What is an Inspector General?
An Inspector General (IG) is a fair, impartial, and objective factfinder and problem solver.  

What does an Inspector General do?
An Inspector General provides four functions—inspections, assistance, investigations, and teaching and training—for the specific purpose of enhancing the Mississippi National Guard’s readiness and warfighting capability.    

Inspector General Functions:

• Assistance:  Assistance is the IG function that provides Soldiers, Family members, civilians, retirees, and contract employees the ability to seek help from the IG on matters affecting their health, welfare, and personal readiness.  The IG’s role, as the commander’s representative, is to resolve these issues within the limits of the IG system.  If a matter falls outside of the IG system, the IG will direct the person requesting assistance to the appropriate avenue of redress.
   
• Inspections:  The primary purpose of IG inspections is to resolve systemic issues throughout the Mississippi National Guard and, in doing so, to evaluate the effectiveness of policies, determine the root causes of noncompliance, and recommend changes to policy proponents.
   
• Investigations:  Investigations is the IG function that provides the Mississippi Adjutant General another means through which to resolve allegations of impropriety.  Inspectors general may investigate violations of policy, regulation, or law; mismanagement; unethical behavior; fraud; or misconduct.  The primary purpose of IG investigations and investigative inquiries is to resolve allegations of impropriety; to preserve confidence in the chain of command; and, if allegations are not substantiated, to protect the good name of the subject or suspect.
   
• Teaching & Training:  Teaching and training is the fourth of the Army IG system’s four functions and is traditionally embedded in the first three—inspections, assistance, and investigations. While inspecting, assisting, or investigating, IGs enhance the warfighting and readiness capabilities of the Mississippi National Guard by teaching and training commanders, Soldiers, and civilians at all levels on current Army policy and doctrine.

Confidentiality
All IGs have a duty to protect to the maximum extent possible the personal identity of a complainant, witness, or any other individual providing information to the IG, particularly when the individual specifically requests confidentiality.   While IGs will never promise confidentiality, they will endeavor to maintain confidentiality as a matter of primary importance.  

Protected Communications
Title 10 U.S. Code 1034 (Protected Communications; prohibition of retaliatory personnel actions), states that no person may restrict a member of the Armed Forces in communicating with at Member of Congress or an Inspector General.  No person may take (or threaten to take) an unfavorable personnel action or withhold (or threaten to withhold) a favorable personnel action, as a reprisal against a member of the Armed Forces for making or preparing or being perceived as making or preparing a communication to a Member of Congress or an Inspector General.

Who can request assistance from an Inspector General? 
Anyone!  Soldiers, Airmen, family members, civilians, retirees, and contract employees may submit a complaint, allegation, or request for information or assistance concerning a matter of interest to the Mississippi National Guard (Air National Guard or Army National Guard).  We encourage anyone seeking assistance from the IG to first allow their chain of command or first-line supervisor an opportunity to address the matter.

What types of issues are appropriate for the Inspector General? 
Matters relating to the discipline, efficiency, economy, morale, training, and readiness of the Mississippi National Guard, such as:

• Requests for information
  • Clarification of regulations and policies
  • Identify appropriate means of redress
  • Where to find family assistance
     
• Systemic problems with systems or processes, such as: finance & accounting (pay, bonuses, incapacitation pay, etc.), promotions, line of duty & medical processing, personnel databases, extension of enlistment, separations, supply management, etc.
   
• Violations of law, regulation or policy, including fraternization (inappropriate relationships), improper personnel actions, misuse of Army facilities, personal misconduct, etc.

What types of issues are not appropriate for the Inspector General? 
According to Army Regulation 20-1, the following matters are not appropriate for IG action:

• Soldier nonsupport of family members
• Private indebtedness
• Contractor activities
• Anything not of Army, Air Force, or Mississippi National Guard interest
• Hazardous work conditions
• Matters where an avenue of remedy or redress already exists, such as courts-martial actions, non-judicial punishment, evaluation reports, and rank reductions
• Equal opportunity complaints
• Command climate sensing sessions
• Criminal allegations.

Note that this list is not comprehensive and most of these areas have an established process for redress that must be followed.  If someone brings one of these matters to the IG, then the IG will advise the complainant to take the issue to the appropriate staff proponent or agency for action.

Timeliness of Requests

In most cases, an IG is not required to look into a complaint if the complainant has failed to present the matter within 1 year of learning of the alleged problem or wrongdoing.  

How to Request Assistance

Call or e-mail one of the Inspector General offices listed in the “Contact Information” section of this web page.  People requesting assistance will be asked to fill out either a Department of the Army (DA) Form 1559 (Inspector General Action Request) , or an Air Force (AF) Form 102 (Inspector General Personal and Fraud, Waste & Abuse Complaint Registration)  depending on whether the issue is related to the Army National Guard or the Air National Guard.  These forms and contact information can be found using the 'Contacts' and 'Documents' links at the left of this page, or by using the 'MS Outreach' App on a mobile phone.  In the MS Outreach App, select 'Info' at the bottom of the screen and then scroll down until you find the 'Inspector General' section.

Command Climate Surveys - AR 600-20  requires company commanders to administer a command climate survey to members of the unit within 90 days of assuming command; and annually thereafter. Copies of the pencil and computer version can be downloaded from:

• Defense Organizational Climate Survey (DEOCS) (Requires Passcode)

Other Inspector General's:

• Department of Defense 
• National Guard Bureau 
• Department of the Army 
• Department of the Air Force 
  
  DOD Hotline: 1-800-424-9098
  
  Defense Hotline
  The Pentagon
  Washington, D.C. 20301-1900

Other Links:

• Army Publications and Forms
• Air Force Publications and Forms
• NGB Publications and Forms
• Sergeant Major of The Army - Important NCO Links

• AF Form 102 (Complaint Registration) 
• Before you tell the IG (dtd - 20220316) 
• DA Form 1559 (INSPECTOR GENERAL ACTION REQUEST) 
• Filing a Complaint 
• IG Tri Fold Brochure 
• MSARNGR 1-201 (dtd - 1 Oct 2019) 
• TAG Policy Memo Right to Present Complaints (IG) (dtd - 20160901) 
• What types of complaints are NOT IG appropriate