WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Army Inspector General Agency (USAIGA) on March 23 released a major revision to Army Regulation (AR) 20-1, “Inspector General Activities and Procedures,” via the Army Publishing Directorate.
Col. Scott Kirkpatrick, the commandant of The Inspector General School (TIGS) at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, emphasized the importance of the updated regulation. "Speaking as a former Command IG, this updated regulation is critical to the success of the IG enterprise. Specifically for our Command IGs, this publication provides vital updates to how we execute our IG duties in support of the priorities of our Directing Authorities and our Army. "
A companion inspection guide for commanders will also be released via The Inspector General School website.
The new AR 20-1 supersedes the most recent Rapid Action Review of the regulation, dated July 3, 2012. The updated regulation goes into effect April 23.
Stephen Rusiecki, the dean of academics and deputy commandant at TIGS, said, “This revision was a comprehensive, top-to-bottom revision that updated and / or revised more than 80 percent of the regulation.”
Rusiecki also restructured the document to increase clarity for non-IGs. “I also adjusted the flow so that someone reading the regulation from front to back can … better understand how the Army IG system functions and coheres as one of the Army’s many systems,” he said.
Kirkpatrick added, “The clarity provided by these updates mitigates risk to mission and risk to force.”
The latest revision took about five years, said Rusiecki, whereas previous revisions averaged 20 months. This time around, changes in Army policy, structure and directives took more time to incorporate into the final product.
“The two most significant changes are, one, the new Army requirement for IGs to forward allegations to commanders so that the command can resolve them equitably, and, two, the inclusion of a formal policy regarding IG engagement activities with U.S. Allies and partner nations,” Rusiecki said.
Lt. Gen. Leslie C. Smith, the 66th Inspector General, lauded the release of the updated regulation. "As the Army continues to evolve, so must the Inspector General system. As the eyes, ears, voice, and conscience of the Army, we rely on the up-to-date AR 20-1 as the foundation of our success," Smith said.
In addition to AR 20-1, USAIGA also released a new edition of the Organizational Inspection Program (OIP) Guide for Commanders. The OIP Guide is designed to help battalion and higher commanders plan, coordinate and execute a successful inspection program.
Rusiecki’s advice to commanders is direct. “Read the introduction, because it spells out why an OIP is so critically important to a command's readiness.”
AR 20-1 (CAC required): https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN8255_AR20-1_FINAL.pdf
OIP Guide for Commanders (works best in IE): https://tigs-online.ignet.army.mil/Guides_Ref/OIPGuideforCommanders.pdf
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