1. Presented By: Mrs. Edwards and LtCol McCann
Hotline
1 August 2018
Presented By: Mrs. Edwards and LtCol McCann
POC: K. L. McCann (703) 1

2. Enabling Learning Objectives
With the aid of references, students will explain what a DoD Hotline is, its purpose, and how the DoD, USMC, and Local Command Hotlines are related
With the aid of references, students will explain how to open, intake, and process a complaint to their Local Hotline
With the aid of references, students will explain how to properly handle Anonymous and 3d Party Complaints

3. What is a DoD Hotline?
11/21/2018
A confidential, reliable means for individuals to report FWA/M, violations of law, rule or regulation, and classified information leaks involving the DoD
Local Commands are DoD Hotlines and fall under DoDI dtd 17 Oct 2017
The Hotline is not exclusively IG
An alternative to the chain of command

4. When the Call Comes
11/21/2018
Open a case in CMS (even if it is not yours to answer)
Exception: if the complaint concerns a Senior Official or
IG personnel, call IGMC
Acknowledge the Complainant (unless they are anonymous or the
complaint concerns a Senior Official or IG personnel)
Read the entire Complaint. Determine who “owns” the problem
(may take some work). If your CG does not own the problem:
See if you can determine where the complaint should go
Contact the Command to give them a heads-up
Contact IGMC to transfer the case
Do NOT it directly to another CIG
Make a note in CMS
Determine the appropriate Course of Action

5. Anonymous Complaint
11/21/2018
IGs will receive, intake, and process Anonymous Complaints
Enter the case in CMS
Don’t try to determine the Complainant’s identity
Sometimes Anonymous will leave contact info
You can ask for more info about the case
Acknowledge receipt of the complaint; indicate that, since the Complainant is anonymous, and you have no way of knowing their relationship to the complaint, that this is the last correspondence they will receive regarding this case– unless they make a non-anonymous complaint
If there is insufficient information to work the case, and you
can’t obtain any more information, close the case
Annotate in CMS/provide a synopsis of the complaint and
actions taken in CMS
Anonymous Complainants will not get a closure letter

6. 3rd Party Complaint
11/21/2018
A 3rd Party Complaint is a complaint made on the behalf of someone else
Sometimes, the person the complaint is made “for” neither knows about the complaint nor desires the complaint be made
Provide a basic acknowledgement letter to the 3d Party
Do not provide any specific information
Inform the 3rd Party that, due to the Privacy Act, the release of personal information to 3rd parties is prohibited w/out consent (a subpoena would negate this requirement)
Contact the person on the behalf of whom the complaint was made
Inform them a 3rd party Complaint was made
Do not disclose the identify of the Complainant
Ask them if they wish to make a complaint; if they do,
assist them in doing so

7. Questions?

8. Review Why do we have a Hotline?
What is the relationship between the DoD Hotline, the Marine Corps Hotline, and your Local Hotline?
3. When do you open a case in CMS?
4. What steps do you take when a complaint is received?
How do you process: Anonymous Complaints? 3d Party Complaints?