QUANTIC, Va. -- The United States Air Force Special Investigation Academy prides itself on the quality of its training.
Now, it proudly sports a first of its kind accreditation.
On Nov. 1-3, 2016, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation Board convened at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center on the Glynco, Ga., campus, to review evidence and grant or deny accreditation status to petitioning agencies and their programs.
The Board announced in a Nov. 3 press release it granted initial accreditation status to USAFSIA’s Basic Extension Program, the first-ever completely online program to receive FLETA accreditation utilizing the new FLETA online training accreditation standards. The long awaited BEP accreditation was achieved with an identified Best Practice.
“Being the first at anything takes determination, pride and patience and to receive notoriety for a Best Practice was icing on the cake,” said Col. Garry Little, USAFSIA Commander and first time Board member, also a milestone for the academy.
As the accrediting body for all federal law enforcement training and support programs FLETA sets standards and procedures for administration, training staff, training development, training delivery and distance learning.
Only 17 training institutions and 91 programs have received FLETA accreditation, which is a cyclical process occurring every five years. Each year, agencies must submit annual reports to prepare for accreditation, which is a new and independent review of the academy/program.
Little credited the previous USAFSIA commanders, Colonels Chris Holton and Shan Nuckols for their vision and patience in developing the course, ensuring it met the stringent FLETA and Community College of the Air Force requirements.
The Advanced Training Division and Training Management Division worked diligently to make BEP successful for USAFSIA and its students.
The BEP was developed to meet Air Force mandates outlined in the Special Investigations Career Field Education and Training Plan. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations Education and Training Plan specifies the core tasks and skills, and to what level, all OSI agents must be trained to complete probationary requirements and become fully accredited agents.
The probationary training program is an approximately 15-month training cycle, and is accomplished via two in-residence courses, 12 months of on-the-job training and three distance learning courses. The three online BEP distance learning courses train new OSI agents in advanced tradecraft and informant handling, interviewing and interrogation techniques and criminal investigation skills. Since its inception BEP has undergone one major Curriculum Review Conference. The results reduced the time for each course by 50 percent and eliminated the requirement for the Fraud Course.
“The BEP is also academically accredited through the Community College of the Air Force,” said Tech. Sgt. Tyson Anderson who oversees CCAF instructor qualifications and course accreditation. “Upon successful completion, BEP students will earn four college credits towards their CCAF degree in Criminal Justice.”
“This is a huge win for OSI on many different fronts,” said USAFSIA Deputy Director and Special Agent Greg Lynch. “The BEP has saved OSI more than 11 million dollars spanning the past several years in needed travel funds by completing it online rather than in residence.”
“Not to mention the tuition assistance money it saves the Air Force each year by receiving college credits from CCAF,” said USAFSIA Superintendent Chief Master Sgt. and Special Agent Greg Carmack.
Following the BEP accreditation, other federal agencies quickly reached out to USAFSIA to develop their own course based on this model.
“This is a great day for USAFSIA and OSI,” Little said.