DODIG has taken a number of actions to improve its tracking of the timeliness of military whistleblower reprisal investigations, including developing an automated tool to address statutory notification requirements. However, DODIG does not regularly report to Congress on the timeliness of military whistleblower reprisal investigations. In both 2012 and 2015, we found that DOD was not meeting its internal timeliness requirements for completing military whistleblower reprisal investigations within 180 days. Specifically, in 2012 we found that despite undertaking efforts to improve timeliness—such as changing its process for taking in complaints—DOD took a mean of 451 days to process cases, and that its efforts to improve case processing times were hindered by unreliable and incomplete data on timeliness. Further, in 2015 we found that DOD’s average investigation time for cases closed in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 was 526 days, almost three times DOD’s internal completion requirement of 180 days. DOD Directive 7050.06, which implements 10 U.S.C. § 1034 and establishes DOD policy, states that DODIG shall issue a whistleblower reprisal investigation report within 180 days of the receipt of the allegation of reprisal. To improve the timeliness of military whistleblower reprisal investigations, we recommended in February 2012 that DOD (1) implement procedures to track and report data on its case processing timeliness and (2) track and analyze timeliness data to identify reforms that could aid in processing cases within 180-day time frame. DOD concurred and subsequently took several actions to implement these recommendations. For example, in December 2012 DODIG began implementing a case management system to collect key dates to track the timeliness of DODIG’s investigative phases and in March 2016 issued a case management system guide that established procedures to help ensure accurate and complete recording and consistent tracking of case processing time. Further, DODIG took steps to track and analyze timeliness data that could aid in processing cases within the 180-day timeframe by compiling quarterly timeliness metrics starting in fiscal year 2014, and by updating its case management system in April 2016 to include additional investigation milestones. Because some of these actions were not taken until 2016, it is too early to determine whether timeliness has improved since we last reported on the status. In both our 2012 and 2015 reports, we found that DOD generally did not meet statutory requirements for notifying servicemembers within 180 days about delays in investigations. According to 10 U.S.C. § 1034 if, during the course of an investigation, an IG determines that it is not possible to submit the report of investigation to the Secretary of Defense and the service Secretary within 180 days after the receipt of the allegation, the IG shall provide to the Secretary of Defense, the service Secretary concerned, and the servicemember making the allegation a notice of that determination including the reasons why the report may not be submitted within that time and an estimate of the date when the report will be submitted. In 2012, we found that neither the DODIG nor military service IGs had been making the required notifications. During that review, DODIG changed its practice and started reporting this information in October 2011 and identified steps in an action plan to help ensure that it and the military service IGs followed the statutory reporting requirements. During our 2015 review, DODIG officials stated that they had taken additional steps to help ensure they met the statutory notification requirement. For example, DODIG assigned an oversight investigator to remind the service IGs to send the required letters and developed a mechanism in DODIG’s case management system to indicate which cases were older than 180 days. However, during our 2015 review, we again found that DOD had not sent the required letters to notify servicemembers about delays in their investigations in about half of reprisal investigations closed in fiscal year 2013; that the median notification time for servicemembers receiving the required letter was about 353 days after the servicemember filed the complaint; and that the letters that DOD had sent, on average, had significantly underestimated the date by which the investigation would be competed. Consequently, we recommended in our 2015 report that DOD develop an automated tool to help ensure compliance with the statutory 180-day notification requirement by providing servicemembers with accurate information regarding the status of their reprisal investigations within 180 days of receipt of an allegation of reprisal. DOD concurred with this recommendation and in April 2016, launched an automated tool within its case management system to help ensure compliance with the statutory 180-day notification requirement, instead of relying on its manual reconciliation process. Specifically, the case management system now has an alert that provides the age of the case and the date by which the notification letter must be transmitted to the required parties. This tool is to help provide assurance that servicemembers are being notified of the status of their reprisal investigations. In 2012, we found that although DODIG is required to keep Congress fully and currently informed through, among other things, its semiannual reports to Congress, DODIG was not including in these reports information on military whistleblower case processing time, including (1) statutorily required notifications of delays in the investigations or (2) those exceeding DODIG’s internal 180-day completion requirement. The semiannual report to Congress is required to include information on fraud, abuses, and deficiencies related to the administration of programs and operations managed or financed by DOD, but DOD interpreted this requirement as not applying to the military whistleblower reprisal program. Because Congress is the primary oversight body for DODIG, we recommended that DOD regularly report to Congress on the timeliness of military whistleblower reprisal investigations, including those exceeding the 180-day timeframe. DOD concurred with our recommendation. On August 31, 2016, the DOD Principal Deputy Inspector General performing the duties of the DOD Inspector General stated that the office will implement this recommendation by regularly reporting timeliness information to Congress on a biannual basis. We believe that if this action is taken, it will fully implement our recommendation, provide Congress with enhanced visibility over the status of military whistleblower reprisal investigations, and thereby improve decisionmakers’ ability to effectively oversee the military whistleblower reprisal program. In 2012 and 2015, we found that DODIG’s oversight of military whistleblower reprisal investigations conducted by the military services was hampered by insufficient processes, including performance metrics; guidance; and plans. DOD subsequently took steps to strengthen its oversight of military whistleblower reprisal investigations conducted by the military services by establishing processes and developing guidance for overseeing these investigations—along with a plan to expand its case management system to the services. In 2012, we found that DODIG lacked reliable data on the corrective actions taken in response to substantiated whistleblower reprisal cases, thus limiting the visibility and oversight DOD and Congress have of the final portion of the military whistleblower reprisal process. DOD Directive 7050.06 directs the Secretaries of the military departments and the heads of the other DOD components to take corrective action based on IG reports of investigations of military whistleblower reprisal allegations and to notify DODIG of the actions taken within 10 working days. Further, DODIG requires that the service IGs report back to DODIG on command actions taken against the individual alleged to have reprised against a whistleblower, according to officials from these organizations. However, in 2012 we found that DODIG had not been maintaining reliable information on command actions needed to oversee this process. Specifically, for 40 percent of all substantiated cases that DODIG closed from October 1, 2005, through March 31, 2011, the database that DODIG used during that period did not contain information on the command actions taken. As a result, we recommended in our 2012 report that DOD (1) establish standardized corrective action reporting requirements, and (2) consistently track and regularly reconcile data regarding corrective actions. DOD addressed these recommendations by issuing an update to its military whistleblower directive in April 2015 that required standardized corrective action reporting requirements by the services. DODIG also issued additional guidance in its March 2016 investigations manual requiring that investigators populate data fields for corrective actions and remedies. Finally, DODIG provided us with a report in April 2016 detailing its tracking of corrective actions taken in response to substantiated reprisal cases between October 2011 and January 2016. In 2012, we also found that DODIG had not yet fully established performance metrics for ensuring the timeliness and quality of whistleblower reprisal investigations but was taking steps to establish timeliness metrics that focused on investigation processing time. Federal internal control standards state that metrics are important for identifying and setting appropriate incentives for achieving goals while complying with law, regulations, and ethical standards. Further, we found in our previous work that metrics on both timeliness and quality—such as completeness of investigative reports and the adequacy of internal controls—can enhance the ability of organizations to provide assurance that they are exercising all of the appropriate safeguards for federal programs. During our 2012 review, DODIG officials stated that they recognized the importance of both timeliness and quality metrics and that they planned to develop quality metrics as part of their effort to improve case management and outcomes. They further noted that quality metrics could include measuring whether interviews are completed and documented and whether conclusions made about the case are fully supported by evidence. To assist DOD in improving oversight of the whistleblower reprisal program, we recommended in our 2012 report that DOD develop and implement performance metrics to ensure the quality and effectiveness of the investigative process, such as ensuring that the casefiles contain evidence sufficient to support the conclusions.