AFOSI Commander Attends Dignified Transfer of OSI Fallen Heroes

  • Published
  • By Air Force OSI Public Affairs
QUANTICO, Va. --  On Dec. 23, Brig. Gen. Keith M. Givens, Air Force Office of Special Investigations Commander attended the dignified transfer of four OSI Special Agents and two Air National Guard Security Forces members from the 105th Security Forces Squadron.

In the morning, on Dec. 23, approximately 200 Air Force Office of Special Investigations and Air Force Security Forces Service members assembled to watch the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing team transfer six recently Fallen Heroes from a Ramstein Air Base, Germany, staging area to a waiting C-17 aircraft. 

Ceremony attendees rendered one final salute and observed as the Fallen Heroes were placed onto the aircraft. Once the process was finished, Col. James Hudson, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Region 5 Commander; Brig. Gen. Roy-Alan Agustin, Director of Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe; and, Maj. Gen. Timothy M. Zadalis, Vice Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa all provided comments to those gathered. 

Then, the aircraft departed Germany for the United States. During transit, weather conditions forced it to divert from Dover AFB, Del., to New Castle Air National Guard Base, Del. 

The C-17 landed in Wilmington, Del., that afternoon at New Castle Air National Guard Base. Upon arrival, the aircraft was greeted by the Fallen Heroes families; Secretary of Defense Ash Carter; Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James; Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs; Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; Brig. Gen. Keith M. Givens, OSI Commander; Col. Terry L. Bullard, Region 2 Commander; Col. Eric W. Knapp, Region 2 Vice Commander; Chief Master Sgt. Walker H. Cottingham, OSI Command Chief; and, Chief Master Sgt. Spencer W. Rogers, Region 2 Command Chief. Additionally, more than 100 Special Agents from multiple OSI units were also on hand for this final leg of the Dignified Transfer.  

The Dignified Transfer is a very solemn ceremony that properly honors our Fallen Heroes.

Gen. Givens commented on the pride of the OSI family. More than 100 Special Agents stood in the pouring, damp rain for more than an hour as the ceremony proceeded, but all wouldn't have missed it for the world. 

Both the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force addressed the OSI group prior to the ceremony expressing their pride in the dedication and mission of OSI agents around the globe keeping our Air Force safe. 

Finally, in honor of the Fallen Heroes, the installation flags at OSI Headquarters, Quantico, Va., and at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., were flown at half-staff. 

At Maxwell, a formation from the 42nd Security Forces Squadron stood in the pouring rain while Mr. Laron Washington, 42nd Air Base Wing Sexual Assault Response Coordination office (and a former member of  the U. S. Air Force's musical group Tops in Blue), sang the National Anthem as the Defenders raised the flag. Additionally, SA Charles P. Pipkins, OSI Detachment 405, recited the OSI prayer. 

The Defense Department officially released the names of the six Airmen killed in the attack on Dec. 22. The six Airmen, who were supporting Operation Freedom's Sentinel, died Dec. 21 of wounds sustained when their patrol was attacked by a suicide bomber on a motorcycle near Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. The four OSI Special Agents who died were deployed to the Expeditionary Detachment 2405, Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. 

The six deceased Airmen included: 

OSI Special Agent (Major) Adrianna M. Vorderbruggen, 36, of Plymouth, Minn. She was assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, 9th Field Investigations Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.  

OSI Special Agent (Staff Sgt.) Michael A. Cinco, 28, of Mercedes, Texas. He was assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, 11th Field Investigations Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas.

OSI Special Agent (Staff Sgt.) Peter W. Taub, 30, of Philadelphia. He was assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Detachment 816, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.  

OSI Special Agent (Staff Sgt.) Chester J. McBride, 30, of Statesboro, Ga. He was assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Detachment 405, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.  

The two Security Forces members killed in the attack were:

Technical Sgt. Joseph G. Lemm, 45, of the Bronx, New York. He was assigned to the 105th Security Forces Squadron, Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y.

Staff Sgt. Louis M. Bonacasa, 31, of Coram, N.Y. He was assigned to the 105th Security Forces Squadron, Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y.

For more information on OSI Special Agents assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, media may contact the AFOSI Public Affairs Office at 240-460-1633. For more information on Airmen assigned to the New York Air National Guard, media may contact the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs Public Affairs Office at 518-786-4581.