Purpose

The approval of conference participation involves many factors governed by regulations and policies, including travel, fiscal, contracting, training, recordkeeping, and ethics. This policy establishes the framework to execute Department of Defense (DOD) conference policy; provides overarching guidance to help personnel requesting to attend conferences and planners hosting conferences; and guides various other stakeholders—legal advisors, resource managers, approval authorities, and so on—through the decisionmaking process. Commands, organizations, and activities are encouraged to establish internal policies and processes. However, any additional restrictions must be briefed to the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army, Special Programs Directorate (SPD) before implementation. All implemented policies must balance the need to maintain oversight to ensure appropriate fiscal responsibility while also removing excessive burdens.

Applicability.

This regulation applies to the Regular Army, the U.S. Army Reserve, those organizations the Secretary of the Army is the designated Department of Defense Executive Agent for, and organizations whose activities the Army funds (regardless of the fund source), unless the Office of the Secretary of Defense has otherwise granted them approval authority. It does not apply to events fully funded with nonappropriated funds or foreign military sales. This policy covers conferences the Department of the Army hosts and cosponsors, as well as conferences Army personnel attend. It does not apply to Army National Guard events. In accordance with Department of Defense policy, the Chief, National Guard Bureau will promulgate conference policy for the Army National Guard.