If you have a concern and are unsure if you should file a complaint, contact your local IG office for guidance. Any Air Force military or civilian member may file an IG complaint. However, many Department of the Air Force civilian complaints (e.g., discrimination, sexual harassment, and conditions of employment) must be addressed by agencies other than the IG. Anyone, including civilians with no Air Force affiliation, may file Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (FWA) complaints. Depending on the circumstances, the IG may also accept complaints from dependents or relatives of active duty members and retirees and their dependents. However, it is always best for the actual "victim" or person who witnessed the alleged wrongdoing to file the complaint. Note, not all matters are appropriate for IG action.

Any FWA and violations of law, Air Force instructions, or policy should be reported through the appropriate grievance channels. The subject of your complaint must be an Air Force program or person. Bear in mind, however, the fact that you may disagree with your supervisor(s) over management styles or have what you believe is a "personality conflict" does not constitute an injustice or mismanagement. If you are not sure your concern is a reportable matter, contact your local IG office for guidance.

Fraud:  Any intentional deception designed to unlawfully deprive the United States of something of value or to secure a benefit, privilege, allowance, or consideration for an individual from the United States that he or she is not entitled to. Such practices include, but are not limited to, the offer, payment, or acceptance of bribes or gratuities; making false statements; submitting false claims; evading or corrupting inspectors or other officials; deceit either by suppressing the truth or misrepresenting material fact; adulterating or substituting materials; falsifying records and books of accounts; arranging for secret profits, kickbacks, or commissions; and conspiring to use any of these devices. The term also includes conflict of interest cases, criminal irregularities, and the unauthorized disclosure of official information relating to procurement and disposal matters.

Waste:  The extravagant careless or needless expenditure of Government funds, or the consumption of Government property that results from deficient practices, systems, controls, or decisions. The term also includes improper practices not involving prosecutable fraud.

Abuse:  The intentional or improper use of Government resources that can include the excessive or improper use of one's position in a manner contrary to its rightful or legally intended use. Examples include misuse of rank, position, or authority or misuse of Government resources for oneself or another.

Individuals should attempt to resolve FWA issues and personal complaints at the lowest possible level, using command channels before elevating them to the next higher level or to the IG. Further, complaints must be promptly filed within IG, command, or other grievance channels. IG's may dismiss a complaint if there is no FWA, recognizable wrong or violation of law, regulation, or policy. Also, complaints more than one year from date of occurrence will normally be dismissed, unless there are extraordinary circumstances or special Air Force interests to justify an investigation.

Complaints may be filed with a superior or commander in your chain of command, an IG or other appropriate inspector, or within any established grievance channel. FWA complaints may be reported to the Air Force Audit Agency (AFAA), Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), security forces, or other proper authorities. Promptly advise the AFOSI of suspected criminal misconduct or fraud.

Yes, you can submit complaints anonymously. However, providing your contact information allows the IG to ask follow-up questions which can be crucial for a thorough analysis to determine resolution path.

After you file a complaint, the IG will conduct a “complaint analysis” to determine the appropriate resolution path after the appropriate IG office is notified of the complaint. This analysis is the preliminary review to determine the validity and relevance of the issues. The IG will then decide whether the complaint requires assistance, dismissal, investigation, referral, or transfer.

As a complainant, you have the right to:

• File a complaint at any level without going through your supervisory channel.
• File a complaint with an IG without fear of reprisal.
• Request withdrawal of your IG complaint in writing.
• Request a higher-level IG review of the resolution path determination within 90 days; however simply disagreeing with the action taken will not justify additional IG review.
• Submit complaints anonymously.

No. It is against the law for anyone to take any unfavorable personnel action against you as a reprisal for making or preparing to make a protected communication to an IG.

No, IGs do not have the authority to delay command or personnel actions, such as reassignments, retirements, or disciplinary actions. Similarly, they cannot place individuals on administrative hold.

Civilian/non-appropriated fund employees or defense contractors who are reprised or retaliated against for reporting wrongdoing must file their complaint with the Department of Defense IG office.  Please contact DoD IG at: http://www.dodig.mil/ and/or 1-800-424-9098.

A whistleblower is any service member who makes a "Protected Communication" (disclosing evidence of law/regulatory violations, gross mismanagement, waste, abuse of authority, or safety dangers) to an authorized recipient (IG, Congress, Chain of Command). They are legally protected under Title 10 U.S.C. Section 1034.

Note: Any lawful communication to a Member of Congress or an IG, no matter the topic, is a protected communication. Communications to the other listed individuals or agencies are only protected when presenting information regarding what an alleging party reasonably believes to be a violation of statute, regulation, rule, etc.
 

The actions considered for purposes of 10 USC 1034 to be a personnel action prohibited by this subsection shall include any action prohibited by paragraph (1), including any of the following:

– The threat to take any unfavorable action.
– The withholding, or threat to withhold, any favorable action.
– The making of, or threat to make, a significant change in the duties or responsibilities of a member of the armed forces not commensurate with the member's grade.
– The failure of a superior to respond to any retaliatory action or harassment (of which the superior had actual knowledge) taken by one or more subordinates against a member.
– The conducting of a retaliatory investigation of a member.

No, you are considered a third-party and as such only entitled to have receipt of their complaint acknowledged. Third-party complainants are not entitled to personal information or other information not releasable to the public under the FOIA/Privacy Act (PA). To release personal information concerning a first-party individual (complainant, subject), a written and signed consent to release private information must be acquired from the affected individual. If the individual does not give his or her consent to release first-party information to a third party, IGs must inform the requestor that personal privacy information will not be released.

To report criminal or civil acts of fraud or corruption, you can contact AFOSI directly at:

• AFOSI Hotline: (877) 246-1453
• Email: hqafosi.watch@us.af.mil
• Text Tips: Text "AFOSI" and tip information to 274637 (CRIMES)
• Web: Click here

The scope of an IG's duties is limited by law and regulation, and there are many issues IGs don't handle. However, if you talk to an IG about an issue that is not within the IG's scope, the IG will find the appropriate office or agency for you to discuss the matter with.

 

The following issues and allegations are ordinarily not appropriate for USAF IG intervention (this list is not all inclusive):

• Issues NOT related to the Air Force
• Criminal allegations
• Issues that have other means of redress (i.e. Chain-of-Command)
• Courts-martial actions
• Non-judicial punishment
• Discharge issues
• Officer Performance Reports
• Enlisted Performance Reports
• Force shaping issues
• Pay/Financial issues
• Personnel issues
• Equal Opportunity issues
• Civilian allegations of reprisal 
• Type of discharge received
• Pending or requesting discharge
• Financial liability investigations of property loss
• Relief for cause
• Adverse information filed in personnel records (except for allegations of reprisal)
• Claims

The Department of The Air Force is the appropriate method to report Fraud, Waste and Abuse in a SAP program.

SAP program personnel will provide UNCLASSIFIED information on the Air Force Hotline.

Office of Special Investigations (PJ) Headquarters is working with the Air Force Inspector General to respond to all FWA complaints and resolve issues at the appropriate classification level. But all initial contact to the Air Force Hotline must be UNCLASSIFIED.