Ms. Catherine A. McMullen Disclosure Unit U.S. Office of Special Counsel 1730 M. Street NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20036-4505

INSPECTOR GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 4800 MARK CENTER DRIVE

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA 22350-1500

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Reference: OSC Referral-File No. DI-16-0261 (DoD IG Hotline 20160111-035181-Case 01)

Dear Ms. McMullen:

This is in response to an Office of Special Counsel (OSC) referral dated December 18, 2015, requesting the Department investigate allegations that employees at the Department of the Army Directorate of Training Sustainment (DOTS) Supply and Service Division, Ammunition Branch, Fort Benning, Georgia, engaged in conduct which constituted a violation of a law, rule or regulation; gross mismanagement; and a substantial and specific danger to public safety.

By letter dated February 8, 2016, my Deputy Inspector General for Administrative Investigations advised you that we anticipated providing the results of the investigation by April 28, 2016. We recently received the Army IG Hotline Completion Report on the results of the investigation.

As required by 5 U.S.C. 1213(d), the enclosure provides: 1) a summary of the information with respect to which the investigation was initiated, 2) a description of the conduct of the investigation, 3) a summary of any evidence obtained from the investigation, 4) a listing of any violations or apparent violations of law, rule, or regulation, and 5) a description of any action taken or planned as a result of the investigation.

The DoD Hotline will continue to monitor implementation of the recommendations. Should you have questions, please contact Hotline Director, Patrick Gookin, at Patrick. rwokin@dodiQ.mil or (703) 602-0036; or Mrs. Marguerite C. Garrison, Deputy Inspector General for Administrative Investigations, at rnarnuerite.!rnrrison@dodi£:.mil or (703) 604-8500.

Sincerely,

Glenn A. Fine Acting Inspector General

Enclosure: As stated

Summary of Investigation OSC File No. DI-16-0261

Requirements of 5 U.S.C. 1213(d)

1. A summary of the information with respect to which the investigation was initiated.

Enclosure

By letter dated December 18, 2015, OSC referred a whistleblower disdosure that evidenced a substantial likelihood of a violation of a law, rule or regulation, gross mismanagement, and a substantial and specific danger to public safety by employees at the Department of the Army Directorate of Training Sustainment (DOTS) Supply and Service Division, Ammunition Branch, Fort Benning, Georgia:

• DOTS employees routinely loaded and transported live ammunition throughout Fort Benning using inaccurate weight data; placing the vehicles at risk for overloading, breakdown, or malfunction that ultimately could harm employees and the public on base, and

• DOTS employees were not retaining shipping papers concerning the transport of ammunition as required under 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 172.201, "Preparation and retention of shipping papers," ( e ), "Retention and Recordkeepii:ig".

2. A description of the conduct of the investigation.

On January 11, 2016, the DoD Hotline referred the allegations to the Army Inspector General (IG). On January 13, 2016, the Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE) Inspector General (IG) received and accepted the referral. On January 22, 2016, an investigating officer (IO) was appointed to conduct an Army Regulation 15-6 (administrative) investigation. The IO interviewed the complainant on January 28, 2016, and also interviewed the DOTS Ammunition Section Branch Chief, the Ammunition Supply Point (ASP) Quality Assurance Specialist, the Installation Safety Officer, and the Army Hazardous Material Focal Point of Contact (POC). The IO Validated the Fort Benning ASP Manager (ASPM) program and completion of DD Forms 2890, "DoD Multimodal Dangerous Goods Declaration." The IO also completed an analysis and compared the ASPM program to Conventional Amm1mition Packaging and Unit Load Index (CAPULDI).

3. A summary of any evidence obtained.from the investigation.

• The comparison of the ASPM program to Conventional Ammunition Packaging and Unit Load Index (CAPULDI) revealed differences in weights from.less than 8 pounds to more than 190 pounds.

• The IO identified three DD 2890s with incomplete weights. The listed mass for kilograms entered on the forms was correct, but the mass for pounds was blank.

• The ASPM does not generate a DD 2890C (continuation sheet) in the correct format and the columns for Net Mass and Gross Mass were reversed. The error was mentioned in the programmer's notes.

• The Installation Safety Officer was under the mistaken impression that shipments of ammunition within Fort Benning did not require a DD Form 2890 since Fort Benning was a closed installation.

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• DOTS employees had not retained all shipping papers concerning the transportation of ammunition for the last 2 years.

• DOTS employees were utilizing programs that must be updated by hand and were not relying on information from an automated system.

4. A .listing of any violation or apparent violation of law, rule, or regulation.

• Defense Transportation Regulation (DTR), Part II, "Cargo Movement," Chapter 204, "Hazardous Material," para, C.5.a.-b, "Military Vehicle Surface Movement."

• Defense Travel Regulation, Part II, Chapter 204, Paragraph C.5.b., dated December 1, 2015, "Installation (Public Access)."

• 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 172.201, "Preparation and retention of shipping papers," (e), "Retention and Recordkeeping."

5. A description of any action taken or planned as a result of the investigation.

The U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence on Fort Benning will be implementing the following 11 recommendations:

1) The Fort Benning Ammunition Supply Point and DOTS Ammunition Branch will hand-generate DD Forms 2890, "DoD Multimodal Dangerous Goods Declaration and 2890C, Continuation Sheets."

2) Trained personnel who prepare the DD Forms 2890 and 2890C will use only authorized sources for ammunition weight data.

3) Brief the Fort Benning Garrison Commander or representative on corrections to the ASPM before it is used as a database for ammunition weight data.

4) Retain shipping papers in accordance with the DTR and CFR. 5) DOTS officials update their internal standard operating procedures regarding

retention of DD Forms 2890 for 2 years. 6) Include inspections of DOTS Ammunition Branch shipping papers in Staff Assistance

Visits. 7) DOTS implement an internal control to enslire all ammunition loads are personally

inspected by the individual who signs the certificate. 8) DOTS implement an internal control that ensures vehicle loads do not exceed

capacity of the vehicles. 9) Retrain DOTS personnel on how to determine ammunition compatibility and how to

complete the DD Forms 2890/2890C without using ASPM. 10) DOTS implement internal surveillance measures to ensure adherence to safety

procedures. 11) Fort Benning acquire scales to mitigate the risk of vehicles leaving the ASP

overweight.

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