This Fiscal Year 2023 (FY 2023) Comprehensive Oversight Plan for Overseas Contingency Operations (COP–OCO) is the eighth annual joint strategic oversight plan submitted to Congress by the Lead Inspector General for Overseas Contingency Operations (Lead IG). This report describes the Lead IG and partner agencies’ oversight of U.S. activities in support of ongoing overseas contingency operations.
The content and structure of the COP–OCO complies with the oversight requirements directed by Congress in the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Act. This COP–OCO includes the Joint Strategic Oversight Plans for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) and Operation Enduring Sentinel (OES).
OIR is the effort to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in those two countries, initiated in October 2014. OES is the effort to protect U.S. national interests by disrupting violent extremist organizations and their external operations that threaten the U.S. homeland, partners, and allies from Afghanistan, initiated in October 2021.
Since the last COP-OCO was published, the Secretary of Defense concluded Operation Freedom’s Sentinel as of September 30, 2021, and Congress did not appropriate funds for the operation in FY 2022. As a matter of law, this resulted in the sunset of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel for Lead IG purposes as of the end of FY 2022.
The FY 2023 COP-OCO includes four sections:
- Section 1 contains the oversight plan for OIR, as well as the listing of all oversight projects and prior fiscal year published reports for OIR.
- Section 2 contains the oversight plan for OES, as well as the listing of all oversight projects and prior fiscal year published reports for OES.
- Section 3 contains ongoing oversight projects and prior fiscal year published reports for oversight projects related to contingency operations that previously required Lead IG oversight.
- Section 4 contains planned and ongoing oversight projects and prior fiscal year published reports for other oversight projects related to contingency operations.
As of August 31, 2022, federal oversight agencies have completed 103 projects during FY 2022, and reported findings and recommendations to improve internal controls, reduce costs, ensure safety, and improve operational efficiencies. These oversight agencies continue to monitor, audit, and evaluate these overseas contingency operations, as well as other programs and activities within the Middle East and Southwest Asia.
As conditions in the overseas contingency operations change, the oversight agencies may undertake additional oversight projects, and the COP-OCO will change accordingly. The Lead IG agencies will continue to promote this coordinated oversight effort across agency jurisdictional boundaries to assist Congress and agency leaders in making informed program, policy, and funding decisions.
FY 2023 Comprehensive Oversight Plan Overseas Contingency Operations In Brief