Department of Defense
INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 1315.09
March 6, 2015
Incorporating Change 1, December 1, 2017
USD(P&R)
SUBJECT: Utilization of Enlisted Aides (EAs) on Personal Staffs of General and Flag Officers
(GO/FOs)
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. In accordance with the authority in DoD Directive 5124.02 (Reference (a)), this
instruction:
a. Reissues DoD Instruction (DoDI) 1315.09 (Reference (b)) to implement sections 981,
3639, 7579, 8639 of Title 10, United States Code (Reference (c)).
b. Establishes policy and assigns responsibilities for the utilization of EAs on personal staffs
of GO/FOs.
2. APPLICABILITY. This instruction applies to:
a. OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
(CJCS) and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of the Inspector General of the
Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other
organizational entities in the DoD.
b. U.S. elements of the Combatant Commands and Military Department elements of U.S.
Government agencies outside the DoD.
3. POLICY. It is DoD policy that:
a. EAs are authorized for the purpose of relieving GO/FOs of those minor tasks and details
which, if performed by the GO/FOs, would be at the expense of the GO/FOs’ primary military
and other official duties and responsibilities. The duties of these enlisted personnel, as defined in
sections 2 and 3 of Enclosure 3 of this instruction, will be tasks relating to the military and other
official duties and responsibilities of the GO/FOs, to include assisting GO/FOs in discharging the
DoD representational responsibilities associated with their assigned positions. The propriety of
such duties is governed by the official purpose that they serve rather than the nature of the duties.
