Military Citizenship

As a member of the Armed Forces, you're now a military citizen. You're held to a higher standard than you were as a civilian. Things you did before BMT could now be deemed a violation of the UCMJ — so the way you think about service has to adjust. That new standard is reflected in the Core Values: Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence In All You Do.

This section covers what it means to be a military citizen, plus the responsibilities that go with it — so you can be accountable for your actions.

Overview

Objective: Identify basic facts and general principles about resilience in the Air Force.

Learning Outcomes

• Discuss the differences between a Citizen and a Military Citizen.
• Recall Constitutional Amendments and military citizenship.
• Understand the DoD and Air Force policy regarding dissident and protest activities.
• Recognize responsibilities as a military citizen regarding allegiance and voting.

Foundational Competencies

• Accountability — Accepts full responsibility for self and team; displays honesty and truthfulness.
• Service Mindset — A desire to help or serve others to meet their needs; making and focusing efforts to discover and meet others' needs.

Summary

• Definition of Citizen and Military Citizen
• Constitutional Amendments and Military Citizenship
• Dissident and Protest Activities
• Military Citizen Responsibilities

Definition of Citizen and Military Citizen

A citizen is a person who owes allegiance to a government and is entitled to protection by that government.

A military citizen is one who has made a commitment to support and defend the Constitution of the United States by swearing allegiance through the Oath of Enlistment.

As a military citizen, you retain all your rights as a U.S. citizen — but additional standards and rules apply because of the demands of military service. Two big ones:

• The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) — ensures effective discipline by allowing justice to be administered by people familiar with the military system. The UCMJ provides a mobile justice system wherever units may be deployed. It imposes limitations on members because of security, discipline, morale, and support of U.S. policies.
• The Law of War — covers conduct of armed conflict and air operations, protects combatants and noncombatants from unnecessary suffering, and safeguards the basic rights of all civilians, prisoners of war, and the wounded and sick during any armed conflict.

These laws guide your actions as a military member and protect your rights.

Constitutional Amendments and Military Citizenship

First Amendment

Guarantees certain freedoms — and with those freedoms come responsibilities.

Freedom of Religion

The right to worship as you choose or not worship at all.

• No one can break a law or violate military instructions in the name of religion.
• You cannot use religion to preach the violent overthrow of the government.
• You may not allow religious practices to interfere with military duties.

Freedom of Speech

Allows citizens to voice personal views.

• You may express personal opinions as long as you don't divulge For Official Use Only (FOUO) information or adversely affect the security or defenses of the U.S. by disclosing classified information.
• Don't use words to endanger people, incite rebellion, slander someone, or encourage disobedience of the law.
• Voice grievances using your chain of command.
• You're responsible for your own actions even with freedom of speech.

Freedom of the Press

Allows citizens to publish personal views.

• Don't represent personal views as the official position of the Air Force.
• Don't publicly release any proposed speech or writing concerning military plans, policies, programs, or operations.
• You'll be held responsible if your writings incite or provoke unlawful acts or affect national security.
• Writings cannot be obscene or slanderous.
• Receive proper authorization before publicly releasing any federal-government-agency writings.

Freedom of Assembly

Allows citizens to summon or come together as a group for a common cause.

• You're prohibited from participating in a demonstration when on duty, in a foreign country, in uniform, or on a military installation.

Freedom of Petition

Allows citizens the right to petition the President, Congress, or other public official without fear of reprisal.

• Don't circulate or sign a petition on an Air Force installation unless authorized by the installation commander.
• You're liable for any false statements you make.
• Resolve military matters through your chain of command first.
• Voice grievances directly through the Inspector General (IG) Complaint System.

Fourth Amendment

Grants you freedom from unreasonable search and seizure.

Authorization to search must be based on probable cause and particularly describe the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized. Probable cause exists when there's a reasonable belief that the person, property, or evidence is located in the place or on the person to be searched.

A search authorization is the military equivalent of a civilian search warrant: an express permission, written or oral, issued by a competent military authority. Commanders, military judges, installation commanders, and magistrates have the power to authorize search and seizure over anyone subject to military law or at any place on the installation.

Search vs. inspection

Commanders may also conduct inspections of their units. An inspection is not a search. An inspection is an examination of the unit, organization, installation, vessel, aircraft, or vehicle conducted to determine the security, military fitness, or good order and discipline.

The distinction:

• A search is conducted to obtain evidence for trial or disciplinary proceedings, focused on a particular suspect or individual.
• An inspection is not conducted for that purpose. Contraband seized during an inspection (vehicle entry checks, random drug testing) is admissible in court.

Fifth Amendment

The right to due process of law. Due process safeguards the legal rights of individuals.

This amendment is similar to Article 31, Compulsory Self-Incrimination Prohibited, of the UCMJ — both protect you against self-incrimination.

Dissident and Protest Activities

Department of Defense (DoD) policy

The DoD's goal is to safeguard the security of the U.S. As a service member, expressing anything that jeopardizes that security is in direct violation of your responsibilities. Your right of expression and your responsibility to protect the security of the U.S. must be reconciled.

Basically, your right to expression is preserved to the maximum extent possible, so long as it's consistent with good order, discipline, and national security. Misconduct in this area will not be condoned — if left unchecked, unit effectiveness will suffer.

Air Force policy

Members must not actively participate in organizations supporting supremacist causes or organizations that support illegal discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, or national origin. AF members will not actively participate in organizations that advocate the use of force or violence or are engaged in efforts to deprive individuals of their civil rights.

Examples of active participation:

• Public demonstration or rallying
• Fund raising
• Recruiting and training members
• Organizing
• Leading

Mere membership in these organizations is not prohibited; however, leaders may consider such membership during evaluations and when considering the individual for an assignment.

Military Citizen Responsibilities

Allegiance

Allegiance is the obligation of support and loyalty you have to your government. As a member of the Air Force, you're subject to duty at any time, including weekends and holidays. If directed, you must report for duty at any location and remain as long as necessary to get the job done — or until excused by competent authority.

Voting

Voting is a formal expression of opinion to a proposed decision. As an American citizen, you have the right and duty to vote to retain and protect your rights and freedoms and to have a voice in your government and selecting those who manage it.

If stationed away from your state of legal residence (this includes during BMT), you may vote by absentee ballot. For trainees / Airmen currently in BMT using a Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Request (SF76), use a permanent address when filling out the form. A temporary address can delay the ballot from being delivered.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) administers the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). FVAP's mission is to inform and educate U.S. citizens worldwide of their right to vote, foster voting participation, and help active-duty members and their families register and vote absentee in elections for federal offices.

In many states, laws allow military members and their families to register and vote absentee in state and local elections too. UOCAVA requires each federal department and agency with personnel covered by the act to have a voting assistance program. Critical to the program's success are Voting Assistance Officers (VAOs) — military and civilian — who provide accurate, nonpartisan voting information and assistance to all the citizens they serve.

Summary

As a military citizen, you retain all your rights as a U.S. citizen. However, due to the demands of military service, you'll abide by additional standards and rules. This section covered Constitutional Amendments, protest activities, and military citizen responsibilities. The UCMJ and Law of War are valuable resources to learn more.