Reporting Fraud, Waste or Abuse is everyone’s responsibility

  • Published
  • By Dennis Lange, Chief of Complaints
  • Inspector General's Office, 88th Air Base Wing

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- The Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Inspector General’s Office offers a safe, private, and confidential setting where anyone can discuss personal or professional concerns. One area of assistance is preventing fraud, waste, or abuse because it is a potential problem that can drain significant resources and ultimately rob American taxpayers. Preventing it is public law, and Department of Defense’s efforts must be reported to Congress semi-annually. 

The program saves valuable resources by identifying illegal, inefficient, and wasteful practices and makes funds available for other, better uses. An active FWA program is not only essential for efficient and effective operations, but it's also a professional responsibility and moral imperative for every military leader. Commanders at all levels are responsible for both personnel and resources. Commanders must not only be able to identify its signs but also foster an environment where reduction is part of the organization’s culture. 

The key to prevention, detection, and reporting fraud, waste, and abuse is recognizing conditions that allow exploitation of management controls. These indicators often appear as minor administrative or managerial irregularities on the surface, but they provide the initial warning and signal the need for closer scrutiny by functional managers and commanders. Conducting audits, inspections and investigations are a primary means to identify and investigate allegations or the appearance of fraud, waste, and abuse.

Reporting FWA

FWA hotlines provide personnel with confidential means of reporting suspicious activity concerning FWA and employee or management misconduct. The identity of the individual making a FWA disclosure is protected, the individual may remain anonymous. If FWA is suspected, individuals should contact subject matter experts, their supervisory chain, commander, the Inspector General, the AF Audit Agency or Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

Wright-Patterson AFB FWA hotline: 937-656-2900

Air Force FWA hotline: 202-404-5354

DoD FWA hotline: 800-424-9098

To report criminal or civil acts of fraud or corruption, you can contact Air Force Office of Special Investigations directly.

AFOSI hotline: 877-246-1453 or hqafosi.watch@us.af.mil