The Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended (IG Act), established the Lead Inspector General (Lead IG) framework for oversight of overseas contingency operations (OCOs). Section 419 of the IG Act requires the Chair of the Council of the Inspectors General
on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) to appoint 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 has exceeded 60 days as an overseas contingency operation, or receipt of a notification thereof.
In August 2023, the Secretary of Defense designated Operation Atlantic Resolve (OAR) as an OCO, following the activation of reserve forces. Thereafter, the CIGIE Chair appointed the DoW IG as the Lead IG for OAR. Pursuant to Section 419, the Lead IG appointed the State IG as the Associate IG for OAR. In December 2023, Section 1250B of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2024 redesignated the Lead IG as the Special IG for OAR, adding specific oversight and reporting responsibilities regarding U.S. assistance to Ukraine.
Section 419 of the IG Act requires that the IGs from the Lead IG agencies work jointly and with the oversight partners throughout the government to ensure effective oversight of U.S. Government activities related to designated OCOs. Specifically, the law requires the development of joint strategic plans for oversight of each OCO for which a Lead IG has been designated.
This FY 2027 Joint Strategic Oversight Plan (JSOP) describes the Special IG and partner agencies’ oversight planning activities for OAR. The Special IG and partners are responsible for overseeing all aspects of a contingency operation, including all U.S. Government programs and operations supporting the operation, regardless of the funding source. This plan includes a discussion of broad strategic oversight areas (SOA) and specific activities related to the operation within each SOA. It includes the planned and ongoing oversight projects for FY 2027 and a comprehensive listing of reports completed in FY 2026 for OAR. In addition, the Special IG and Lead IG agencies report on congressional budget requests and individual funding allocations for OAR.