Whistle-blowers get little help if punished

11-01-2008 | AP

The inspector general's office has stood by the military 90 percent of the time

Panama Star WASHINGTON. Military whistle-blowers might want to save their breath. The Pentagon inspector general, the internal watchdog for the Defense Department, hardly ever sides with service members who complain that they were punished for reporting wrongdoing, according to a review of cases by The Associated Press.

The inspector general's office rejected claims of retaliation and stood by the military in more than 90 percent of nearly 3,000 cases during the past six years.

More than 73 percent were closed after only a preliminary review that relied on available documents and sources — often from the military itself — to determine whether a full inquiry was warranted.

The high rejection rates suggest scores of complaints aren't valid, that many whistle-blowers are whiners who are prone to exaggeration.

But critics, including a Republican senator, wonder whether many valid cases are dismissed before being carefully examined because of attitudes in the inspector general's office.

Indeed, a confidential government survey obtained by The Associated Press described a demoralized and ambivalent work force in the inspector general's office "at a high level of risk."

Investigators who handle reprisal complaints believe supervisors don't value their work, the survey found. That has a direct bearing on employees' performance and how long they stay with the office.

Whistle-blowing is risky business, particularly for those in uniform. They have fewer rights than their civilian counterparts and work in a culture where questioning leadership is frowned upon. Demotions, poor performance reports and letters of reprimand are commonly used to penalize or silence whistle-blowers. Any one of these can derail even a promising career.