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DAFI 51-207

Air Force

VICTIM AND WITNESS RIGHTS AND PROCEDURES

Reviewed by Guilherme Correia, active-duty U.S. Air Force

DAFI 51-207, "VICTIM AND WITNESS RIGHTS AND PROCEDURES", is a Department of the Air Force publication, dated April 17, 2026.

Published

April 17, 2026

OPR

AF/JA

Headquarters, Department of the Air Force

Official document

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DAFI 51-207 — index record

NumberDAFI 51-207
TitleVICTIM AND WITNESS RIGHTS AND PROCEDURES
PublishedApril 17, 2026
Certified currentApril 17, 2026
Office of primary responsibilityAF/JA
Issued byHeadquarters, Department of the Air Force
Status on the indexCurrent
Last index actionRewrite, April 17, 2026
Source indexAir Force e-Publishing
Index last readOctober 20, 2026

Copied from Air Force e-Publishing (index). The publication itself is the authority; this page does not summarize or interpret it. Verify the current edition on the index before acting.

From the publication itself

Text below is lifted mechanically from the official PDF (73 pages, read October 20, 2026) with no editing or interpretation. Quote the document, not this page.

Purpose, in the publication’s words

This publication implements Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 1030.02, Victim and Witness Assistance, DoDI 1030.04, Special Victims’ Counsel Programs, Department of the Air Force Policy Directive (DAFPD) 51-2, Military Justice and Other Criminal Proceedings, and is consistent with Department of the Air Force Instruction (DAFI) 51-201, Administration of Military Justice. It provides guidance and procedures on victims’ rights, implementation of the Victim and Witness Assistance Program (VWAP), and the Victims’ Counsel (VC) Program. It establishes responsibility for VWAP at the Headquarters, Department of the Air Force (collectively, the Air Force and Space Force, which are herein referred to as “Department of the Air Force” or “DAF”) and subordinate levels in the DAF. It provides guidance for the treatment of victims and witnesses of offenses in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) during those stages of the criminal or administrative processes conducted primarily by the DAF. This publication applies to

Summary of changes, as printed

This document has been substantially revised and must be completely reviewed. This document has clarified that the VWAP applies only to victims and witnesses of crimes under the UCMJ. Victim and witness notifications have been divided into sections related to case progression. Portions of this document which were duplicative of other instructions and/or were redundant have been deleted.

Contents

  1. Chapter 1—OVERVIEW, TEMPLATES, ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIESp. 8
  2. Section 1A—Overviewp. 8
  3. Section 1B—Roles and Responsibilitiesp. 8
  4. Chapter 2—VICTIM WITNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMp. 14
  5. Section 2A—Administration of the VWAPp. 14
  6. Section 2B—VWAP Servicesp. 19
  7. Section 2C—Relationship Between VWAP and Other DAF Programsp. 21
  8. Section 2D—Expedited Transfers and Other Transfer Requestsp. 23
  9. Chapter 3—THE VICTIMS’ COUNSEL PROGRAMp. 24
  10. Section 3A—Administration of the Victims’ Counsel Programp. 24
  11. Section 3B—VC Representation and Servicesp. 29
  12. Section 3C—Access to DAF Informationp. 37
  13. Section 3D—Relationship Between VC Program and Other DAF Programsp. 37
  14. Chapter 5—RIGHTS, OBLIGATIONS, AND DUTIES TO VICTIMS AND WITNESSESp. 40
  15. Section 5A—General Rights, Privileges and Services Afforded to Victims and Witnessesp. 40
  16. Section 5B—General Services for Victimsp. 41
  17. Section 5C—Additional Rights Available to Victims of Sexual Assaultp. 43
  18. Section 5D—Legal Privilege and Confidentiality Matters and Conflict Preventionp. 43
  19. Section 6A—General Notifications and Responsibilitiesp. 45
  20. Section 6B—Notification and Responsibilities During Investigation Through Preferralp. 48
  21. Section 6C—Notifications and Responsibilities After Preferral Through Start of Trialp. 50
  22. Section 6D—Trial Notifications and Responsibilities to Victims and Witnessesp. 52
  23. Section 6E—Post-Sentencing Notifications and Responsibilities to Victims and Witnessesp. 53
  24. Chapter 7—WITNESS PRODUCTIONp. 57
  25. Section 7A—General Witness Production Matters for Preliminary Hearingsp. 57
  26. Section 7B—General Witness Production Matters for Courts-Martialp. 57
  27. Section 7C—Specific Witness Mattersp. 59
  28. Chapter 8—WITNESS FUNDINGp. 64
  29. Section 8A—Overview of Witness Travel Fundingp. 64
  30. Section 8B—Requesting Fundingp. 64
  31. Section 8C—Processing Vouchersp. 67
  32. Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 69
All 120 contents entries
  1. Chapter 1—OVERVIEW, TEMPLATES, ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIESp. 8
  2. Section 1A—Overviewp. 8
  3. Section 1B—Roles and Responsibilitiesp. 8
  4. 1.1. Overviewp. 8
  5. 1.2. Waiver Authorityp. 8
  6. 1.3. Templatesp. 8
  7. 1.4. VWAP Checklistp. 8
  8. 1.5. Secretary of the Air Forcep. 8
  9. 1.6. The Judge Advocate Generalp. 8
  10. 1.7. Military Justice and Discipline Directorate (FOA/JAJp. 8
  11. 1.8. Military Justice Law and Policy Division (FOA/JAJM)p. 9
  12. 1.9. Victims’ Counsel Division (FOA/JAJS)p. 9
  13. 1.10. Trial Judiciary (AF/JAT)p. 9
  14. 1.11. Staff Judge Advocate (SJA)p. 9
  15. 1.12. Trial Counsel and Special Trial Counsel (when applicable)p. 9
  16. 1.13. Victims’ Counsel (VC)p. 10
  17. 1.14. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI)p. 10
  18. 1.15. Security Forcesp. 11
  19. 1.16. Local Responsible Official (LRO)p. 11
  20. 1.17. Commanderp. 11
  21. 1.18. Victim Witness and Assistance Program (VWAP) Coordinatorp. 12
  22. 1.19. Victim/Witness Liaison (VWL)p. 12
  23. 1.20. Court-Martial Referral and Convening Authorityp. 12
  24. 1.21. Family Advocacy Program (FAP)p. 12
  25. 1.22. Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Programp. 13
  26. 1.23. Victim Advocates (VAs)p. 13
  27. Chapter 2—VICTIM WITNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMp. 14
  28. Section 2A—Administration of the VWAPp. 14
  29. 2.1. General Provisionp. 14
  30. 2.2. Access to the Victim and Witness Assistance Programp. 14
  31. 2.3. Identification of Victims and Witnessesp. 14
  32. 2.4. VWAP Designation in JAGC “ROSTER.”p. 14
  33. 2.5. VWAP Forump. 14
  34. 2.6. VWAP Objectivesp. 14
  35. 2.7. VWAP Councilp. 14
  36. 2.8. Victim Information Packet (Military Justice at a Glance)p. 15
  37. 2.9. Identifying the Applicable LROp. 15
  38. 2.10. Delegation of LRO Dutiesp. 16
  39. 2.11. Responsibility for LRO Dutiesp. 16
  40. 2.12. VWAP Inspection by LROp. 16
  41. 2.13. VWAP Local Trainingp. 16
  42. 2.14. VWAP Symposiump. 17
  43. 2.15. Annual VWAP Reporting Requirementsp. 17
  44. Section 2B—VWAP Servicesp. 19
  45. 2.16. General VWAP Servicesp. 19
  46. Section 2C—Relationship Between VWAP and Other DAF Programsp. 21
  47. 2.18. Additional VWAP Services for Victims of Qualifying Sexual Offensesp. 21
  48. 2.19. General Provisionp. 21
  49. 2.20. VWAP Coordination with Local Civilian Agenciesp. 21
  50. 2.21. VWAP Coordination with Unrepresented and Represented Victimsp. 21
  51. 2.22. VWAP Notifications to FAP, SARC, and Law Enforcementp. 22
  52. Section 2D—Expedited Transfers and Other Transfer Requestsp. 23
  53. 2.23. VWAP Responsibilitiesp. 23
  54. 2.24. Other Transfer Requestsp. 23
  55. Chapter 3—THE VICTIMS’ COUNSEL PROGRAMp. 24
  56. Section 3A—Administration of the Victims’ Counsel Programp. 24
  57. 3.1. General Provisionp. 24
  58. 3.2. Access to the VC Programp. 24
  59. 3.3. Minimum Qualifications for Victims’ Counsel and Paralegalsp. 27
  60. Section 3B—VC Representation and Servicesp. 29
  61. 3.4. Case Management and Trackingp. 29
  62. 3.5. Scope of Representationp. 29
  63. 3.7. Representation of Minors and Clients with Diminished Capacityp. 31
  64. 3.8. Limited Services for Victims Without Qualifying Reportsp. 32
  65. 3.9. Matters Outside the Scope of Representationp. 32
  66. 3.10. Obtaining VC Servicesp. 32
  67. 3.11. Termination or Declination of Servicesp. 34
  68. 3.12. Grounds for Continued Representationp. 35
  69. 3.13. Client Requests for Continued Representationp. 35
  70. 3.14. Grounds for New Representationp. 35
  71. 3.15. Appellate VC (AVC) Programp. 36
  72. Section 3C—Access to DAF Informationp. 37
  73. Section 3D—Relationship Between VC Program and Other DAF Programsp. 37
  74. 3.16. Official Use Requestsp. 37
  75. 3.17. VC Duty to Protect Responsive Recordsp. 37
  76. 3.18. Court Pleadings, Filings, and Other Court Documentsp. 37
  77. 3.19. VC Coordination with VWAP for Represented Victimsp. 37
  78. 3.20. Local Legal Officep. 38
  79. 4.1. Development of SAPR Program Trainingp. 39
  80. 4.2. Mandatory SAPR Training Requirementp. 39
  81. 4.3. SAPR Training Timelinep. 39
  82. 4.4. SAPR Training Compliance Trackingp. 39
  83. Chapter 5—RIGHTS, OBLIGATIONS, AND DUTIES TO VICTIMS AND WITNESSESp. 40
  84. Section 5A—General Rights, Privileges and Services Afforded to Victims and Witnessesp. 40
  85. 5.1. Applicabilityp. 40
  86. 5.2. Obligation to Know Rights and Privilegesp. 40
  87. 5.3. Rights and Privileges for Victims and Witnessesp. 40
  88. Section 5B—General Services for Victimsp. 41
  89. 5.4. Legal Assistancep. 41
  90. 5.5. Victims’ Rights Listp. 41
  91. 5.6. Medical and Social Servicesp. 41
  92. 5.7. Restitution and Other Compensationp. 42
  93. 5.8. Access to Informationp. 42
  94. Section 5C—Additional Rights Available to Victims of Sexual Assaultp. 43
  95. Section 5D—Legal Privilege and Confidentiality Matters and Conflict Preventionp. 43
  96. 5.9. Duty to Maintain and Return Personal Propertyp. 43
  97. 5.10. Other Assistancep. 43
  98. 5.11. Notification of Significant Eventsp. 43
  99. 5.12. Return of Personal Property in Certain Sexual Offense Casesp. 43
  100. 5.13. General Provisionp. 43
  101. Section 6A—General Notifications and Responsibilitiesp. 45
  102. 6.1. Overviewp. 45
  103. 6.2. Notification and Consultation Requirementsp. 45
  104. 6.4. Protective Ordersp. 47
  105. Section 6B—Notification and Responsibilities During Investigation Through Preferralp. 48
  106. 6.5. Intimidation and Harassment Safety Considerations for Victims and Witnessesp. 48
  107. 6.6. Initial Legal Office Interaction with Victims and Witnessesp. 48
  108. 6.8. Disposition Consultation with Victimsp. 49
  109. Section 6C—Notifications and Responsibilities After Preferral Through Start of Trialp. 50
  110. Section 6D—Trial Notifications and Responsibilities to Victims and Witnessesp. 52
  111. Section 6E—Post-Sentencing Notifications and Responsibilities to Victims and Witnessesp. 53
  112. Chapter 7—WITNESS PRODUCTIONp. 57
  113. Section 7A—General Witness Production Matters for Preliminary Hearingsp. 57
  114. Section 7B—General Witness Production Matters for Courts-Martialp. 57
  115. Section 7C—Specific Witness Mattersp. 59
  116. Chapter 8—WITNESS FUNDINGp. 64
  117. Section 8A—Overview of Witness Travel Fundingp. 64
  118. Section 8B—Requesting Fundingp. 64
  119. Section 8C—Processing Vouchersp. 67
  120. Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 69

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REF: DAFI 51-207, effective April 17, 2026

Air Force e-Publishing — DAFI 51-207

This is an index record, not the publication. The official PDF is the authority; verify the current edition before acting.

Reviewed by Guilherme Correia · Military Toolkit editorial

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