, between military members and civilians or contractors, and across branches. Supervisory or command authority and grade differences raise the risk because seniors influence assignments, promotion recommendations, duties, awards, and privileges.
Fraternization is the officer-enlisted unprofessional relationship prohibited by Article 134. It exists when the enlisted member is placed on terms of military equality with the officer in a way that prejudices good order and discipline or brings discredit on the Armed Forces, on- or off-duty. Ask whether the contact compromised the chain of command, appeared partial, or undermined good order, discipline, authority, or morale. The ban extends beyond unit and chain-of-command lines, including across services. The officer is held primarily responsible and is the only member subject to Article 134 for fraternization. An enlisted member in consensual fraternization is still in an unprofessional relationship and is subject to Article 92.
ADTC: SSgt tests 20C at B (Understanding); TSgt tests it at C (Applying). A TSgt who sees an officer-enlisted dating relationship documents what is known, stops any practice that puts the pair on equal military terms, and elevates to the first sergeant and commander — using the Article 134 / Article 92 split, not waiting for the rumor to "settle."
Equal Opportunity and Six Forms of Harassment
The USAF will not tolerate unlawful discrimination, harassment, or reprisal against protected activity. Commanders and supervisors act immediately once aware and should consult the local Equal Opportunity office (AFI 36-2710). Hotline: 1-888-231-4058. The program's primary objective is to eradicate unlawful discrimination and foster a positive human relations environment.
Military members: unlawful discrimination denies equal opportunity based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, including social media, and is unacceptable on- or off-base, 24 hours a day. DoD civilians: unlawful employment practices in hire, promotion, discharge, pay, terms, or classification because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age (40 or older), genetic information, disability, or reprisal.
Harassment is unwelcome or offensive to a reasonable person and creates a hostile environment, including online. Proper military or governmental activities (for example, combat survival training) are not harassment. Six forms:
| Form | Rule to apply |
|---|---|
| Discriminatory | Unwelcome conduct based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin |
| Sexual | Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or repeated sexual comments/gestures when they are a term of job, pay, or career; a basis for career decisions; or severe or pervasive enough that a reasonable person would see a hostile environment. No concrete psychological harm required. A January 2022 executive order made sexual harassment a specific UCMJ crime; formal criminal investigations use 10 USC § 1561 / Article 134 |
| Bullying | Aggression with a nexus to service, intending physical or psychological harm, without a proper military purpose. Consent is not a defense. Not command-authorized PT |
| Hazing | Injury or risk of injury for initiation, admission, affiliation, change in status, or continued membership. Consent is not a defense. Not extra military instruction or command-authorized PT |
| Retaliation | Adverse personnel action, or withholding a favorable one, because the person reported a crime or made a protected communication (Congress, IG, or certain authorities disclosing violations, FWA, or substantial danger to public health or safety). Article 132 |
| Reprisal | Named as the sixth form; the USAF will not tolerate reprisal against protected activity |
TSgt application: "It was a joke" and "they consented" do not clear bullying or hazing. Consult Equal Opportunity and notify the commander; do not privately work around a definition that already fits.
Complaint Clocks and SAPR
Military EO complaints: only military members, family members, and retirees who are the subject of the alleged discrimination or sexual harassment. No third-party filing; no military complaints about off-base or DoD civilian employment. Informal: lowest level (address the offender, coworker, ADR, or chain). No time limit; no commander approval to accept. Formal: Equal Opportunity clarification using preponderance of evidence, then SJA legal sufficiency, then the alleged offender's commander. File within 60 calendar days (installation commander may waive). Formal sexual harassment complaints go to security forces under 10 USC § 1561.
Civilian EO: employees, former employees, and applicants. Informal: 30 calendar days (extend up to 60 more), then notice of right to file. Formal: initial contact within 45 calendar days; file within 15 calendar days of that notice; investigate within 180 calendar days.
Sexual assault is intentional sexual contact by force, threats, intimidation, abuse of authority, or without consent (Articles 120, 120b, and 80). Consent is a freely given agreement by a competent person. Lack of resistance, a prior relationship, or manner of dress is not consent. Sleeping or incapacitated persons cannot consent.
A supervisor who receives a report about a subordinate will report it to the commander, the SARC, and AFOSI. The SARC is the installation single point of contact. The Victims' Counsel advocates, advises, and empowers eligible victims.
| Option | Who may receive it | Conversion |
|---|---|---|
| Restricted | Only SARC, SAPR VA, VVA, and healthcare personnel. Chaplains, legal assistance attorneys, and VC will not accept one; they facilitate contact with those four | May convert to unrestricted at any time |
| Unrestricted | Normal channels: chain of command, law enforcement, AFOSI | Cannot convert back to restricted. Recipient notifies the SARC. Commanders immediately cover safety, emotional security, and medical needs and notify AFOSI and the SARC |
A restricted report may still be filed after inadvertent disclosure, a third-party law-enforcement report, or an investigation already open — unless the victim personally reported to law enforcement or already filed unrestricted on a signed DD Form 2910 for the same incident.
Collateral misconduct is a barrier to reporting. Disposition authority starts with the special court-martial convening authority (DAFI 51-201). Safe-to-Report applies to both reporting options. The Initial Disposition Authority decides minor versus non-minor. Minor: the victim will not be disciplined. Non-minor: Safe-to-Report does not apply.
TSgt application: a subordinate's report to you is not a restricted report. You report to the commander, SARC, and AFOSI, you do not investigate, and you do not delay care over collateral misconduct. Restricted intake belongs to the SARC, SAPR VA, VVA, or healthcare personnel.
When fraternization occurs between an officer and an enlisted member, who is subject to disciplinary action for fraternization under Article 134, and what still applies to the enlisted member?
Which six distinct forms of harassment does the Air Force Equal Opportunity Program cover?
What is the filing deadline for a military formal Equal Opportunity complaint, and where are formal sexual harassment complaints referred?
A Technical Sergeant's subordinate wants to make a restricted report of sexual assault. Whom does AFH 1 authorize to receive that restricted report?