Whistleblower Reprisal Investigations

Mr. Michael Shanker, Director

Mission

The Whistleblower Reprisal Investigations (WRI) Directorate investigates allegations of whistleblower reprisal made by members of the Armed Forces; appropriated fund (civilian) employees of the DoD, including members of the DoD intelligence community; employees of DoD contractors, subcontractors, grantees and subgrantees, and personal services contractors; all DoD employees with access to classified information; nonappropriated fund instrumentality employees who are paid from nonappropriated funds generated by Military Service clubs, bowling centers, golf courses, and other activities; and tenants of privatized military housing. 

The WRI Directorate additionally investigates allegations that service members were restricted from communicating with a Member of Congress or an IG.  The WRI Directorate also conducts oversight reviews of whistleblower reprisal investigations performed by the Services and Defense agency IGs into these types of allegations.

The WRI Directorate operates an Alternative Dispute Resolution program, in which parties in certain cases may explore voluntary resolution of disputes in lieu of investigation.

The WRI Directorate conducts reprisal and restriction investigations under the following authorities:

Military Reprisal and Restriction

• Title 10 U.S.C. § 1034
• DoD Directive 7050.06, “Military Whistleblower Protection”
• DoD Instruction 7050.09, “Uniform Standards for Evaluating and Investigating Military Reprisal or Restriction Complaints” (effective April 10, 2022)

Nonappropriated Fund Instrumentality Reprisal

• Title 10 U.S.C. § 1587
• DoD Directive 1401.03

Defense Contractor, Subcontractor, Grantee and Subgrantee, and Personal Services Contractor Reprisal 

• Title 10 U.S.C. § 4701, Contract Employees: protection from reprisal for disclosure of certain information
• DFARS Subpart 203.9, Whistleblower Protections for Contractor Employees
• Section B, paragraph 17 of Appendix D to 2 CFR Part 1122 (August 20, 2020)

Privatized Military Housing 

• Title 10 U.S.C. § 2890

DoD Intelligence Community / All DoD Employees with Access to Classified Information Reprisal

• Presidential Policy Directive 19
• Directive-type Memorandum 13-008

Appropriated Fund (Civilian) Reprisal

• Inspector General Act of 1978, As Amended
• DoD Directive 5106.01

File a Whisleblower Reprisal Complaint