[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 32, Volume 5]
[Revised as of July 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 32CFR705.35]

[Page 166-167]
 
                       TITLE 32--NATIONAL DEFENSE
 
                   CHAPTER VI--DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
 
PART 705_PUBLIC AFFAIRS REGULATIONS--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 705.35  Armed Forces participation in events in the public domain.

    (a) Requests for bands, troops, units, teams, exhibits and other 
Armed Forces participation should be addressed to the nearest military 
installation. Local commanders have resources which they can commit to 
appropriate events if mission requirements permit. If no military 
installation is accessible, or if resources requested are not available 
locally or require approval by higher authorities, a standard Department 
of Defense Request Form should be completed. This form is used to 
evaluate the request, determine appropriateness of the event and 
compliance with Department of Defense policies, and eliminate repeated 
correspondence. The request form should be returned to the office or 
military command from which it was received unless another address is 
indicated.
    (b) Basic criteria governing Armed Forces participation in public 
events have been developed by the Department of Defense to ensure 
compliance with public law, to assure equitable distribution of 
resources to as many appropriate events as possible, and to avoid 
excessive disruption of primary training and operational missions of the 
Military Services. the following general rules and information are 
included as an aid to you in understanding Department of Defense 
policies and in planning programs of mutual benefit to the Armed Forces 
and your community.
    (1) When evaluating requests for Armed Forces participation in 
public events, the interests of the Department of Defense and the public 
at large, operational requirements of the Military services, and 
availability of resources are prime considerations. Commitment of 
resources to specific events must be balanced with the above factors and 
with requests for similar participation received from other sources.
    (2) Department of Defense participation and cooperation must not 
directly or indirectly:
    (i) Endorse or selectively benefit or favor or appear to endorse or 
selectively benefit or favor any private individual, group, corporation 
(whether for profit or nonprofit), sect, quasi-religious or ideological 
movement, fraternal organization, political organization, or commercial 
venture.
    (ii) Be associated with the solicitation of votes in a political 
election. Sites such as commercial theaters or department stores, 
churches or fraternal halls; and events such as testimonials to private 
individuals or sectarian religious services, are generally inappropriate 
for Armed Forces participation.
    (3) Participation by the Armed Forces in any event or activity may 
be authorized only if admission, seating and all other accommodations 
and facilities are available to all without regard to race, creed, color 
or national origin, and only if the sponsoring organization does not 
exclude any form of discrimination based on race, creed, color or 
national origin. This does not bar participation in events sponsored by 
nationally-recognized veteran's organizations when the program is 
oriented toward the veterans' interests, nor does it bar participation 
in non-public school events when the program is directed toward 
education or recruiting.
    (i) No admission charge may be levied on the public solely to see an 
Armed Forces demonstration, unit or exhibit. When admission is charged, 
the Armed Forces activity must not be the sole or primary attraction.
    (4) Armed Forces participation is authorized in a fund-raising event 
only when the sponsor certifies that all net profits in excess of actual 
operating costs will be donated to one of the consolidated programs 
recognized by the Federal Services Fund-Raising program. These include 
such agencies as the United Givers Fund, Community Chests, National 
Health Agencies (as a group), International Service Agencies and the 
military aid societies.
    (5) When Armed Forces participation in an event is in the mutual 
interest of the Department of Defense and the

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sponsor of the event, participation will be authorized at no additional 
cost to the government. Additional costs to the government--travel and 
transportation of military personnel, meals and quarters or standard per 
diem allowance, etc.--will be borne by the sponsor.
    (6) Department of Defense policy prohibits payment by the Armed 
Forces for rental of exhibit space, connection of electricity, or 
utility or janitorial costs.
    (7) The duration of participation by military units in any one event 
is limited in the interests of proper utilization and equitable 
distribution of Armed Forces manpower and resources. While an exhibit 
might be scheduled for the duration of an event, a unit such as a 
military band is limited to three days.
    (8) Armed Forces participation in professional sports events and 
post-season bowl games will normally be authorized at no additional cost 
to the government, will emphasize joint Service activity and must 
support recruiting programs. Participation in beauty contests, fashion 
shows, pageants, Christmas parades, and motion picture premieres is not 
authorized since military support would violate policy and 
appropriateness.