Department of Defense
INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 5525.14
March 22, 2011
Incorporating Change 1, Effective August 4, 2016
USD(P&R)
SUBJECT: DoD Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) Flying Armed
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. This Instruction establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and prescribes
procedures for DoD LEOs flying armed (LEOFAs) aboard commercial aircraft in accordance
with the guidance in section 1544.219 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) (Reference
(a)) and the authority of DoD Directive 5124.02 (Reference (b)).
2. APPLICABILITY. This Instruction:
a. Applies to:
(1) OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of the Inspector General of the
DoD (IG DoD), the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other organizational
entities within the DoD (hereafter referred to collectively as the “DoD Components”).
(2) DoD Component LEOs as defined in the Glossary.
(3) Flight on commercial aircraft.
b. Does NOT apply to DoD personnel not considered to be DoD Component LEOs or
Federal LEOs and not authorized to fly armed:
(1) Security officers (military and civilian in accordance with the Office of Personnel
Management Qualification Standards Handbook of Occupational Groups and Families, GS 0080
series (Reference (c)) or Civilian Security Guards (GS 0085 series of Reference (c)).
(2) Antiterrorism and force protection officers (military and civilian security officers, in
accordance with GS 0080 series of Reference (c)).
