(a) General.
(1) No person has authority to enter a DoD installation to transact personal commercial solicitation as a matter of right. Personal commercial solicitation may be permitted only if the following requirements are met:
(i) The solicitor is duly licensed under applicable Federal, State, or municipal laws and has complied with installation regulations.
(ii) A specific appointment has been made for each meeting with the individual concerned. Each meeting is conducted only in family quarters or in other areas designated by the installation commander.
(iii) The solicitor agrees to provide each person solicited the personal commercial solicitation evaluation included in DD Form 2885[3] during the initial appointment. The person being solicited is not required to complete the evaluation. However, completed evaluations should be sent by the person who was solicited to the office designated by the installation commander on the back of the evaluation form.
(iv) The solicitor agrees to provide DoD personnel with a written reminder, prior to their making a financial commitment, that free legal advice is available from the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate.
(2) Solicitors on overseas installations shall be required to observe, in addition to the above, the applicable laws of the host country. Upon request, the solicitor must present documentary evidence to the installation commander that the company they represent, and its agents, meet the applicable licensing requirements of the host country.
(b) Life insurance products and securities.
(1) Life insurance products and securities offered and sold to DoD personnel shall meet the prerequisites described in § 50.3.
(2) Installation commanders may permit insurers and their agents to solicit on DoD installations if the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section are met and if they are licensed under the insurance laws of the State where the installation is located. Commanders will ensure the agent's license status and complaint history are checked with the appropriate State or Federal regulators before granting permission to solicit on the installation.
(3) In addition, before approving insurance and financial product agents' requests for permission to solicit, commanders shall review the list of agents and companies currently barred, banned, or limited from soliciting on any or all DoD installations. This list may be viewed via the Personal Commercial Solicitation Report “quick link” at http://www.commanderspage.com. In overseas areas, the DoD Components shall limit insurance solicitation to those insurers registered under the provisions of appendix B to this part.
(4) The conduct of all insurance business on DoD installations shall be by specific appointment. When establishing the appointment, insurance agents shall identify themselves to the prospective purchaser as an agent for a specific insurer.
(5) Installation commanders shall designate areas where interviews by appointment may be conducted. The opportunity to conduct scheduled interviews shall be extended to all solicitors on an equitable basis. Where space and other considerations limit the number of agents using the interviewing area, the installation commander may develop and publish local policy consistent with this concept.
(6) Installation commanders shall make disinterested third-party insurance counseling available to DoD personnel desiring counseling. Financial counselors shall encourage DoD personnel to seek legal assistance or other advice from a disinterested third-party before entering into a contract for insurance or securities.
(7) In addition to the solicitation prohibitions contained in paragraph (d) of this section, DoD Components shall prohibit the following:
(i) The use of DoD personnel representing any insurer, dealing directly or indirectly on behalf of any insurer or any recognized representative of any insurer on the installation, or as an agent or in any official or business capacity with or without compensation.
(ii) The use of an agent as a participant in any Military Service-sponsored education or orientation program.
(iii) The designation of any agent or the use by any agent of titles (for example, “Battalion Insurance Counselor,” “Unit Insurance Advisor,” “Servicemen's Group Life Insurance Conversion Consultant,”) that in any manner, states, or implies any type of endorsement from the U.S. Government, the Armed Forces, or any State or Federal agency or government entity.
(iv) The use of desk space for interviews for other than a specific prearranged appointment. During such appointment, the agent shall not be permitted to display desk signs or other materials announcing his or her name or company affiliation.
(v) The use of an installation “daily bulletin,” marquee, newsletter, Web page, or other official notice to announce the presence of an agent and/or his or her availability.
(c) Supervision of on-base commercial activities.
(1) All pertinent installation regulations shall be posted in a place easily accessible to those conducting and receiving personal commercial solicitation on the installation.
(2) The installation commander shall make available a copy of installation regulations to anyone conducting on-base commercial solicitation activities warning that failure to follow the regulations may result in the loss of solicitation privileges.
(3) The installation commander, or designated representative, shall inquire into any alleged violations of this part or of any questionable solicitation practices. The DD Form 2885 is provided as a means to supervise solicitation activities on the installation.
(d) Prohibited practices. The following commercial solicitation practices shall be prohibited on all DoD installations:
(1) Solicitation of recruits, trainees, and transient personnel in a group setting or “mass” audience and solicitation of any DoD personnel in a “captive” audience where attendance is not voluntary.
(2) Making appointments with or soliciting military or DoD civilian personnel during their normally scheduled duty hours.
(3) Soliciting in barracks, day rooms, unit areas, transient personnel housing, or other areas where the installation commander has prohibited solicitation.
(4) Use of official military identification cards or DoD vehicle decals by active duty, retired or reserve members of the Military Services to gain access to DoD installations for the purpose of soliciting. When entering the installation for the purpose of solicitation, solicitors with military identification cards and/or DoD vehicle decals must present documentation issued by the installation authorizing solicitation.
(5) Procuring, attempting to procure, supplying, or attempting to supply non-public listings of DoD personnel for purposes of commercial solicitation, except for releases made in accordance with DoD Directive 5400.7.[4]
(6) Offering unfair, improper, or deceptive inducements to purchase or trade.
(7) Using promotional incentives to facilitate transactions or to eliminate competition.
(8) Using manipulative, deceptive, or fraudulent devices, schemes, or artifices, including misleading advertising and sales literature. All financial products, which contain insurance features, must clearly explain the insurance features of those products.
(9) Using oral or written representations to suggest or give the appearance that the Department of Defense sponsors or endorses any particular company, its agents, or the goods, services, and commodities it sells.
(10) DoD personnel making personal commercial solicitations or sales to DoD personnel who are junior in rank or grade, or to the family members of such personnel, except as authorized in Section 2-205 and 5-409 of the Joint Ethics Regulation, DoD 5500.7-R.[5]
(11) Entering into any unauthorized or restricted area.
(12) Using any portion of installation facilities, including quarters, as a showroom or store for the sale of goods or services, except as specifically authorized by DoD Directive 1330.17[6] and DoD Instructions 1015.10, 1000.15[7] and 1330.21.[8] This does not apply to normal home enterprises that comply with applicable State and local laws and installation rules.
(13) Soliciting door to door or without an appointment.
(14) Unauthorized advertising of addresses or telephone numbers used in personal commercial solicitation activities conducted on the installation, or the use of official positions, titles, or organization names, for the purpose of personal commercial solicitation, except as authorized in DoD 5500.7-R. Military grade and Military Service as part of an individual's name (e.g., Captain Smith, U.S. Marine Corps) may be used in the same manner as conventional titles, such as “Mr.”, “Mrs.”, or “Honorable”.
(15) Contacting DoD personnel by calling a government telephone, faxing to a government fax machine, or by sending e-mail to a government computer, unless a pre-existing relationship (i.e., the DoD member is a current client or requested to be contacted) exists between the parties and the DoD member has not asked for contact to be terminated.
(e) Denial, suspension, and withdrawal of installation solicitation privileges.
(1) The installation commander shall deny, suspend, or withdraw permission for a company and its agents to conduct commercial activities on the base if such action is in the best interests of the command. The grounds for taking these actions may include, but are not limited to, the following:
(i) Failure to meet the licensing and other regulatory requirements prescribed in this part or violations of the State law where the installation is located. Commanders will request that appropriate state officials determine whether a company or agent violated State law.
(ii) Commission of any of the practices prohibited in paragraphs (b)(6) and (d) of this section.
(iii) Substantiated complaints and/or adverse reports regarding the quality of goods, services, and/or commodities, and the manner in which they are offered for sale.
(iv) Knowing and willful violations of Public Law 90-321.
(v) Personal misconduct by a company's agent or representative while on the installation.
(vi) The possession of, and any attempt to obtain supplies of direct deposit forms, or any other form or device used by Military Departments to direct a Service member's pay to a third party, or possession or use of facsimiles thereof. This includes using or assisting in using a Service member's “MyPay” account or other similar Internet medium for the purpose of establishing a direct deposit for the purchase of insurance or other investment product.
(vii) Failure to incorporate and abide by the Standards of Fairness policies contained in DoD Instruction 1344.9.[9]
(2) The installation commander may determine that circumstances dictate the immediate suspension of solicitation privileges while an investigation is conducted. Upon suspending solicitation privileges, the commander shall promptly inform the agent and the company the agent represents, in writing.
(3) In suspending or withdrawing solicitation privileges, the installation commander shall determine whether to limit such action to the agent alone or extend it to the company the agent represents. This decision shall be based on the circumstances of the particular case, including, but not limited to, the nature of the violations, frequency of violations, the extent to which other agents of the company have engaged in such practices and any other matters tending to show the culpability of an individual and the company.
(4) If the investigation determines an agent or company does not possess a valid license or the agent, company, or product has failed to meet other State or Federal regulatory requirements, the installation commander shall immediately notify the appropriate regulatory authorities.
(5) In a withdrawal action, the commander shall allow the individual or company an opportunity to show cause as to why the action should not be taken. To “show cause” means an opportunity must be given for the aggrieved party to present facts on an informal basis for the consideration of the installation commander or the commander's designee. The installation commander shall make a final decision regarding withdrawal based upon the entire record in each case. Installation commanders shall report concerns or complaints involving the quality or suitability of financial products or concerns or complaints involving marketing methods used to sell these products to the appropriate State and Federal regulatory authorities. Also, installation commanders shall report any suspension or withdrawal of insurance or securities products solicitation privileges to the appropriate State or Federal regulatory authorities.
(6) The installation commander shall inform the Military Department concerned of any denial, suspension, withdrawal, or reinstatement of an agent or company's solicitation privileges and the Military Department shall inform the Office of the PDUSD(P&R), which will maintain a list of insurance and financial product companies and agents currently barred, banned, or otherwise limited from soliciting on any or all DoD installations. This list may be viewed at http://www.commanderspage.com. If warranted, the installation commander may recommend to the Military Department concerned that the action taken be extended to other DoD installations. The Military Department may extend the action to other military installations in the Military Department. The PDUSD(P&R), following consultation with the Military Department concerned, may order the action extended to other Military Departments.
(7) All suspensions or withdrawals of privileges may be permanent or for a set period of time. If for a set period, when that period expires, the individual or company may reapply for permission to solicit through the installation commander or Military Department originally imposing the restriction. The installation commander or Military Department reinstating permission to solicit shall notify the Office of the PDUSD(P&R) and appropriate State and Federal regulatory agencies when such suspensions or withdrawals are lifted.
(8) The Secretaries of the Military Departments may direct the Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Boards in all geographical areas in which the grounds for withdrawal action have occurred to consider all applicable information and take action that the Boards deem appropriate.
(9) Nothing in this part limits the authority of the installation commander or other appropriate authority from requesting or instituting other administrative and/or criminal action against any person, including those who violate the conditions and restrictions upon which installation entry is authorized.
(f) Advertising and commercial sponsorship.
(1) The Department of Defense expects voluntary observance of the highest business ethics by commercial enterprises soliciting DoD personnel through advertisements in unofficial military publications when describing goods, services, commodities, and the terms of the sale (including guarantees, warranties, and the like).
(2) The advertising of credit terms shall conform to the provisions of 15 U.S.C. 1601 as implemented by Federal Reserve Board Regulation Z according to 12 CFR part 226.
(3) Solicitors may provide commercial sponsorship to DoD Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs or events according to DoD Instruction 1015.10. However, sponsorship may not be used as a means to obtain personal contact information for any participant at these events without written permission from the individual participant. In addition, commercial sponsors may not use sponsorship to advertise products and/or services not specifically agreed to in the sponsorship agreement.
(4) The installation commander may permit organizations to display sales literature in designated locations subject to command policies. In accordance with DoD 7000.14-R,[10] Volume 7(a), distribution of competitive literature or forms by off-base banks and/or credit unions is prohibited on installations where an authorized on-base bank and/or credit union exists.
(g) Educational programs.
(1) The Military Departments shall develop and disseminate information and provide educational programs for members of the Military Services on their personal financial affairs, including such subjects as insurance, Government benefits, savings, budgeting, and other financial education and assistance requirements outlined in DoD Instruction 1342.27.[11] The Military Departments shall ensure that all instructors are qualified as appropriate for the subject matter presented. The services of representatives of authorized on-base banks and credit unions may be used for this purpose. Under no circumstances shall commercial agents, including representatives of loan, finance, insurance, or investment companies, be used for this purpose. Presentations shall only be conducted at the express request of the installation commander.
(2) The Military Departments shall also make qualified personnel and facilities available for individual counseling on loans and consumer credit transactions in order to encourage thrift and financial responsibility and promote a better understanding of the wise use of credit, as prescribed in DoD 7000.14-R.
(3) The Military Departments shall encourage military members to seek advice from a legal assistance officer, the installation financial counselor, their own lawyer, or a financial counselor, before making a substantial loan or credit commitment.
(4) Each Military Department shall provide advice and guidance to DoD personnel who have a complaint under DoD 1344.9 or who allege a criminal violation of its provisions, including referral to the appropriate regulatory agency for processing of the complaint.
(5) Banks and credit unions operating on DoD installations are required to provide financial counseling services as an integral part of their financial services offerings. Representatives of and materials provided by authorized banks and/or credit unions located on military installations may be used to provide the educational programs and information required by this part subject to the following conditions:
(i) If the bank or credit union operating on a DoD installation sells insurance or securities or has any affiliation with a company that sells or markets insurance or other financial products, the installation commander shall consider that company's history of complying with this part before authorizing the on-base financial institution to provide financial education.
(ii) All prospective educators must agree to use appropriate disclaimers in their presentations and on their other educational materials. The disclaimers must clearly indicate that they do not endorse or favor any commercial supplier, product, or service, or promote the services of a specific financial institution.
(6) Use of other non-government organizations to provide financial education programs is limited as follows:
(i) Under no circumstances shall commercial agents, including employees or representatives of commercial loan, finance, insurance, or investment companies, be used.
(ii) The limitation in paragraph (g)(6)(i) of this section does not apply to educational programs and information regarding the Survivor Benefits Program and other government benefits provided by tax-exempt organizations under section (c)(23) of 26 U.S.C. 501 or by any organization providing such a benefit under a contract with the Government.
(iii) Educators from non-government, non-commercial organizations expert in personal financial affairs and their materials may, with appropriate disclaimers, provide the educational programs and information required by this part if approved by a Presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed civilian official of the Military Department concerned. Presentations by approved organizations shall be conducted only at the express request of the installation commander. The following criteria shall be used when considering whether to permit a non-government, non-commercial organization to present an educational program or provide materials on personal financial affairs:
(A) The organization must qualify as a tax-exempt organization under 5 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) or 5 U.S.C. 501(c)(23).
(B) If the organization has any affiliation with a company that sells or markets insurance or other financial products, the approval authority shall consider that company's history of complying with this part.
(C) All prospective educators must use appropriate disclaimers, in their presentations and on their other educational materials, which clearly indicate that they and the Department of Defense do not endorse or favor any commercial supplier, product, or service or promote the services of a specific financial institution.