The Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended (IG Act), established the Lead Inspector General (Lead IG) framework for oversight of overseas contingency operations. Section 419 of the IG Act requires the Chair of the Council of the Inspectors General
on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) to designate a Lead IG from among the IGs of the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of State (State), and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) upon the commencement or designation of a military
operation that exceeds 60 days as an overseas contingency operation, or receipt of a notification thereof.
The U.S. Government currently has four designated overseas contingency operations. The three operations discussed in this Comprehensive Oversight Plan are Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), Operation Enduring Sentinel (OES), and Operation Southern Guard (OSG). The fourth overseas contingency operation is discussed in a separate document, the FY 2026 Joint Strategic Oversight Plan for Operation Atlantic Resolve, which includes U.S. Government activities related to Ukraine.
OVERSIGHT PLAN ORGANIZATION
The U.S. Government currently has seven designated overseas contingency operations
(OCOs). This unclassified FY 2027 Comprehensive Oversight Plan for overseas contingency
operations (COP-OCO) includes the following five Joint Strategic Oversight Plans (JSOP):
• Operation Inherent Resolve (JSOP-OIR)
• Operation Enduring Sentinel (JSOP-OES)
• Operation Southern Guard (JSOP-OSG)
• Operation Southern Spear (JSOP-OSS)
• Operation Epic Fury (JSOP-OEF)
The classified appendix to this plan addresses a sixth OCO, which is classified. A separate publication, the FY 2027 Joint Strategic Oversight Plan for Operation Atlantic Resolve (JSOP-OAR), which includes U.S. Government activities related to Ukraine, addresses the seventh OCO.
Each oversight plan includes a discussion of broad strategic oversight areas and specific activities related to the OCO, planned and ongoing oversight projects for FY 2027, and a comprehensive listing of reports completed in FY 2026 for each OCO.