JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- As part of his tour in the Indo-Pacific, the Air Force's top officer met with leaders from the Office of Special Investigations for an update on how OSI continues to advance its mission in the Department of Defense’s priority theater.
Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. Charles Q. Brown, attended a joint integration briefing by OSI Field Investigations Region 6 leaders Aug. 5 2022, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. It was Brown’s first time back at the joint base since becoming the Air Force's top officer.
Among the topics discussed were how OSI is supporting and enabling joint and combined operations, activities and investments in the air, sea, space, on the ground and in cyberspace, said Col. Benjamin Hatch, OSI Region 6 commander and Special Agent in Charge.
“OSI, by design, works alongside and partners with foreign nation law enforcement, defense, and security representatives to prepare for and respond to matters of mutual interest,” Hatch said.
During the briefing, Hatch informed Brown that OSI’s integration with Pacific allies and partners has contributed to the advancement of law enforcement and security efforts in other regions around the world, including Europe.
For example, OSI’s partnership with the French National Police to counter illegal transnational narcotics trafficking, and OSI’s support to Pacific allies participating in actions to deter further Russian aggression in Ukraine.
“The dedicated and sustained focus of our OSI efforts begins with sharing information with mission partners to enable activities to identify and mitigate transnational crime, force protection concerns and other threats.” Hatch said.
Following the briefing, Brown acknowledged OSI’s strategic and vital role in enabling the Air Force to fly, fight and win with airpower anytime and anywhere, and noted he was encouraged by the innovative thinking and approach OSI had toward finding integrated solutions to current and future challenges.
“With global law enforcement and counterintelligence authorities, OSI is uniquely postured to provide worldwide support to our partners and allies, especially when those threats cross multiple theaters,” Hatch said.