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.
IT
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
MP1018
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