DESCRIPTION: The DoD eagle bearing the shield of the United States on its breast and holding in its beak a white (Argent) motto scroll doubled scarlet and inscribed with the words “Integrity” and “Efficiency,” also scarlet, grasping in its talons a perch formed by three arrows, which are bound together with scarlet bands and held tightly in the talons of the eagle, atop a two-headed axe with gold fasces, bound with scarlet bands, between two gold torches enflamed all gold, all between two green branches, olive to sinister and laurel to dexter, all upon a light blue disc within a white collar edged gold on the outside with the inscription “Inspector General” above and “Department of Defense” below between, at either side two stars, all dark blue.

SYMBOLISM: The American bald eagle and shield, the rays and stars above the eagle, the laurel and olive branches, and the light and dark blue colors are adapted from the seal of the Department of Defense. The American bald eagle, long associated with symbolism representing the United States of America and its military establishment, was selected for the Department as an emblem of strength. The eagle is defending the United States, represented by the shield of thirteen pieces. The thirteen pieces are joined together by the blue chief, representing the Congress. The rays and stars above the eagle represent the original thirteen states, as do the bars of the American shield. The torches shedding light to either side and the fasces, an ancient symbol of authority, suggest the missions of promoting “economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in the administration of,” and preventing and detecting “fraud and abuse in,” the programs and operations of the Department of Defense. The binding together of the three arrows in the talons of the eagle, which on the DoD seal symbolize the three separate military departments, symbolize the Inspector General’s statutory duty to “give particular regard to the activities of the internal audit, inspection, and investigative units of the military departments with a view toward avoiding duplication and insuring effective coordination and cooperation.” The motto scroll inscribed “Integrity” and “Efficiency” denotes the modern statutory qualities, exemplified in the “President’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency,” and represents these qualities respectively in the colors white (Argent) and crimson.

BACKGROUND:  The original emblem was approved on October 10, 1984, and subsequent revisions have been made.