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The United States Government Accountability office is tasked with reviewing handling of whistleblowers at the Department of Defense by the DODIG. Various types of whistleblowers are protected. However, that protection has "gaps", and reprisal cases are up 98 percent in the last five years.
Here is the full report:
https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/697337.pdf
A few highlights, emphasis mine
In fiscal year 2018, DOD’s Hotline received 12,470 complaints from potential whistleblowers.
DODIG officials cited several reasons for not meeting timeliness goals, including a backlog of cases and a lengthy report review process. Further, DODIG officials noted that the number of whistleblower reprisal cases increased from 1,013 to 2,002 (98 percent) over the past 5 years, while an internal DODIG fiscal year 2018 performance report cited other reasons for not meeting timeliness goals, including the assumption of responsibility for all sexual assault victim reprisal cases by the whistleblower reprisal investigations unit, the number of high-priority senior official cases concurrently open, and the increasing scope and complexity of investigations
DODIG and the military service IGs have policies to protect whistleblower confidentiality, but some gaps exist. For example, DODIG guidance for protecting whistleblowers who report internal DODIG misconduct does not specify key steps investigators should take to protect confidentiality, such as not identifying complainants during interviews with case subjects. Also, Air Force,Naval, and Marine Corps IG guidance does not specify when whistleblower identities can be disclosed without consent. Without updated guidance, the IGs cannot ensure the consistent implementation of confidentiality protections.The IGs have taken steps to safeguard whistleblower information in their information technology (IT) systems and applications, such as by restricting access to case information through unique user permissions and by taking actions to follow DOD’s IT risk management process. However, between 2016 and 2018, employees in all of the IGs have been able to access sensitive whistleblower information without a need to know. For example, DODIG determined that numerous restricted whistleblower records in its document repository were accessible to DODIG personnel without a need to know.Similarly, the Air Force IG’s application did not restrict users from other DOD components from viewing Air Force IG case descriptions and complainant identities, while the Army IG’s application and the Naval IG’s system did not restrict personnel within those IGs from viewing allegations or investigations involving other personnel within those IGs. Additionally, employees in Marine Corps IG offices were able to see whistleblower cases assigned to other IG offices without a need to know. While some actions have been taken to address these issues, additional steps are needed to restrict access to case information in order to mitigate ongoing risks to whistleblower confidentiality.
Here is the full report:
https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/697337.pdf
A few highlights, emphasis mine
In fiscal year 2018, DOD’s Hotline received 12,470 complaints from potential whistleblowers.
DODIG officials cited several reasons for not meeting timeliness goals, including a backlog of cases and a lengthy report review process. Further, DODIG officials noted that the number of whistleblower reprisal cases increased from 1,013 to 2,002 (98 percent) over the past 5 years, while an internal DODIG fiscal year 2018 performance report cited other reasons for not meeting timeliness goals, including the assumption of responsibility for all sexual assault victim reprisal cases by the whistleblower reprisal investigations unit, the number of high-priority senior official cases concurrently open, and the increasing scope and complexity of investigations
DODIG and the military service IGs have policies to protect whistleblower confidentiality, but some gaps exist. For example, DODIG guidance for protecting whistleblowers who report internal DODIG misconduct does not specify key steps investigators should take to protect confidentiality, such as not identifying complainants during interviews with case subjects. Also, Air Force,Naval, and Marine Corps IG guidance does not specify when whistleblower identities can be disclosed without consent. Without updated guidance, the IGs cannot ensure the consistent implementation of confidentiality protections.The IGs have taken steps to safeguard whistleblower information in their information technology (IT) systems and applications, such as by restricting access to case information through unique user permissions and by taking actions to follow DOD’s IT risk management process. However, between 2016 and 2018, employees in all of the IGs have been able to access sensitive whistleblower information without a need to know. For example, DODIG determined that numerous restricted whistleblower records in its document repository were accessible to DODIG personnel without a need to know.Similarly, the Air Force IG’s application did not restrict users from other DOD components from viewing Air Force IG case descriptions and complainant identities, while the Army IG’s application and the Naval IG’s system did not restrict personnel within those IGs from viewing allegations or investigations involving other personnel within those IGs. Additionally, employees in Marine Corps IG offices were able to see whistleblower cases assigned to other IG offices without a need to know. While some actions have been taken to address these issues, additional steps are needed to restrict access to case information in order to mitigate ongoing risks to whistleblower confidentiality.
