Under the UCMJ, criminal prohibitions apply to certain inappropriate conduct between which groups?

• A. Officers and enlisted personnel
• B. Officers and officers
• C. Enlisted personnel and civilians
• D. All service members

Answer: (A)

The rule focuses on unprofessional relationships that cross the officer–enlisted boundary because of the authority imbalance in the chain of command. When an officer and a subordinate enlisted member engage in conduct that could be coercive, biased, or undermine discipline, it threatens the integrity of good order and discipline in the unit. Fraternization policies are designed to prevent that risk by regulating interactions between those with supervisory authority and those under it. Relationships between officers and officers or between enlisted members and civilians aren’t addressed in the same way by these prohibitions, and civilians aren’t generally subject to the UCMJ, so the primary concern is the officer–enlisted pairing.