The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG) announced today that it released the report, “Whistleblower Reprisal Investigation: U.S. Army War College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania,” substantiating an allegation.
The DoD OIG conducted a whistleblower reprisal investigation in response to a complaint alleging that a U.S. Army Colonel and a DoD civilian employee relieved a U.S. Army Reserve Colonel from Reserve support duties at the U.S. Army War College’s Senior Leader Development Seminar in reprisal for making protected communications to Members of Congress. The investigation found that the DoD civilian employee expressed retaliatory animus regarding the Complainant’s communications to Members of Congress and others at the seminar and unduly influenced the U.S. Army Colonel to release the Complainant from their support duties at the seminar.
“Service members have a lawful right to communicate their concerns with an Inspector General and congressional members,” said DoD OIG Spokesperson Mollie Halpern. “Those who use their position of authority or influence to punish Service members for doing so breed an environment of distrust and risk deterring important information from being brought forward.”
The DoD OIG recommended that the Secretary of the Army consider appropriate action to remedy the Complainant’s removal from Reserve support duties at the seminar and consider remedial action with regard to the DoD civilian employee.