What is the Inspector General?
In the 52nd Fighter Wing, the inspector general serves as a grievance channel. We provide a place for people to bring a complaint when they see no other way to fix their problem. When we receive a complaint, our job is to dig into the facts surrounding that issue to get to the truth of the matter. We like to say that "we are an advocate for the facts, not the complainant or the Air Force." We work hard to uphold the highest standards of integrity, ultimately to instill greater trust in our leadership and the in Air Force as a whole.
Who may file a complaint?
Any Air Force military or civilian member may file an IG complaint. Depending on the circumstances, the IG may also accept complaints from retirees and dependents. Anyone -- even civilians with no AF affiliation -- may report something they believe constitutes Fraud, Waste, and Abuse.
How do I file a complaint?
You can make a complaint in person, by telephone, e-mail, letter or Fax. You may also submit a complaint anonymously, but identifying yourself allows us to gather additional information if necessary and provide you with the results of our inquiry. You do not need to make an appointment to see us, but it's always best to call before stopping in to make sure someone is available. We can normally meet with you on the day you contact us.
The IG will request you fill out an AF IMT 102, IG Complaint Form. The 102 helps capture the details of your complaint. The more information you can provide, such as, "who," "what," and "when," helps us respond more quickly to your complaint.
Thoughts from the IG
Often, the best approach to solving problems is through your chain of command. Don't stop at your immediate supervisor; continue up the chain if necessary. Many times the IG will refer complaints back to the unit commander because our initial analysis of the issue shows it is more appropriately worked by unit leadership.
Issues appropriate for the IG include abuses of authority; violations of law, policy, procedures, or regulations; injustice; and inappropriate conduct.
The Air Force has established processes and grievance channels to work many types of issues people may encounter. For example, equal opportunity works complaints of discrimination or harassment, the medical community works complaints relating to medical issues, and the legal office works issues pertaining to legal matters. If the IG receives a complaint which falls into an area which the Air Force already has an established grievance process, by regulation we must refer the complaint to the organization responsible for such issues.
We are essentially the "end of the trail." You may speak to an IG at any level - here at the 52nd FW, USAFE, DoD, and even your Congressman - if you wish. We recommend you start at the lowest level first. We may not tell you what you want to hear, but we will give you a fair and impartial look.
Contact information:
The 52nd FW IG is located in Bldg. 23 (Wing HQ), groundfloor, northeast corner. The IG or a 24-hour message machine can be reached at:
Commercial phone: 06565 61 6521
DSN: 452-6521
Fax: 452-4075
E-mail: 52FW.IG.Inspection@us.af.mil
Mailing address:
52 FW/IG
Unit 3680 Box 190
APO AE 09126
Other contact numbers:
DoD IG Hotline: (800) 424-9098 (toll free stateside number)
USAF IG: DSN 312 425-1562
USAFE IG: DSN 480-6647