For more info on your rights as a whistleblower,

visit: https://go.usa.gov/xdEqU

or email: wpc@dodig.mil

Whistleblower 

protections

10 U.S.C. 1034, Military Protections

Applicable to all members of the Armed Forces. Prohibits 

restricting military personnel from communicating with 

Congress or an Inspector General. Also prohibits taking, 

threatening to take, or withholding a personnel action in 

reprisal against a member of the Armed Forces.

10 U.S.C. 1587, Nonappropriated Fund 

Instrumentalities (NAFI)

Applicable to all employees paid from nonappropriated funds 

of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, Navy Exchange 

Service Command, Marine Corps Exchanges, or any other 

instrumentality of the United States under Armed Forces 

jurisdiction conducted for the comfort, pleasure, and 

physical and mental improvement of members of the Armed 

Forces. Prohibits any civilian member or member of the 

Armed Forces from taking, threatening to take, or approving 

a personnel action against a NAFI employee who discloses 

violations of law or regulations or other wrongdoing to an 

authorized recipient.

10 U.S.C. 2409, Contractor Employees

Applicable to employees of a contractor, subcontractor, grantee 

or subgrantee, or personal services contractor. An employee may 

not be discharged, demoted, or otherwise discriminated against 

as a reprisal for disclosing, to an authorized recipient, information 

the employee reasonably believes evidences violations of law 

or regulation, gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, 

or other wrongdoing regarding a DoD contract or grant. 

5 U.S.C. 2302, Appropriated Fund Employees

Applicable to members of the competitive service, career 

appointees in the Senior Executive Service, or certain 

positions in the excepted service. Prohibits anyone from 

taking or threatening to take a personnel action against 

an employee for disclosing information that evidences 

wrongdoing or for participating in a protected activity, 

such as an appeal or grievance.

PPD-19, Intelligence Community, Access to 

Classified Information

Applicable to employees serving in the Intelligence 

Community or who are eligible for access to classified 

information. Prohibits retaliation against employees for 

reporting waste, fraud, and abuse. Provides employees the 

right to request an external review by a three-member panel 

chaired by Intel Community Inspector General.

What is a Whistleblower?

A whistleblower is someone who makes a good faith report 

to an authorized recipient of information regarding:

• violations of law, rule,or regulation;

• waste, fraud, and abuse;

• mismanagement;

• serious security incidents: or 

• other criminal or administrative misconduct.

Authorized recipients include:

• An Inspector General

• A Member of Congress

• A supervisor in employees direct chain of command

• A court or grand jury

• A court-martial proceeding

• The Office of Special Counsel

• Any person or organization designated by law 

to receive such communications

Department of Defense

Office of Inspector General

Whistleblower

Protection Coordinator

Educating you on your right to 

report waste, fraud, and abuse 

without fear of reprisal

INTEGRITY  INDEPENDENCE  EXCELLENCE
WPC

• The DoD Whistleblower Protection Coordinator 

is responsible for educating DoD employees on 

whistleblower rights and protection statutes, and 

retaliation prohibitions for disclosing wrongdoing.

• Educate personnel on how to report fraud, waste and 

abuse with the DoD

• Educate personnel on how to seek reviews of any 

allegation of reprisal

• Provide personnel with general information about 

the time line for reprisal cases and the availability of 

alternative resolution mechanisms

Laws and Executive Order

Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989

Provides federal employees with specific rights and 

protections if they “blow the whistle” on waste, fraud, 

and abuse in the Federal government and personnel 

actions are taken against them for doing so.

Whistleblower Protection Enhancement

Act of 2012

Strengthens whistleblower protections for federal 

employees, with numerous provisions. Introduces 

specific terms regarding agency non-disclosure 

policies, forms, or agreements that do not waive an 

employee’s right to communicate with Congress or an 

Inspector General. Requires federal agency heads to 

advise employees on how to make a lawful disclosure 

of information that is required to be kept classified 

in the interest of national defense or the conduct of 

foreign affairs.

Intelligence Community Whistleblower 

Protection Act of 1998

Provides process for employees, including, contractor 

employees within the Intelligence Community, to 

report matters of urgent concern to the Intelligence 

Committees of Congress. 

Executive Order 12674 

Discusses basic obligations of public service and 

principles of ethical conduct, including:

• Loyalty to the Constitution, the laws, and ethical 

principles above private gain.

• Act impartially to all groups, persons, 

and organizations.

• Protect and conserve federal property.

• Disclose waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption 

to appropriate authorities.

Department of Defense 

Office of Inspector General 

Whistleblower Protection 

Coordinator

The DoD Whistleblower Protection Coordinator (WPC) is 

responsible for educating DoD employees on statutes 

related to whistleblower rights and protections, and 

prohibitions against retaliation for disclosing wrongdoing.

The WPC is responsible for:

• Educating personnel on how to report allegations of 

waste, fraud, and abuse within the DoD

• Educating personnel on how to report allegations 

of reprisal

• Educating personnel on the general timelines for 

reprisal cases and the availability of alternative 

resolution mechanisms

Additional Resources

DoD Hotline

The mission of the DoD Hotline is to provide a 

confidential, reliable means to report violations of 

law, rule, or regulation; waste, fraud, and abuse; 

mismanagement; trafficking in persons; serious security 

incidents; or other criminal or administrative misconduct 

that involve DoD personnel and operations, without 

fear of reprisal. https://www.dodig.mil/Components/

Administrative-Investigations/DoD-Hotline/

Whistleblower Reprisal Investigations

The DoD OIG Whistleblower Reprisal Investigations (WRI) 

Directorate investigates allegations of whistleblower 

reprisal made by members of the Armed Forces; 

appropriated fund (civilian) employees of the DoD, 

including members of the DoD Intelligence Community; 

employees of a DoD contractor, subcontractor, grantee 

or subgrantee or personal services contractor, and 

nonappropriated fund instrumentality employees. 

U.S. Office of Special Counsel

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel is an independent 

federal investigative and prosecutorial agency, whose 

primary mission is to safeguard the process of promoting 

and hiring federal employees based on their ability to 

perform a job, by protecting federal employees and 

applicants from prohibited personnel practices, especially 

reprisal for whistleblowing.

Merit Systems Protection Board

The Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) is an 

independent agency in the Executive branch empowered 

to hear and decide on federal employee appeals for 

corrective or disciplinary action when a federal agency 

is alleged to have committed a prohibited personnel 

practice. Their mission is to protect the nine merit system 

principles established to promote an effective federal 

civil workforce.

For more info on your rights as a whistleblower,

visit: https://go.usa.gov/xdEqU