Ethics Corner

This series on ethics presents cautionary examples drawn from the DoD Standards of Conduct Office Encyclopedia of Ethical Failures.

If you have questions about ethics or are unsure about a certain course of conduct, contact the NASCC Staff Judge Advocate’s office by calling 361-961-3535.

Today’s story is about hotels and making sure to get a letter of nonavailability if you book off base.

While working at the Air Force Legal Operating Agency, an official directed Air Force Judge Advoctae Generals to stay at local hotels at a higher monetary rate even though there was housing was available on Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Alabama, at a much lower rate.

This official used his Marriott Hotel reward points account to reserve hotel rooms for visiting military personnel so that he could collect the mileage reward points for himself.

This action is a violation due to the fact the official was using his public office for private gain.

As a result of the scheme, the official received a total of 587,282 Marriott reward points and an additional 100,000 reward points for other room arrangements.

He pled guilty and was sentenced to pay a $5,000 fine and $90,356 in restitution to the Government for defrauding the Air Force.

As a reminder for those on travel orders, the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) require:

Uniformed service members on orders to a U.S. military installation to check government quarters availability at the site to which they are temporarily assigned. Travelers are able to book official travel lodging at Air Force Inns, Navy Gateway Inns & Suites, Navy Lodge and Army Lodging directly in the Defense Travel System (DTS)

Travelers, both military and civilian, who are on temporary assignment to U.S. military installations at select Integrated Lodging Program Pilot sites are to book government quarters before other lodging options.

All travelers going on temporary assined duty need to use the DTS to book lodging. This includes DoD lodging, privatized, and commercial lodging.