Inspector General Robert P. Storch announced today that the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG) released the “Management Advisory: Evaluation of the Military Services’ Training and Guidance on Political Conduct for the 2024 Presidential Election.”
The evaluation found that the DoD and the Services did not consistently issue guidance or provide training to Service members regarding their political activities. The management advisory details that while the DoD has specific guidance clarifying permissible and prohibited political activities for military personnel, the primary applicable policy does not establish specific requirements for training members regarding those matters.
As a result, the DoD and the Services do not have assurance that all Service members have received consistent guidance and standardized training on their responsibilities relating to partisan and nonpartisan political activities and the consequences of failing to uphold those responsibilities.
“Without consistent training on the guardrails for appropriately participating in political activities, Service members are at risk inadvertently violating laws and policies that may impact them and undermine public trust in the DoD,” said IG Storch. “Helping ensure Service members are aware of the rules is especially important as we approach the election season.”
The DoD OIG made five recommendations and will continue monitoring the progress toward full implementation.