scope:

Purpose.

To implement reference (a) within the Department of the Navy (DON) by promulgating regulation and guidance to ensure that all DON personnel and contractors comply with the law of war.

Scope and Applicability

This instruction applies to all DON personnel, defined as: all active duty Navy and Marine Corps military personnel, both Regular and Reserve; all DON civilians, including nonappropriated fund employees; midshipmen of the Naval Academy and Reserve Officer Training Corps; and Reserve personnel, during active or inactive duty for training or engaging in any activity directly related to a Department of Defense (DoD) reserve duty or function. This instruction also applies to all DON contractors, defined as contractors and their employees, who perform work under DON funding.

This instruction is a lawful, punitive, and regulatory general order that applies directly, without further implementation, to all DON personnel. This instruction also constitutes a lawful order applying to DON civilian personnel and contractors. All DON personnel and contractors may be punished or subject to adverse administrative procedures under applicable DON regulations and law, including references(b) through (d), for any violations of the law of war or this instruction.

Excluded from the scope of reference (a) and this instruction is that part of the law of war relating to the acquisition and procurement of weapons for the Naval Service, which is the subject of reference (e).

The treatment of detainees is governed by references (a) and (f) through (i), and this instruction.

Further information on the applicable law and policy is contained in references (j) and (k).