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HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR COMPLAINT |
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We advise that you submit your complaint to the Defense Hotline in writing. Please use the hard-copy or online complaint form provided below. If using the form is not feasible, please print the form as a guideline, which will highlight what information our office is looking for.
If you have not read our 'Read Before Filing', our 'Frequently Asked Questions', and our 'Helpful Links' pages, please do so before submitting a complaint. You may more expeditiously find the answers you seek on those pages, and gain a better understanding as to what matters fall under the purview of the DoD Inspector General. You are also encouraged to attempt resolution of your matter via your chain-of-command, or local or service Inspector General. If you do not know how to contact your local Inspector General, click here.
If you wish to file a Reprisal Complaint, please visit our 'Reprisals Complaint' page, which presents a different complaint form, that requests information specific to allegations of reprisal. DO NOT use the complaint form on this page for this purpose.
After reviewing the material presented on the above pages, if you believe your situation would be best served by filing a complaint with the Defense Hotline, below are instructions for various filing methods.
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(Preferred) ONLINE FORM: To submit your complaint via the online form, click on “PROCEED TO COMPLAINT FORM.” No forms need to be downloaded via this method. You can print out your filled-out form for your records before hitting "Submit". |
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MAIL, FACSIMILE, or EMAIL: To send your complaint by mail, facsimile, or e-mail, download a fillable "Complaint" form and a "Filing Disclosure Election" form.*
Click here to download both forms in Adobe PDF format.
Send both printed forms to our office along with any supporting documentation, via your preferred transmission methods:
DEFENSE HOTLINE
THE PENTAGON
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301-1900
Fax: 703-604-8567 (COM) or 664-8567 (DSN)
E-Mail: hotline@dodig.mil |
WARNING: By using the on-line complaint form, or sending your complaint via e-mail, you acknowledge that your privacy is not guaranteed because your complaint will not be encrypted over your internet connection. If you are not comfortable submitting your complaint online, use the methods prescribed above (submit by postal mail or facsimile).
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| CONTACT THE HOTLINE BY TELEPHONE |
It is advisable to submit your complaint to the Defense Hotline in writing using the methods described above. You may contact a Defense Hotline investigator by telephone at 1-800-424-9098, to receive answers to questions or clarifications regarding the complaint submittal process. However, you will be encouraged to detail your complaint in writing to ensure your allegations and information are accurately and completely presented in your own words..
If you choose to leave your complaint anonymously with no contact information, please be advised that our inability to contact you to obtain additional details, if needed, may limit our ability to proceed further.
| WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER FILING A HOTLINE COMPLAINT |
If you have disclosed your identity to the Defense Hotline, you may contact our office to request status. However, the only information that will be disclosed is open or closed status. If you did not provide your full name at the time of your complaint filing, or any other contact information, you will not be given any information regarding the complaint, to include confirmation of its existence. This is to protect the confidential status of all complaint filings.
Here are some consideration points regarding what to expect after you file a Hotline complaint:
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Unless you are contacted directly by one of our investigators, there will be no communication from our office, outside of correspondence which may advise you that your matter has been referred to the cognizant Department of Defense entity for appropriate action, where and if applicable. |
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If you can verify yourself as the individual that filed the complaint in reference, you may contact the Defense Hotline to check upon the 'open' or 'closed' status of your complaint. No other details regarding the complaint will be given. |
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Federal regulations prohibit the disclosure of information contained in investigative and law enforcement records, even to the individual submitting the allegation(s). |
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Our office will NOT provide anyone, to include the source of the complaint, with the status of action(s) taken on any allegation. This includes details pertaining to the processing of your complaint. The information you provide will be handled according to our internal policies and guidelines, and appropriate action will be taken, as determined. |
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Once a file is closed, results may be requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). For information regarding how to submit a FOIA request, click here. |
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* When submitting a complaint, please simultaneously advise us of your disclosure election. This question is clearly marked on both the hard-copy and the electronic complaint form. If you do not advise us of your disclosure election, our office will need to contact you to obtain this information, which may cause a delay in the processing of your complaint.
Consistent with the requirements of the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, it is Defense Hotline policy that Hotline Personnel will not disclose the identity of an individual providing a complaint or information to the Defense Hotline unless the individual consents to such disclosure, or the Defense Hotline Director has determined that such disclosure is otherwise unavoidable in order to address the complaint or information. Such circumstances may include a matter involving a specific danger to health, safety, or a national security issue. |
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