PARIS/BERLIN/WARSAW -- As the United States sharpens its focus on targeted security cooperation, Brig. Gen. Amy Bumgarner, commander of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), met with European partners in France, Germany and Poland to strengthen counterintelligence and cyber coordination.
According to officials, the engagements focused on sustained counterintelligence cooperation, information sharing and coordination with European partners, including continued collaboration in the cyber domain.
“Everywhere we went, the focus was on practical cooperation,” Bumgarner said. “By maintaining consistent engagement with our counterparts, we improve coordination and strengthen our ability to operate effectively in an increasingly complex security environment.”
The engagements took place weeks before the Dec. 4 release of the 2025 National Security Strategy, which outlines a more focused approach to security cooperation and regional priorities.
Bumgarner began her trip Sept. 18 in Paris, where she received a mission brief from the Commander of the French Air and Space Gendarmarie, Brig. Gen. Jérôme Bisognin, and later, the delegation observed demonstrations of Gendarmerie’s capabilities and tactics.
Bumgarner also met Georges Salinas, the newly appointed Director for International Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation from the French Ministry of the Interior. This was Director Salinas’s first international engagement in his new position.
“These engagements highlighted how sustained professional relationships support effective coordination and adaptability as mission requirements evolve,” Bumgarner said.
Special Agent Aaron Yardley, then serving as the AFOSI Special Agent-in-Charge in Paris, said the visit highlighted the strong appreciation and mutual respect between AFOSI and its French counterparts.
Following her engagements in France, Bumgarner left for Germany, where discussions centered on counterintelligence coordination and maintaining effective working relationships with German defense and security partners.
“This visit provided an opportunity to engage directly on operational priorities and reinforce routine coordination with our German counterparts,” said Special Agent Joshua Menge, AFOSI Special Agent-in-Charge in Berlin.
While there, Bumgarner met with the U.S. Embassy’s Senior Defense Official, Defense Attaché, and Air Attaché, as well as leadership from the German Federal Office for Military Counterintelligence (BAMAD).
“Our engagements with BAMAD emphasize transparency, information sharing, and consistent coordination,” Menge said. “These efforts help ensure both organizations remain effective and responsive to evolving security requirements.”
The final stop of the European trip was Poland, where AFOSI Det. 544 hosted the commander for a series of engagements with national security partners.
On Sept. 25, Det. 544 hosted the commander at the embassy for meetings to include an office call with the Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, Stephanie Holmes, before attending an awards ceremony for partners in Poland’s Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW).
“The focus was on strengthening practical cooperation with Polish partners and ensuring continued coordination as the security environment continues to evolve,” said Special Agent Kevin Alexander, the AFOSI Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw.
The following morning, Sept. 26, the delegation met with senior leaders from the Internal Security Agency (ABW) for an office call. Later that day, AFOSI leaders joined counterparts for meetings with Polish Cyber Command, followed by a ceremony honoring members of the Cyberspace Defense Forces for their contributions to strengthening joint operations, officials said.
“Our agencies are working together in ways that directly improve day-to-day operations,” Bumgarner said. “As the security environment becomes more complex, effective coordination and information sharing become increasingly important.”