investigating official
(4) “investigating official” means an individual who— (A) (i) in the case of an authority in which an Office of Inspector General is established by chapter 4 of title 5 or by any other Federal law, is the Inspector General of that authority or an officer or employee of such Office designated by the Inspector General; (ii) in the case of an authority in which an Office of Inspector General is not established by chapter 4 of title 5 or by any other Federal law, is an officer or employee of the authority designated by the authority head to conduct investigations under section 3803(a)(1) of this title ; or (iii) in the case of a military department, is the Inspector General of the Department of Defense or an officer or employee of the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Defense who is designated by the Inspector General; and (B) who, if a member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty, is serving in grade O–7 or above or, if a civilian employee, is serving in a position for which the rate of basic pay is not less than the minimum rate of basic pay for grade GS–16 under the General Schedule;