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AETCGM2017-36-01

to AETCI 36-2909
Recruiting, Education, Accessions, and
Training Standards of Conduct
AETC/JA
a/o 1 June 2017

For All Personnel of Training Activities

1
Heritage to Horizon
Overview
Personnel Subject to this Instruction
Mission Area Commanders
Responsibilities
Reporting Requirements
Professional and Unprofessional Relationships
Education and Training Abuse and Hazing
Academic Integrity

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Heritage to Horizon
AETCI 36-2909
Every Airman has a duty to act professionally, protect Americas honor,
and preserve the confidence of the American public

All Airmen assigned to AETC organizations must demonstrate an


unwavering commitment to:
Upholding standards of conduct
Protecting applicants, recruits, trainees, cadets, and students
Accomplishing the mission

1.1.1 & 1.1.2 3


Heritage to Horizon
AETC Personnel & Activities
Subject to this Instruction
Instructors & Staff Enlisted Initial Skills
Recruiter Training
Officer Initial Skills
Applicant
Training
Recruit
Recruiting Assistance
Trainee Program
Officer Trainee Building Partner
Cadet Capacity (BPC) Training
Student Program

1.2.1-1.2.12 4
Heritage to Horizon
AETC Personnel & Activities
Subject to this Instruction
Instructor
Officer, enlisted, civilian, and contract personnel who design, develop, deliver, and
assess learning of AETC trainees, cadets, and students

Staff
Non-instructor personnel assigned to a training or education environment, either
permanently or temporarily, who have direct contact with trainees, cadets, or
students

But not Installation Support Personnel


Who do not have direct contact with trainees, cadets, or students

1.2.1.1-1.2.1.3 5
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AETC Personnel & Activities
Subject to this Instruction
Student
Personnel assigned to or on temporary duty to AETC bases, wings, detachments, or
schools to attend training programs (including enlisted or officer initial skills training,
supplemental or advanced training, and retraining) or educational (credit-bearing or
non-credit) courses of instruction
Includes personnel awaiting training programs or educational courses of
instruction
Distance learning

1.2.8 6
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AETC Personnel & Activities
Subject to this Instruction
Enlisted Initial Skills Training
Results in AFSC 3-skill level

Officer Initial Skills Training


May not be AFSC awarding

Building Partnership Capacity (BPC) Training Programs


Includes training of foreign individuals

1.2.9-1.2.12 7
Heritage to Horizon
Mission-Area Commander
AETC Mission-Area Commanders (MACs) have significant responsibility
for setting and maintaining standards of conduct in their respective areas
of responsibility

AETC MACs are AU/CC, 2 AF/CC, 19 AF/CC, 59 MDW/CC, and AFRS/CC

1.4-1.4.1 8
Heritage to Horizon
Responsibilities
Commanders and leaders at all levels:
Ensure applicants, recruits, trainees, cadets, and students are treated with dignity
and respect
Set the example
Address violations proactively, consistently, and at the appropriate level

Commanders specifically:
Maintain good order and discipline
Hold offenders accountable (disciplinary actions, personnel actions, maintaining
records)
Ensure superior commanders have proper situational awareness of allegations or
violations of this instruction

Commanders and leaders at all levels address violations proactively,


consistently, and at appropriate level
2.1.1-2.4 9
Heritage to Horizon
Training Requirements
All commanders, judge advocates, investigators, and supervisors of
AETC recruiting, education, accessions, or training activity shall review
this instruction within 30 days of their arrival, and at least annually
thereafter

Commanders of recruiting, education, accessions, or training units shall


ensure all personnel are briefed on relevant provisions of this instruction
within 30 days of their arrival, and at least annually thereafter

19 AF Supp: Instructors/staff members will be briefed on the instructions


requirements during PIT academics and other initial instructor training
activities, w/in 30 days of arrival at PCS location, and at least annually
thereafter for duration of time in the training unit

2.1.3.4, 2.7 10
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Reporting
Duty to Report

Recruiters, instructors, and staff members with knowledge of alleged


violations or alleged attempted violations of the unprofessional
relationship, maltraining, cruelty and maltreatment, hazing, and academic
integrity provision of this instruction shall immediately report allegations to
an appropriate authority, unless otherwise exempted by law, regulation, or
policy

2.2.1 11
Heritage to Horizon
Reporting
Knowledge means an awareness of an allegation. It does not require a
belief in the accuracy or truth of the allegation. Knowledge may be
obtained by any means, including but not limited to, witnessing the
offense; statements by third parties; email, text messaging, or social
media; and course surveys, critiques, or comment cards

Appropriate Authority includes supervisors, members of the chain of


command, legal office personnel, Air Force Office of Special
Investigations (AFOSI), Security Forces, Inspector General (IG), and
Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC)

2.2.1.1-2.2.1.2 12
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Reporting
Those receiving the reports will immediately forward the report through
appropriate channels to the alleged violators squadron or detachment
commander, unless otherwise exempted by law, regulation, or policy

Victims of alleged violations are encouraged to use relevant agencies,


including AFOSI, Security Forces, IG, SARC, and Equal Opportunity, to
address misconduct
Victims are not required to report

2.2.1.3-2.2.1.4 13
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Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Professional Relationships

Consistent with AF Core Values


Essential to effective operation of all organizations
Become matters of official concern when they adversely affect or have
the reasonable potential to adversely affect the AF by eroding
Morale
Good order and discipline
Respect for authority
Unit cohesion
Mission accomplishment

3.1-3.1.2 14
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Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Unprofessional Relationships

Include those between instructors, staff, recruiters and applicants,


recruits, trainees, cadets, and students
On-duty or off-duty
Unprofessional when they detract from authority of instructors, staff, and recruiters,
or
Result in (or reasonably create the appearance of) favoritism, misuse of office or
position, or the abandonment of organizational goals for personal interests

3.2 15
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Unprofessional Relationships

Unprofessional relationships may include relationships between:


Officers
Enlisted members
Officers and TFOT or AFROTC cadets, or enlisted members
Enlisted members and TFOT or AFROTC cadets, COT or RCOT Officer Trainees, or
officer students
Military personnel and civilian employees, contractor personnel, or AFROTC civilian
administrative assistants
Recruiters and recruits or applicants

3.2.1-3.2.6 16
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Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Recruiters, instructors, and staff will be held primarily accountable for
unprofessional relationships with applicants, recruits, trainees, cadets,
and students, even if the relationships otherwise appear consensual

Trainees, cadets, and students have an independent obligation to avoid


prohibited behaviors
Consider power imbalance
Victim

3.3.1-3.3.1.1 17
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Specifically permitted contact or association between recruits,
instructors, and staff and applicants, trainees, cadets, and students is
permitted under the following circumstances:
Necessary to accomplish AETCs mission
Between personnel with a prior blood or marriage relationship IAW this instruction
Related to informal professional interaction, outside-the-classroom mentoring, and
team-building activities, as defined in this instruction
Must be consistent with this instructions social prohibitions and MAC guidance

3.3.2-3.3.2.5 18
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Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Specifically permitted contact or association between recruits,
instructors, and staff and applicants, trainees, cadets, and students is
permitted under the following circumstances:
Between instructors and staff and students participating in one of the AETC
programs defined in 3.8.2.1, when no direct training relationship exists between the
instructors and staff and students and the student holds an AFSC (or equivalent from
another branch of the DoD) from a previous career field
Must be consistent with this instructions social prohibitions and MAC guidance
Between instructors and staff and students participating in one of the AETC
programs defined in 3.8.2.2, when no direct training relationship exists between the
instructors and staff and students
Must be consistent with this instructions social prohibitions and MAC guidance

3.3.2-3.3.2.5 19
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Informal Professional Interactions, Mentoring, and Team-Building

19 AF Supp: Recognizes that a certain level of outside-the-classroom


mentoring and interaction is necessary and productive
Defines informal professional interactions, outside-the-classroom
mentoring, and team-building activities.
Allow Sq/CCs authority to permit such activities utilizing guidelines:
Must not be of a purely personal nature b/t instructors/staff and students;
No one group of students should be given an advantage; open to wide collection of
students
Give particular care when considering events involving alcohol or in non-AF facilities
(especially cross-country training missions)
May not violate other higher-level authorities
Provides special considerations for different training missions
3.3.2.3.1-3.3.2.3.6 20
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Informal Professional Interactions, Mentoring, and Team-Building

19 AF Supp: Defines direct training relationship as beginning when the


student has started the training syllabus and continuing until student has
completed training program and any follow-on training
A direct training relationship exists any time the instructor/staff
member is in a position to influence the training outcome of the student
in any way
For officers in student status awaiting the beginning of formal training,
instructors/staff will follow the provisions of this instruction even though
a direct training relationship has not yet been formed

3.3.2.4, 3.7 21
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Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Informal Professional Interactions, Mentoring, and Team-Building

19 AF Supp: Provides that instructors/staff and advanced skills training


students may engage in personal or social contact where no direct
training relationship exists

3.3.2.5 22
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Communication

Communication to facilitate or accomplish contact, electronic or


otherwise, for official and professional purposes, in accordance with
MAC guidance is not prohibited
19 AF Supp: Electronic communications between instructors/staff and
students shall take place via official AF systems, unless not practicable
If AF systems not practicable, may use commercial systems to communicate
regarding official matters only
Instructors/staff communicating with students should generally employ group
messaging
Instructors/staff will not follow or friend students in initial/undergraduate training
programs
CCs may allow additional communications in graduate training programs

3.4 23
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Pre-Existing Relationships

Recruiters, instructors, and staff shall immediately inform chain of


command if they learn a relative, friend, or anyone with whom they have
had a personal or intimate relationship is an applicant, recruit, trainee,
cadet, or student in their particular accession, training, or instruction
program
If a student transitions from student to instructor status, the student shall
immediately inform his or her chain of command if he or she has any pre-
existing personal or intimate relationships with students who remain in
their particular training or instruction program

3.5.1 24
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Pre-Existing Relationships

Leadership at Sq or Det commander or above shall


Take reasonable steps to avoid placing trainees, cadets, and students under direct
supervision of instructors and staff when pre-existing relationships are present
Take reasonable steps to ensure applicants and recruits with pre-existing
relationships with recruiters are accessed by recruiters without the pre-existing
relationship

Recruiters, instructors, and staff members will ensure their actions do


not give the appearance of preferential treatment or favoritism when pre-
existing relationships are involved

3.5.2-3.5.4 25
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Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Informal Professional Interactions, Mentoring, and Team-Building

Informal, Professional interactions not prohibited


Mentorship encouraged
Team building
Communication
MAC Guidelines

3.6 26
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Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Specific Prohibitions and Responsibilities

Military members, DoD civilian employees, contractor employees:


Comply with this instruction on- and off-duty
Ensure relationships are professional and impartial, do not create appearance of
favoritism, do not detract from professional image of AF
For military members, violations of specific prohibitions is a violation of
Article 92, UCMJ
May be subject to
Discharge
Civilian disciplinary/adverse actions
Civilian criminal or civil sanctions
Applies throughout all periods of recruiting, education, accessions, and
training
Continues in some cases
3.8-3.8.1 27
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Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Initial Contact w/Recruiter through Initial Skills Training

Recruiters, instructors, and staff will not engage in the prohibited


activities listed in this instruction with:
Enlisted applicants, recruits, BMT trainees, and enlisted initial skills training students
Officer applicants, recruits, AFROTC or TFOT cadets, COT or RCOT Officer Trainees,
and officer initial skills training students
The immediate family members of applicants, recruits, trainees, cadets, and students,
except for approved personal or social contact IAW MAC guidelines

Trainees, cadets, and students will not engage in the prohibited activities
listed in this instruction, except as allowed by MAC guidelines

19 AF Supp: Instructors/staff will not engage in personal or social contact


with immediate family members of a student if such contact would not be
permitted with the student 3.8.2-3.8.2.1.3 28
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
After Initial Skills Training

Instructors, and staff will not engage in the prohibited activities listed in
this instruction with:
Enlisted or officer students after training requirements complete, if a direct training
relationship exists, as defined by MAC
Recruiting Assistance Program (RAP) Airmen
Enlisted and officer students who have completed training through Initial
Skills Training will not engage in the prohibited activities listed in this
instruction with instructors or staff, if a direct training relationship exists

3.8.2.2-3.8.2.2.3, 3.9 29
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Prohibited Activities

Developing, attempting to develop, or conducting a personal, intimate, or


sexual relationship, including, but not limited to, dating, handholding,
kissing, embracing, and engaging in sexual activities

Using grade or position, threats, pressure, or promise of return of favors


or favorable treatment in an attempt to gain sexual favors

Making sexual advances, or seeking or accepting sexual advances or


favors.

Establishing a common household

3.8.3 30
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Prohibited Activities

Gambling, lending money, borrowing money, or otherwise becoming


indebted, regardless of who is the lender and who is the debtor

Hiring, employing, or accepting personal services for any reason, even if


not for compensation

Accepting personal goods, in an unofficial or personal capacity, for


storage or any other reason

3.8.3 31
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Prohibited Activities
Allowing entry of personnel into their apartment, house, or other dwelling
Allowing entry of personnel into their privately-owned vehicles
Official business exception
Safety and welfare exception

Providing alcohol on a personal social basis, or consuming alcohol on a


personal social basis
Attend social gatherings, clubs, bars, theaters, or similar establishments
on a personal social basis
Soliciting donations
Except during official Air Force fundraising campaigns
Unit memorabilia sales 3.8.3 32
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Prohibited Activities19 AF Supp
Allows Sq/CCs to approve limited number of activities in private
dwellings in unique situations where would promote team-building,
consistent with guidelines provided
Provides guidance concerning FAIPs who previously lived with students, privatized
base housing, and gatherings in private dwellings for those in graduate training
environment

For entry of personnel into POVs, requires instructor/staff to report ASAP


(NLT 24 hours) if transport student due to safety/welfare issue
Allows CCs to authorize exception to the prohibition in narrow circumstances
Provides guidance on sharing of rental cars while TDY
Provides additional guidance for those in graduate training environment

3.8.3.4, 3.8.3.6 33
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Prohibited Activities 19 AF Supp
Provides specific guidance for Sq/CCs in considering whether to allow
alcohol at outside-the-classroom activities
Allows Sq/CCs to approve social gatherings in clubs, bars, theaters, or
similar establishments in infrequent situations
Utilize criteria for all outside-the-classroom activities
Exercise particular caution when event would involve interaction between
instructors/staff and students in initial qualification training programs
Allows for greater latitude in graduate training programs

Provides guidance concerning soliciting donations (CFC, AFAF, unit t-


shirts and memorabilia, and landing fees

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Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Specific Prohibitions and Responsibilities
Recruiters and RAP* Airmen
Officer Applicants DODI 1304.33 Contact to
accomplish
Officer Recruits AETCI 36-2909 mission
AFROTC or TFOT From 1st contact through AFROTC, TFOT, COT, Contact between
RCOT, and officer initial skills training; continues for 6
Cadets prior
months after completion, the date the officer reports
to first permanent duty assignment, or date officer blood/marriage
COT or RCOT
arrives at follow-on training, whichever is later relationship
Officer Trainees
Official &
Officer Initial Skills Prohibitions apply regardless of whether a direct professional
Students recruiting or training relationship exists
contact
*Social Prohibitions on relationships between recruiters and
Immediate Family applicants and recruits also apply to relationships between RAP
Members Airmen and applicants and recruits.

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Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Specific Prohibitions and Responsibilities
Instructors and Staff

All Applicants & Recruits DODI 1304.33 Informal


AETCI 36-2909 professional
BMT Trainees Enlisted - from 1st contact through BMT and enlisted initial skills interaction,
Enlisted Initial Skills training and continues until 6 months after Airman completes initial mentoring, team
skills training and receives an AFSC
Students building
Officer - from 1st contact through AFROTC, TFOT, COT, RCOT, and Contact to
AFROTC or TFOT Cadets
officer initial skills training; continues for 6 months after completion, the accomplish mission
COT or ROTC Trainees date the officer reports to first permanent duty assignment, or date Contact between
officer arrives at follow-on training, whichever is later prior blood or
Officer Initial Skills Students
marriage
Immediate Family Members Prohibitions apply regardless of whether a direct recruiting or training
relationship exists relationship
After Initial Skills Training If a direct-training relationship as defined by MAC, from 1st day of Official/professional
course to graduation/completion contact
Students already w/AFSC
After Initial Skills Training & no
See MAC Guidance
direct training relationship 36
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Building Partner Capacity (BPC) Training Programs

Training of foreign individuals to advance partner nation capacity and


capabilities

Prohibitions & limitations differ depending on training program

Prohibited activities apply when BPC personnel are involved in BMT,


enlisted initial skills training, and officer commission or accessions
programs
If in program outside of above listed courses, then not subject to prohibitions

3.9.2 37
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Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Building Partner Capacity (BPC) Training Programs

BPC instructors and staff in those other AETC programs:


Shall comply w/limitations in AFI 36-2909
Shall not develop, attempt to develop, or conduct intimate or sexual relationships
with BPC trainees, cadets, or students
Shall not make sexual advances, or seek or accept sexual advances or favors from
BPC trainees, cadets, or students
Shall not use, or attempt to use, their grade or position, threats, pressure, or promise
of return of favors or favorable treatment in an attempt to gain sexual favors from
BPC trainees, cadets, or students

3.9.2 38
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Building Partner Capacity (BPC) Training Programs

BPC instructors and staff in those other AETC programs:


Shall not establish a common household with BPC trainees, cadets, or students
Shall not solicit, or attempt to solicit, donations from BPC trainees, cadets, or
students
Except during official Air Force fundraising campaigns
Unit memorabilia sales
Shall not gamble with, lend money to, borrow money from, or otherwise become
indebted to BPC trainees, cadets, or students
BPC instructors and staff are subject to the specific paragraph 3.5
relating to relationships with non-BPC applicants, recruits, trainees,
cadets, students, and their immediate family members.

3.9.2 39
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Reporting and Documenting

Substantiated unprofessional relationship allegations will be documented


and maintained in a PIF
In addition to possible disciplinary action or administrative separation, a
substantiated violation or attempted violation of the prohibited activities
may result in
Removal from the recruiting, accessions, education, or training environment,
Temporary/permanent decertification
Withdrawal of associated Special Duty Identifiers
Commanders should consult with their servicing legal office to determine if it is
appropriate to temporarily or permanently remove an individual from the recruiting,
training, or education environment

3.10 40
Heritage to Horizon
Education and Training Abuse
and Hazing
Leaders, instructors, and staff are responsible for safeguarding the
safety, morale, and welfare of assigned trainees, cadets, and students, to
include providing them with a healthy learning environment

Prohibited activities include maltraining, cruelty and maltreatment, and


hazing

Ch. 4 41
Heritage to Horizon
Education and Training Abuse
and Hazing
Maltraining Defined as:
Any practice by an instructor, staff member, or cadet training assistant;
Involving a trainee, cadet, or student;
With no reasonable connection toward a course training objective; and
That recklessly or intentionally causes, or is likely to result in, unlawful physical,
emotional, psychological, or financial harm

May be physical (unauthorized, unwanted physical contact or improperly


depriving another of basic physical necessities), verbal (any
communication that degrades, belittles, demeans, maliciously
embarrasses, or slanders and individual/group), or sexual harassment
(unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other
verbal/physical sexual conduct in situations that affect the workplace)
4.2.1, 4.3 42
Heritage to Horizon
Education and Training Abuse
and Hazing
Cruelty and Maltreatment is defined in Article 93, UCMJ

May include conduct among instructors and staff members; conduct


between instructors and staff and trainees, cadets, and students; and
conduct among trainees, cadets, and students

Consists of:
Cruelty, oppression, or maltreatment;
Of a military subordinate;
By a military superior

4.2.2 43
Heritage to Horizon
Education and Training Abuse
and Hazing
Hazing
Conduct with no proper military or governmental purpose;
That recklessly or intentionally physically or psychologically injures or creates a
substantial risk of physical or psychological injury; and
Is done for initiation, admission into, affiliation with, change in status or position
within, or as a condition for membership in any military or DoD civilian organization
Includes acts in person or through other means, soliciting others to
commit acts of hazing, acts of hazing with actual/implied consent from
the victims, and acts occurring off duty or during unofficial functions
Includes acts among instructors and staff; between instructors/staff and
trainees/cadets/students; and among trainees/cadets/students
19 AF Supp: Alcohol shall not be consumed as part of any syllabus
training activity or other required event, and students shall not be
required/encouraged to consume alcohol to gain acceptance
4.2.3, 4.5 44
Heritage to Horizon
Professional and
Unprofessional Relationships
Reporting and Documenting

Substantiated allegations of education and training abuse or hazing shall


be documented and maintained in a PIF
In addition to possible disciplinary action, a substantiated allegations of
education and training abuse or hazing may result in an instructor or staff
members
Removal from the training environment,
Temporary/permanent decertification
Withdrawal of associated Special Duty Identifiers

4.7 45
Heritage to Horizon
Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is uncompromising adherence to a code of ethics,


morality, conduct, scholarship, academic standards, and other values
related to academic activity

Violations of academic integrity are inconsistent with Air Force Core


Values and will not be tolerated

Examples include plagiarism and misrepresentation

Violations must be reported to the appropriate commander or other


official

Ch. 5 46
Heritage to Horizon
Conclusion
Personnel Subject to this Instruction
Mission Area Commanders
Responsibilities
Reporting Requirements
Professional and Unprofessional Relationships
Education and Training Abuse and Hazing
Academic Integrity

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Heritage to Horizon

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