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  • OSI at 75: OSI Reservist Leads Investigation in the Mid-1980s

    On July 1, 1986, the wife of an Air Force sergeant assigned to Edwards Air Force Base, California, dropped off her vehicle at an auto repair shop located in Oakland. In addition to the needed repairs, she also pointed out what she described as a loose “speaker wire” hanging below the vehicle’s

  • Longest serving OSI Special Agent retires after 43-years

    Last month, after dedicating over 43 unparalleled years to the Office of Special Investigations, Special Agent John T. Purcell, OSI's longest-tenured agent, bid farewell to the agency, closing the book on 47-years of total service.

  • OSI at 75: An Espionage Investigation During the Cold War in 1971

    On July 2, 1971, Master Sgt. Richard G. DeChamplain was observed by OSI Special Agents removing at least one Top Secret document and several other classified and unclassified documents from his duty station in Bangkok, Thailand. Special Agents later followed DeChamplain as he traveled by taxi from

  • OSI at 75: Investigation in the Space Age

    Three days after John Glenn orbited the Earth in Friendship 7, it was noticed someone had drawn a couple of Air Force themed inscriptions on the capsule, which met with demand for an investigation. The Office of Special Investigations was tasked with making an inquiry into the matter.

  • OSI Det. 802 sets standard for fraud investigation across command

    Upholding integrity and character are core values for all members of the air and space forces, but one organization at Space Launch Delta 45 (SLD 45) has a distinct mission dedicated to the task, the fraud department of the Office of Special Investigations Detachment 802.

  • OSI at 75: A Contemporary Analysis of the Area Source Program in Vietnam

    Air base defense was one of OSI's highest priorities during the Vietnam War. The analysis regarding air base defense and the establishment and evolution of the area source program to collect information in support of this mission was produced by OSI District 50 Headquarters in 1969.

  • OSI at 75: End of Tour Report from the Vietnam War

    Binh Thuy Air Base was used by the Air Force primarily between 1962 and 1972, becoming a major operating location for AC-47 ‘Spooky’ gunships. There were typically between two to six special agents and one administrative person assigned to OSI Det. 5010 at any given time.

  • 53 years later: SA reflects on Vietnam War

    On March 29, the U.S. honors the bravery and sacrifice of its Vietnam War veterans with National Vietnam War Veterans Day. For Bill Arnold, a retired OSI Special Agent, it's a day to reflect on his service and his unique experience as a counterintelligence officer at Pleiku Air Base, Vietnam.

  • OSI At 75: The Business of Security During the Cold War

    On September 25, 1954, Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Carroll, gave a speech at the Pentagon during an orientation event for incoming staff members of Air Force Headquarters. The topic was the importance of recognizing individual responsibility for information security during the Cold War.