Form 10

From USAFA Folklore

The Form 10 is also known as the Report of Offense/Merit or Report of Conduct. It is used to document infractions and offenses by cadets, and deal out punishment.

1 Punishment system
2 ODS
3 Evolution of the Form 10

[edit] Punishment system

The punishments are issued as demerits, tours, and/or confinements. In the recent past, there were four classes of offenses, A through D, with class A hits being issued for minor offenses such as forgetting to shave or shine your shoes, and class D hits issued for major offenses just short of Article 15, such as damaging government property. Earlier, there were six classes of Cadet Disciplinary Board punishments, I through VI.

Punishments were normally referred to by a series of three numbers, such as "10/10/1", with the first number being the number of demerits, the second being the number of tours or confinements and the the third being the number of months' restriction. The third number could also be a "Yes", indicating the cadet was restricted until all the tours or confinements were served; or a "No" indicated there was no restriction as part of the punishment.

[edit] ODS

Under ODS, the Form 10 system was replaced by active duty style punishments, from Letters of Counseling for minor offenses, to Letters of Reprimand for more serious offenses. The LOR had the potential to destroy a cadet's Air Force career before it started because it stayed in a graduate's records. In 2006, Lt Gen Regni directed the cadet wing to again use Forms 10 for minor violations and UCMJ discipline would be used only for criminal offenses.

[edit] Evolution of the Form 10

The Form 10 began as a small slip of paper that was peeled off a notepad, then to a half and later a full page. Reflecting the progress of bureaucracy, the Form 10 today is a full-page contract, on both sides of the paper.

During 1955-1961 there was a Form 10A used to report violations of Fourth Class Customs. The Form 10A was revived for a short time in the early '90s.

During 1955-1961, one of the most dreaded punishment consisted in the "held report." When a cadet was reported for an infraction, the AOC could request a typewritten explanation or "held report." It was called a "held report" because the punishement was "held up" pending the result of the "held report." The held report had to be flawless, without typographical errors, and with correct English. If it was not perfect, it was rejected and you had to do it again. Many of us went through 10 or 20 drafts before getting it "right."