“Important reading for every Inspector General.”
DONALD RUMSFELD Secretary of Defense of the United States, 1975-1977 and 2001-2006

“This book is a ‘must read’ for all government leaders and for every lawyer who needs to know by what authority and for what purposes an Inspector General serves ‘We the People’ of these United States.”
JOHN ASHCROFT former U.S. Senator and Attorney General of the United States, 2001-2005

“Schmitz carefully examines the nature of the institution, and demystifies it while at the same time promoting respect for it. The Inspector General Handbook is a work of lasting value.”
MICHAEL B. MUKASEY Attorney General of the United States, 2007-2009, and U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York, 1988- 2006

“Joe Schmitz’ Handbook delivers a previously missing link in the understanding of post-9/11 law enforcement professionals who take an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
LOUIS J. FREEH Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1993-2001

About the Inspector General Handbook

Although nearly all major government agencies have an office of the Inspector General, most Americans do not know what an Inspector General is, why they are part of our government system, and how they do their work. The Inspector General concept is probably more familiar to those who have served in the military, who may remember the “IG” as both a teacher and trainer, and an investigator of wrongdoing. While the Military Inspectors General typically focus on “discipline, efficiency, economy, morale, training, and readiness,” their civilian counterparts are largely focused on preventing waste, fraud, and abuse of power by government agencies and officials.

Now, when our government operations are larger and more complex than ever, the IG may play an even more important role than ever before. For example, the issue of targeting of conservative groups by the IRS was surfaced through an internal investigation by the Treasury Department IG.  On the other hand both the State Department and Department of Defense, are struggling with systemic breakdowns of integrity and accountability, as witnessed by failure to protect our embassy in Benghazi and current widespread allegations of sexual assault in the military.  While the Treasury Department has a Senate-confirmed IG in place,  the Department of State and Defense IG positions have been unfilled for up to five years, as have those of three other major government agencies.

The Inspector General Handbook addresses the origins of the IG system in the US Military, and how it was subsequently applied to other branches with the intention of ensuring integrity and efficiency in government.  In addition to public officials, students of government and members of the legal profession, this timely book should be of interest to any citizen interested in accountability and efficiency in those agencies which serve the public interest.

The Inspector General Handbook is available through Amazon.com.

About the Author

Joseph E. Schmitz served as Inspector General of the Department of Defense from April 2002 until September 2005; before that, while he was a Partner in the international law firm of Patton Boggs LLP, he served as Inspector General of the Naval Reserve Intelligence Command (as a Naval Reserve Captain). He is now CEO of Joseph E. Schmitz, PLLC, a veteran-owned small business law firm he founded in 2008, the core values of which are Integrity, Transparent Accountability, Disciplined Teamwork, and Independence. He graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy, and earned his J.D. degree from Stanford Law School. In 2013, Mr. Schmitz was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame (Virginia Chapter) as an “Outstanding American.” He and his wife Mollie are the parents of eight children, and live in Bethesda, Maryland.

For Interviews & Review Copies

Please contact the Center for Security Policy Press | David Reaboi, Vice President for Strategic Communications, [email protected] or (202) 835-9077