JAG warns against March Madness office pools - Air Force News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

JAG warns against March Madness office pools

Airman, step away from the March Madness tournament pool bracket.

Air Combat Command is warning airmen that they will be breaking military regulations if they start filling out NCAA basketball tournament office pool brackets — even if they are off duty.

Capt. Jeremy Cameron, a judge advocate at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, cited Defense Department rules in his warning to airmen: “According to the Joint Ethics Regulation, DoD employees shall neither participate in gambling activities while on base nor while on duty; this includes both military and civilian personnel.”

Breaking that rule could lead to other crimes.

Officers need to remember that gambling with a subordinate may constitute a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice rules on conduct unbecoming an officer, Cameron warned.

“It is not worth risking your career,” the captain wrote.

And even if you’re willing to endanger your career, gambling doesn’t pay.

“For example, some Air National Guard members ran a fantasy football league on their government computers,” Cameron wrote. “Each member paid $10 to play, and the winner was obligated to buy pizza for the rest of the members. The winner actually spent more buying the pizzas than he even won.”