Politics, military: keep it between the lines Published Sept. 29, 2006 By Master Sgt. Collen McGee 433rd Airlift Wing LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Politics and business don't mix--especially when your business is serving in the Air Force Reserve. There are some things you can do when you are in uniform, but posting campaign yard signs, on your way home from weekend training, while in uniform, is not one of them. You can go by your local polling location and cast your vote at lunch. You can even tell the world you are a Reservist, in a generic way, while being interviewed by the evening news at a local political fundraiser. But if in uniform at that fundraiser, you are coloring outside of official lines. The boundaries can be confusing.There are some clear signs in place to keep you from making an error that could get you into hot water at the unit and still allow you to be an active, involved citizen. Most of those rules are covered during the annual ethics briefings given by your Judge Advocate General's office. "There are ethics rules that apply to all of us irrespective of the political scene," said Lt. Colonel Rebecca Klein, Deputy Staff Judge Advocate for the 433rd Airlift Wing. "As a supervising officer, or higher ranking individual, you can not be asking for or soliciting business or money from a subordinate in grade, rank or title. It applies just as much if fund raising for dollars or campaigning for votes." Colonel Klein explained the issue falls under the rules governing the use of command influence. Under those rules, using your official position to gain support for anything that is not supported by official endorsement is an improper use of command influence. To make the politics and military roads a bit harder to navigate, there are some major differences in the rules governing the Reserve forces than those that apply to the active duty Air Force. "The main thing, in general, is that the Air Force Reserve and the Guard are allowed to run (for elected office) at any level, local, state and national," said Colonel Klein. "The prohibition extends only to those who are either active duty or Reserve on extended active duty of 180 days or more." There are still some obvious restrictions that require clear separations between political activity and military duty. "While on orders of any kind, or UTAs, they can not do fundraising, can't distribute literature for themselves, or anyone else, and can't make presentations on behalf of a candidate," said Colonel Klein. With a close Reserve family, unit co-workers are bound to ask about an election if you are running for office. Colonel Klein said answering isn't a problem as long as there is a clear line between answers and overt campaigning. "You can talk about, factually, what's been going on but you can't promote yourself or persuade someone," said Colonel Klein. Not many members of the wing will be election candidates. More might be volunteers for someone else's campaign. Volunteering to work at a campaign office or canvassing for votes are activities Reservists are able to do that active-duty forces can not. Again, the same rules of not doing so in uniform apply. Colonel Klein has some practical advice to make sure there is no way anyone will even perceive a conflict of interests. Basically, make sure that when in uniform or on any sort of military status, there is a clear line between the two to maintain the apolitical requirements for military members. "Take your uniform off before going (to a election venue or rally). Never mix. Don't make even a phone call while in uniform on behalf of a candidate," said Colonel Klein. The Air Force is not out to make Reservists uninvolved citizens. In fact, Colonel Klein was a candidate for state government in the last elections and found the experience personally rewarding. "It's exciting and exhausting. A 24/7 job. My area was 350 miles long and there was a lot of travel," said Colonel Klein. "It was a roller coaster ride. One minute you're up, the next you're down, and then you're up again." Even with the peaks and valleys she enjoyed the personal interaction along the campaign trail. "It was a good experience and you meet a lot of good people along the way," she said. The amount of work needed, an aggressive campaign may not be for everyone. As a reservist and a citizen, it is still good to be informed and involved in the decision making process for decisions affecting life and career issues. There are activities within the political process open to Reservists. A few can even be done in uniform. "Things you can do while on duty - you can vote, write to your representatives, have a bumper sticker on your car, write op-eds (opinion articles to the local newspaper) as a Reservist, in the generic sense, but don't sign them with your official title and rank," said Colonel Klein. Staying informed is another way to be politically involved. There are reliable sources covering legislation and policy making that affect the Reserve. Good sources on political topics include: Reserve Officer's Association, newspapers, web sites, delegation notices, DOD.gov and the Air Force Sergeant's Association. No matter what type of involvement you choose, from active citizen to the campaign trail, know where to draw the lines. For more information, check AFI 51-902 or ask the JAG.