Fraud, Waste and Abuse Awareness: A Focus on Abuse

The Exchange Office of Inspector General (IG) is committed to raising awareness of Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (FWA) and ensuring associates are informed about the importance of reporting and preventing such practices. While fraud often gets the most attention due to its direct financial implications, it is equally important to focus on abuse, which can cause significant harm to the organization in less overt but equally damaging ways.

What is Abuse?

Abuse is defined as the intentional misuse or one’s position, authority, or resources in violation of established policies or procedures, without the intention of committing prosecutable fraud.   Abuse can undermine the integrity of operations and compromise the effectiveness of the organization.

Examples of Abuse:

Abuse comes in various forms, often involving the misuse of power, resources, or time. Here are some common examples:

1. Misusing One’s Position or Grade for Personal Gain:

• When an employee or manager consciously leverages their rank or position to secure

2. Misusing Exchange Personnel, Equipment, and Supplies:

• Intentionally using organizational resources, such as staff, vehicles, computer, or office supplies, for personal purposes. This could include assigning employees to complete personal tasks or using Exchange-owned equipment for non-business purposes.

3. Misusing One’s Paid Time on the Job:

• Intentionally misusing paid time on the job – such as taking excessive breaks, falsifying work hours, or otherwise wasting time that should be dedicated to official duty-undermines productivity and can affect overall operations

4. Reprisal and Retaliation:

• Threatening or taking personnel actions against an associate as retaliation for filing a complaint or disclosing information under the FWA program is a serious form of abuse. Reprisal actions can create a hostile work environment and discourage others from reporting wrongdoing, further enabling abusive behaviors.

Reporting Abuse: A Duty for All

Military and civilian associates alike are responsible for reporting any instances of FWA to their supervisory chain. Every member of the Exchange has a duty to ensure the integrity of the organization is maintained, and that includes identifying and calling out abusive practices when they occur.

Importantly, the Exchange has non-retaliation policy, meaning you should feel confident in reporting misconduct without fear or reprisal. Addressing abuse early helps preserve the organization’s mission and resources while promoting a fair and equitable workplace.

As part of its ongoing efforts, the Exchange IG Office has continued to make FWA awareness a priority, featuring articles that focus on various aspects of fraud, waste, and abuse. Additionally, a targeted Fraud Awareness Survey will be conducted from 1 October to 18 October, targeting a select group of associates

If you witness or are aware of any abuse, report it through your supervisory chain or the appropriate channels. You can also report abuse to the IG Hotline via the website: https://odin.aafes.com/Oig or by email: hotline@aafes.com. Your actions are critical in maintaining a fair, productive and transparent organization.