Can Soldiers/Leaders promote their civilian business at work during duty hours?

SSG Michael H. — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 18:23:26 -0500

Leaders holding meetings in the middle of our section (6 cubicals and a room) at different times of day, without care of how loud they are or how can hear them. Is this autherized?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 17 at 2013 6:26 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 18:26:04 -0500

I don't see why not, are you talking reservists or active?

Response by SFC Rocky Gannon made Dec 17 at 2013 6:26 PM

SFC Rocky Gannon — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 18:26:37 -0500

SGT Herd who is hold the meetings? Are they trying to influence others to buy from them, lower ranks?

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Dec 17 at 2013 6:59 PM

SGM Matthew Quick — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 18:59:20 -0500

PROHIBITED!

Use of Government Time
http://oge.gov/Topics/Use-of-Government-Position-and-Resources/Use-of-Government-Time/

U.S. Office of Government Ethics - Use of Government Time

Executive branch employees must use official time to perform official duties only. Except in limited circumstances, they are not allowed to perform activities other than official duties during their ...

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 17 at 2013 7:02 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 19:02:16 -0500

Body by Vi?  Is that the mess with the green tokens for an online program that aims to sell overpriced supplements, chargeable workshops, and other junk?<br><br>As far as I recall, there is no money exchanged.  It is still unprofessional like sin to spend duty hours hawking a pyramid scheme.

Response by SSG Robert Burns made Dec 18 at 2013 2:35 AM

SSG Robert Burns — Wed, 18 Dec 2013 02:35:46 -0500

I want to comment but the spelling is really messing with my OCD.  Edit that bad boy please! (i.e. busniss, cubicals, autherized)  or how=who can hear them.  That hurt just typing it.<br>

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 21 at 2014 11:59 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 11:59:29 -0400

APD- has your answer...

AR 210–7, 2–9. Forbidden solicitation practices,
b. Solicitation of “mass,” “group,” or “captive” audiences.
c. Making appointments with or soliciting Army personnel during their normally-scheduled duty hours.
d. Soliciting without an appointment in areas used for housing or processing transient personnel, or soliciting in barracks areas used as quarters.

k. Making personal commercial solicitations or sales to personnel who are junior in rank or grade, or to the family members of such personnel, except as authorized in DOD 5500.7–R, sections 2–205 and 5–409.

DoD 5500.7-R, 2-205:
2-205. Limitation on Solicited Sales. See 5 C.F.R. 3601.106. A DoD employee shall not knowingly solicit or make solicited sales to DoD personnel who are junior in rank, grade or position, or to the family members of such personnel, on or off duty. In the absence of coercion or intimidation, this does not prohibit the sale or lease of a DoD employee's noncommercial personal or real property or commercial sales solicited and made in a retail establishment during off-duty employment. The posting of an advertisement in accordance
with Federal Government building management policies does not constitute solicitation for purposes of this section.

DoD 5500.7-R, 5–409:

5-409. Commercial Dealings Involving DoD Employees. A DoD employee shall not knowingly solicit or make solicited sales to DoD personnel who are junior in rank, grade or position, or to the family members of such personnel, on or off duty. In the absence of coercion or intimidation, this does not prohibit the sale or lease of a DoD employee's noncommercial personal or real property or commercial sales solicited and made in a retail establishment during off-duty employment. The posting of an advertisement in accordance with Federal Government building management policies does not constitute solicitation for
purposes of this subsection.

a. This prohibition includes the solicited sale of insurance, stocks, mutual funds, real estate, cosmetics, household supplies, vitamins, and other goods or services.

b. Both the act of soliciting and the act of selling as a result of soliciting are prohibited. In both cases, however, a solicitation is necessary for a violation to occur. While the standard prohibits a senior DoD official from making a solicited sale to a junior or to the junior's family, sales made because a junior approaches the senior DoD official and requests the sale to be made are not prohibited, absent coercion or intimidation by the senior DoD official.

c. Personal commercial solicitations by the spouse or other household member of a DoD employee to those who are junior in rank, grade, or position to the DoD employee, may give rise to the appearance that the DoD employee himself is using his public office for personal gain. When a spouse or household member of a DoD employee engages in such activity, the
supervisor of the DoD employee must consult an Ethics Counselor, and counsel the DoD employee that such activity should be avoided where it may:

(1) Cause actual or perceived partiality or unfairness;
(2) Involve the actual or apparent use of rank or position for personal gain; or
(3) Otherwise undermine discipline, morale, or authority.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 16 at 2014 4:38 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 16:38:06 -0400

USAF terms that as a form of unprofessional relationship under AFI 36-2909 since there can be undue leader influence to partake, or this side business relationship can go sour and impact the duty section. Your uniform also insinuates service endorsement of the business, just like attending political rallies in uniform.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 16 at 2014 4:40 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 16:40:09 -0400

And yes, "Body by Vi" counts