It is DoD policy that:

(a) Civilian personnel actions taken by DoD management officials, civilian and military, shall conform to laws and regulations implementing established merit system principles and must be free of any prohibited personnel practices, as described in 5 U.S.C. 2302 and § 145.3 of this part.

(b) It is the responsibility of each DoD management official to take vigorous corrective action and, when appropriate, to initiate disciplinary measures when prohibited personnel practices occur.

(c) DoD Components shall cooperate with the Office of Special Counsel by:

(1) Promoting merit system principles in civilian employment programs within the Department of Defense.

(2) Investigating and reporting on allegations of improper or illegal conduct forwarded to the Component by the OSC pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 1206(b) (2) or (3).

(3) Facilitating orderly investigation by the OSC of alleged prohibited personnel practices and other matters assigned for investigation to the OSC by law, such as the Freedom of Information Act and the Hatch Act.

(d) DoD Components shall cooperate with the OSC by providing appropriate assistance and information to its representatives during their investigations and by furnishing to the OSC investigators copies of releasable documents requested under the authority of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, 5 CFR 1250, the Privacy Act, and Civil Service Rule V.

(e) Close coordination between DoD and OSC personnel during an OSC investigation is encouraged to eliminate duplication of effort, and to avoid unnecessary delay in initiating, when appropriate, corrective or disciplinary action. This coordination shall be conducted in full recognition of the independent statutory basis for the OSC, as provided in Pub. L. 95-454 and of the responsibilities of the Department of Defense.

(f) OSC investigative requests involving classified information shall be accorded special attention and prompt consideration under existing administrative procedures.

(g) When OSC and a DoD Component or an employee assigned DoD counsel are engaged in litigation, release of information shall be accomplished pursuant to MSPB rules of discovery (5 CFR 1201, subpart B.).