Who May File Army IG Complaints?
If you have a concern and are unsure if you should file a
complaint, contact your local IG office for guidance.
Any Army military or civilian member may file an IG complaint.
However, many Department of the Army (DA) 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 Army
affiliation, may file Fraud, Waste, and Abuse disclosures.
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.
What type of complaints are appropriate?
Any Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (FWA) and violations of law,
Army instructions, or policy should be reported through the
appropriate grievances channels. The subject of your
complaint must be an Army program or person. Bear in mind,
however, the fact that you may disagree with your supervisor
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
or advice.
When are IG complaints appropriate?
Individuals should attempt to resolve Fraud, Waste, and
Abuse(FWA) issues and personal complaints at the lowest
possible level, using command channels before elevating them
to the next higher level or the Office of the Inspector General.
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 should be
received in a timely manner.
Where should complaints be filed?
Complaints may be filed with a supervisor or commander in
your chain of command, an IG or other appropriate inspector,
or within any established grievance channel. Fraud, Waste,
and Abuse (FWA) complaints may be reported to the Army
Audit Agency (AAA), Army Office of Special Investigations
(AOSI), security police, or other proper authority. Promptly
advise the AOSI of suspected criminal misconduct or fraud.
It is the intent of the Inspector General System that IG closest
to the complaint provides assistance or conduct inquiries into
the matters submitted.
What types of complaints are NOT IG appropriate?
The following issues and allegations are ordinarily not
appropriate for IG intervention:
– Criminal allegations
– Issues that have other means of redress (If the appropriate
redress procedures were used, IGs will advise complainants
that IG involvement focuses on ensuring that the complainant
received due process and the protection of rights as intended
by law and regulation)
– Courts-martial actions
– Nonjudicial punishment
– Officer evaluation reports
– NCO evaluation reports
– Enlisted reductions
– Type of discharge received
– Pending or requested discharge
– Complaints that a commanding officer has wronged a soldier
– Financial liability investigations of property loss
– Relief for cause
– Adverse information filed in personnel records (except for
allegations of reprisal)
– Claims
– The issue is not Army related
– Soldier EO complaints
– Civilian allegations of reprisals
– Department of Defense civilian employee redress through
other channels
– Hazardous work conditions
– Equal Employment Opportunity
– Collective bargaining agreements
– Appeals of adverse actions within the purview of 5 USC
7701-7703
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