Hanscom Inspector General’s Office undergoes changes

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Lisa Spilinek
  • 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
The Hanscom Inspector General's Office will have a new leader and new home during the new fiscal year. 

Col. Denise Kloeppel became the Electronic Systems Center Inspector General on Aug. 20. Colonel Kloeppel, whose last assignment was as the Air Force Test and Evaluation Center Detachment 3 commander at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., and whose background is in air battle management, said she was eager to embrace the challenges that being an IG would entail, as well as provide all Hanscom personnel with top-notch service. 

Monday marks both the beginning of the 2008 fiscal year and the date the IG Office will realign under the 66th Air Base Wing to comply with Air Force Materiel Command standardization requirements and Program Budget Directive 720. 

Also on Monday, the readiness portion of the IG's mission will realign under the 66 ABW Plans and Programs Office, while the IG Office will continue to focus on complaint resolution; investigations; fraud, waste and abuse cases; congressional inquiries; special interest items; and self inspection programs, as well as gatekeeper and Eagle Look programs. 

The colonel said despite the changes the office undergoes, the IG's mission of being "responsive, impartial" and offering a "reprisal free environment" for the fair hearing complaints and the reporting of fraud, waste and abuse will remain. Additionally, callers shouldn't be surprised if they call the IG's Office and she answers the phone rather than an administrative person. This is due not only to the minimal manning in the office, but also her desire to stay connected to the Hanscom community and personnel assigned to geographically separated units. 

She also said supporting commanders and assessing unit compliance, discipline and efficiency were roles of the IG that would not change under the move. Her objectives for 2008 include having the IG's Office provide "one stop shopping" to commanders and personnel by being "visible, responsive and timely." 

To make this a reality with only two other people in the office, each member of the team will address all IG functions, rather than having expertise in just particular functions, she said. 

"What we're striving to achieve is that any IG action is process driven, not personality driven. Everyone here is going to be multi-talented," she said. 

To better serve the commanders and personnel of Hanscom, the colonel will make robust and up-to-date information on IG processes accessible via the IG Community of Practice Web site. 

Additionally, she is exploring ways to simplify and streamline the Self Inspection Program checklist process via electronic means. "I feel pretty strongly that we have 21st century technology and to do extensive paperwork seems a bit antiquated," she said. 

She said personnel should take the SIP process seriously and make it a part of their "battle rhythm" by using it as a "tool" rather than something that gets updated only before inspections. 

"You should know who your IG is," she said, adding that personnel should use their chain of command, but if an individual needs to report something they can always go to the IG Office -- even if the IG Office isn't the appropriate office for the issue. IG Office personnel will put the individual in touch with the right people. 

"The IG and the functions of the IG are more than just a poster in your office -- it's a real person and it's your resource," she said. Call (781) 377-1608 or visit building 1605 for help with an IG issue.