An Ounce of Prevention: Celebrating a Unique Anniversary

Most of us are familiar with Benjamin Franklin’s famous proclamation, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” advising us to get in front of problems to prevent adverse impacts.

Forty years ago this month, on Oct. 12, 1978, landmark legislation enabled the federal government to do just that – apply a bit of prevention to avoid needing to spend millions for a cure.

The Inspector General Act of 1978, signed by President Jimmy Carter, created IG offices in 12 federal agencies, including the Department of Defense.

Today, more than 70 federal agencies have Inspectors General offices that investigate fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement.  With the stroke of his pen, President Carter expanded the IG’s authority to ensure it had unimpeded access and the independence to conduct its role of governmental oversight.

Value of the Exchange Inspector General

The Exchange’s IG Office is primarily responsible for four major pillars:  Inspections, Assistance, Teach & Train and Investigations.  These foundations create the “ounce of cure.”

In 2014, Exchange Director/CEO Tom Shull brought Audit and IG together under one leadership team.  This restructuring now mirrors that of DoD’s IG office and centralizes key components of oversight leading to greater synergies for the organization.

In 2017, the Exchange IG created a climate assessment tool to provide a reliable snapshot of the workforce to managers so they can better understand the concerns of associates, areas for improvement and to highlight strengths

This year, the Exchange IG inspected contingency locations for the first time in more than eight years to verify that the Exchange’s most critical mission—serving Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines in the most austere operational environments—is being fulfilled.

As we celebrate the anniversary of the important legislation that empowered the Office of Inspector General, is the work we do today meeting the intentions of the law passed 40 years ago?

In today’s unique global environment, where the “pound of cure” can be pretty pricey, it’s reassuring to know IG work, the “ounce of prevention,” is well intended and well received.

The Exchange Office of Inspector General operates the Fraud, Waste and Abuse Hotline.  Please visit the online link if you have an issue that cannot be resolved through your chain of command:  https://odin.aafes.com/oig/ or email at hotline@aafes.com