Department of Defense Whistleblower Program

This can prevent government failure in the future,[2] but whistleblowers can then be targeted for retaliation, "smeared as traitors, turncoats and liars by their superiors and suffer harassment, punishment or firing".

[2] The Department of Defense Whistleblower Program is increasingly focused on disclosures which will aid in resolving the United States' national security threat due to fiscal failure: Now, in the current environment, it's about fraud, waste and abuse.

Although multiple laws cover employees in different categories, there is a common thread running through each federal whistleblower statute enforced by the Inspector General.

Highlights include: On February 25, 2011, the inspector general released its most recent report of investigation involving defense intelligence community employees.

Seven years prior to the passage of the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989, the Department of Defense was already working through the lessons learned by other branches of the federal government over the previous decade.

A year later in 1983, Congress passed a law prohibiting reprisals against non-appropriated fund employees for blowing the whistle on wrongdoing at military base facilities.

The same year, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel suggested that executive branch agencies establish an ombuds system to assist appropriated fund whistleblowers within the federal government.

The Deputy Inspector General for Administrative Investigations is assigned the mission of ensuring that allegations of whistleblower reprisal are resolved in an objective and timely manner.

Formerly, The Deputy supervised: Left outside the reorganization was the Deputy's other direct report office: WRI is responsible for conducting and reviewing investigations conducted by the military service and defense agency IGs into allegations of whistleblower reprisal made by DoD military service members, non-appropriated fund employees and DoD contractor employees under Title 10 of the United States Code and American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

DoD IG is committed to transforming the Department's whistleblower protection program into the model for the federal government by improving the timeliness and quality of reprisal investigations.

Corrective Action Taken on Whistleblower Cases Closed in Previous Reporting Periods 2012 During the first half of FY 2012, DoD IG implemented several improvements to investigative and oversight functions to include streamlining the complaint intake process, providing more robust training, revising written policies and procedures and strengthening whistleblower reprisal oversight functions.

The Department of the Interior (2002), through Inspector General Earl Devaney, was the first office to establish an ombuds program assisting appropriated-fund civilian employees with whistleblowing issues.

The Departments of Commerce, Education and Homeland Security also established offices to conduct outreach and investigate allegations of whistleblower reprisal against appropriated fund civilian employees.

One early CRI investigation analyzed whether agency officials took action to suspend access by the whistleblower to classified information and revoke a security clearance after the individual communicated with Members of Congress and the 9/11 Commission staff.

First, CRI provides the information and assistance for employees who seek to file a complaint for alleged reprisal or a disclosure of a violation of law, rule and/or regulation.

Third, CRI is assists the Inspector General in completing his statutory obligations under the ICWPA to inform Congress of matters of "urgent concern" (see §8H, IG Act).

CRI supports all categories of DoD civilian appropriated fund employees alleging reprisal for making a disclosure by statute or internal regulation.

[14] During the second half of FY 2011, DoD IG continued to select cases involving Title 5 protected disclosures in four core mission areas: aviation maintenance, contracting and procurement, security clearances, and intelligence operations.

During the first half of FY 2011, DoD IG continued to select cases involving protected disclosures in five core mission areas: aviation maintenance, health and welfare of service members deployed or returning from Southwest Asia, chemical weapons safety, supply logistics, and intelligence operations.

Other activities reviewed included alleged reprisal against sources reporting illegal technology transfers; inadequate fielding of equipment to Southwest Asia; improper medical treatment for soldiers and civilians returning from combat theaters; and violations of the Federal Acquisition and Joint Ethics Regulations.

Examples of Substantiated Civilian Whistleblower Reprisal Cases: Remedies/Corrective Action Taken During the second half of FY 2010, CRI continued to select cases involving protected disclosures in five core mission areas: aviation maintenance, health and welfare of service members deployed or returning from Southwest Asia, chemical weapons safety, supply logistics, and intelligence operations.

Other activities reviewed included alleged reprisal against sources reporting avionics maintenance, emergency response planning, supply management, and media access violations.

[4] MRI has developed efficient procedures to conduct preliminary inquiries and investigations to ensure that all whistleblower reprisal complaints are thoroughly addressed, and in a timely manner.

For the past several years, MRI has expanded its outreach programs for training military and civilian employees working in IG offices throughout the Department.

[37] By identifying these measures as actionable unfavorable personnel security determinations, CRI is able to provide broad protection to whistleblowers within the DoD intelligence community.

The Department of Defense Inspector General actively trains DoD IG supervisors, managers, and new employees though the Section 2302(c) Certification Program.

The Inspector General sees the importance of this in today's current Global War on Terror operations whereby the Defense Hotline provides an avenue to report fraud, waste, and abuse.

In addition to investigating allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse; in 2008 DCIS launched a proactive project, which is analyzing over $14 billion in payment vouchers related to U.S. Army purchases in Iraq.

[38] In 1994, Congress responded to reports of widespread ignorance concerning employees' right to be free from prohibited personnel practices (PPP), especially retaliation for whistleblowing, by enacting 5 U.S.C.

[39] OSC's §2302(c) Certification Program[40] allows federal agencies to meet their statutory obligation to educate their workforce about the rights, responsibilities, and remedies available to them under the Whistleblower Protection Act.