CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Long work hours, deployments, training, family ... it's the all too familiar balancing act most of us serving in the Air Force face every day.
Fortunately, we don't face these challenges alone. We're part of a very special organization full of highly capable individuals who passionately share an overriding belief that our country's security, and that of our children, depends on our success. We know ... failure is not an option. It's this passion and belief which drives us, civilian and military alike, to overcome the challenges of our daily lives.
The load we individually carry must remain balanced; however, the last thing any of us needs is a work related concern which detracts from our ability to fully focus on the mission or causes us to lose trust in our leadership or teammates. That's where the Inspector General office comes in.
Our mission as the IG is to provide an avenue to resolve and objectively address concerns and to assist commanders in instilling confidence in Air Force leadership. We serve as the eyes and ears of the wing commander by being alerted to issues which may affect the organization as a whole. Additionally, and at the core of our mission, we administer the Complaint Resolution and Fraud, Waste and Abuse programs.
Bottom line, we're honest brokers with a sworn duty to serve as fair and impartial fact-finders and problem solvers. We assist Airmen of all ranks, civilian employees, family members, retirees and other civilians in this task.
Our office can receive essentially any kind of complaint, including restriction, reprisal, improper mental health evaluation, administrative issues, unfair treatment, favoritism, medical issues, civilian issues, financial issues, and the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness or Fraud, Waste and Abuse programs, just to name a few.
Some issues, such as restriction, reprisal and improper mental health evaluation, are handled in our office from start to finish. Others are referred to the organization best capable of resolving the issue.
The latter is an important point and it's why the first question we typically ask a complainant is, "Did you use your chain of command to resolve your issue?" This is a key question because in the majority of cases, the chain of command is better equipped to provide the quickest resolution through its inherent authority.
The IG complaint system is open to anyone at any time and protected by the Whistleblower Act, so no one can restrict individuals from talking to the IG, and no one can reprise against them for having done so. Be careful not to confuse well-intended statements from leadership such as, "Give us a chance to work your issue first before going to the IG," as an attempt to restrict talking to the IG. This commonly used phrase is typically motivated by leadership's desire to help, not from fear of the IG.
So, how can a complaint be made? Complaints can be submitted via calling, email or visiting the IG office. However, the best way would be to call for an appointment so we can set aside a block of time to properly discuss the complaint. The IG office can be reached at 963-3552 for Master Sgt. Sieghild Daniel or 963-3553 for Lt. Col. Nelson Novo and is located in Building 246, behind ALS, Room 207.
If a person has a formal complaint, they'll be asked to fill out an Air Force Form 102, write a detailed chronology of events and provide all pertinent facts, such as who, what, when, where and the regulation or law violation. Keep in mind, frivolous allegations will be dismissed.
As always, the IG stands ready to listen. Feel free to call for any questions.
Fraud, waste and abuse hotline numbers:
Department of Defense Hotline: 800-424-9098
437th Airlift Wing: 963-5550