DoD’s Private Discussions on 2022 Afghan Screening and Extremism IG Reports

A recent FOIA release has provided insight into the Department of Defense’s internal communications concerning two significant reports from 2022. The request, filed by The Black Vault, sought all emails to or from the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG) and Garry Reid, Director for Defense Intelligence (Intelligence and Security), from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022. The response included 132 pages of partially released records and 31 pages withheld under FOIA exemptions.

One of the primary focuses of the emails was the draft report titled “Evaluation of the Screening of Displaced Persons From Afghanistan.” This report, identified by Project No. D2021-DEV0PD-0161.000, examined the screening processes for Afghans arriving in the U.S. after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021. Internal emails reveal extensive coordination between various DoD offices to review and comment on the draft.

On January 7, 2022, an email from a DoD OIG auditor reminded recipients to submit their comments on the draft by the end of the day. The draft report titled “DoD Efforts to Address Ideological Extremism in the Armed Forces” was also circulated, requesting factual accuracy reviews and security marking checks.

Subsequent emails, exchanged from January 20 to January 24, 2022, highlight discussions between the DoD OIG and Garry Reid’s office to schedule conference calls addressing feedback on the draft reports. Notably, the emails discussed a policy change requiring Afghan arrivals to complete mandatory medical processing at government facilities before leaving Safe Havens. This policy shift occurred after initial guidance allowed for self-administered vaccines, which led to concerns about individuals “walking off” the bases.

The draft report on ideological extremism within the armed forces, identified by Project No. D2021-DEV0PB-0079.000, was another focal point. This report aimed to evaluate the DoD’s efforts to combat extremism within its ranks and provided recommendations for policy and procedural changes. Recipients were asked to ensure the draft’s factual accuracy and review its security markings.

The 31 pages withheld from the release consisted of a discussion draft of the report “DODIG-2022-095, Evaluation of Department of Defense Efforts to Address Ideological Extremism Within the Armed Forces.” The final report, included in the release, offered a comprehensive evaluation of the DoD’s measures to address extremism and detailed policy recommendations.

These documents shed light on the DoD’s internal review processes and the steps taken to improve both the screening of displaced persons from Afghanistan and efforts to counter ideological extremism within the military.

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Document Archive

DODOIG-2024-000309 Document Release [134 Pages, 7.5MB]

 

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