1. References.
a.
Title 10, United States Code, sections 7013, 7014, 7064
b.
Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, section 2635.702 (Use of public office for private gain)
c.
Department of Defense (DoD) 5500.07-R (Joint Ethics Regulation), as amended
d.
DoD Instruction 5400.17 (Official Use of Social Media for Public Affairs Purposes), 12 August 2022, incorporating Change 2, effective 14 February 2025
e.
Army Regulation (AR) 360–1 (The Army Public Affairs Program), 8 October 2020
f.
AR 600–20 (Army Command Policy), 6 February 2025
2. Purpose.
This directive limits authorized official social media accounts and reinforces guidelines for Soldiers.
3. Applicability.
The provisions of this directive apply to the Regular Army, Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States, and U.S. Army Reserve.
4. Policy.
Commanders who have table of distribution and allowances (TDA) or modified table of organization and equipment (MTOE) authorizations that include a 46-series Public Affairs Officer, Public Affairs Noncommissioned Officer (NCO), or a Department of the Army Civilian Public Affairs Specialist (Career Program 22/1035) are the only commanders who may establish and maintain an authorized organizational social media presence.
a.
Effective and official communication with the public across local, regional, national, and international levels is essential for achieving our mission.
Army social media accounts should be optimized by improving message synchronization, utilizing resources efficiently, and enhancing the quality of messaging and content to provide a better experience for our audience.
b.
For the National Guard Bureau, State and territory adjutants general may establish and maintain positional social media presences.
Although federally recognized, Army National Guard State adjutants general are State or territory employees who are not subject to this guidance when not on Title 10 orders.
Their maintenance of an official social media presence is not mandatory, but it is recommended they follow this guidance for the purposes of Army message and brand synchronization.
c.
To ensure brand integrity, governance, and compliance, Army Reserve units are authorized to maintain official organizational social media accounts only at the general officer level (1-star and above) and must have oversight by a 46-series Public Affairs Officer, Public Affairs NCO, or Department of the Army Civilian Public Affairs Specialist (Career Program 22/1035).
d.
Although Special Reporting Code 45 units include 46-series personnel and actively produce social media content in support of their assigned or attached units, they are not authorized to operate independent organizational accounts.
Units will deactivate any existing accounts associated no later than 28 February 2026.
e.
Commanders will limit their social media accounts to those necessary to achieve communication objectives.
f.
Authorized organizational social media presences must be established and maintained in accordance with references 1d and 1e.
g.
Subordinate units without authorized personnel will deactivate their social media following record management procedures in reference 1d.
To maintain communication efforts, they should submit content to higher-level accounts for posting.
For example, the Fort Hood garrison Instagram account should feature content from other Fort Hood garrison organizations.
Closed groups, such as Facebook groups, are not considered official and may be used by subordinate units.
h.
Principal officials in the Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA), commanding generals and command sergeants major of Army commands (ACOMs), Army service component commands (ASCCs), and direct reporting units (DRUs) are authorized, but not required, to have official social media accounts.
Leadership social media is considered official communication and must adhere to the same standards and requirements as official accounts.
Leadership accounts below these levels are not authorized, and their content must be integrated into organizational social media accounts.
i. Social Media Messaging and Content.
All social media posts will be synchronized to the greatest extent possible.
Principal officials in the HQDA and the commanders of ACOMs, ASCCs, and DRUs will coordinate and synchronize social media efforts to enhance creative content and minimize inefficiencies.
j. Brand Standardization.
To boost brand awareness, commands will standardize their social media content in alignment with Army branding guidance available at:
https://armyeitaas.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/HQDA-CPA
Army National Guard content creators are authorized to use National Guard Bureau branding.
k.
Exceptions to authorized accounts must be approved by public affairs directors at the HQDA principal, ACOM, ASCC, and DRU levels, and sent to the Army Communication and Outreach Office (ACOO) for final approval by the Director, ACOO.
l.
Marketing and recruiting activities, Civil Works, or non-appropriated fund Morale, Welfare, and Recreation activities are exempt from this directive.
5. Responsibilities.
a.
No later than 28 February 2026, commanders will confirm that their organizations comply with this directive and must report compliance to their higher headquarters commander.
b.
All public-facing command social media accounts that do not have an assigned 46-series Public Affairs Officer, Public Affairs NCO, or Department of the Army Civilian Public Affairs Specialist (Career Program 22/1035) will deactivate and archive by 28 February 2026 pursuant to reference 1e.
c.
No later than 28 February 2026, all commands with authorized social media presences will register each account in the HQDA social media directory at:
https://www.army.mil/socialmedia/directory
6. Proponent.
The Director, ACOO has oversight responsibility for this policy and will incorporate this directive’s provisions into AR 360–1 within 2 years of the date of this directive.
7. Duration.
This directive is rescinded on publication of the revised regulation.
DISTRIBUTION
- Principal Officials of Headquarters, Department of the Army
- Commander
- U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command
- U.S. Army Forces Command
- U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command
- U.S. Army Materiel Command
- U.S. Army Pacific
- U.S. Army Europe and Africa
- U.S. Army Central
- U.S. Army North
- U.S. Army South
- U.S. Army Special Operations Command
- U.S. Army Transportation Command
- U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Strategic Command
- U.S. Army Cyber Command
- U.S. Army Medical Command
- U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Army Audit Agency
- U.S. Army Military District of Washington
- U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command
- U.S. Army Human Resources Command
- U.S. Army Corrections Command
- U.S. Army Reserve Command
- Superintendent, U.S. Military Academy
- Director, U.S. Army Civilian Human Resources Agency
- Executive Director, Military Postal Service Agency
- Director, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division
- Director, U.S. Army Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office
- Superintendent, Arlington National Cemetery
- Director, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center
CF:
- Commander, Eighth Army