AFOSI helps those traveling abroad

  • Published
  • By Special Agent Peter VanDamme
  • Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Detachment 102
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  As a result of a higher operations tempo, increased deployments and manpower limitations, Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), Detachment 102, has streamlined three training programs to better serve Air Force members here at Hanscom. These programs are foreign travel pre-briefs, foreign travel de-briefs and pre-deployment awareness training.

The organization collaborated with the 66th Air Base Group's Communications and Information Division to develop a web-based interface. Efforts of both offices resulted in an unclassified foreign travel pre-brief slide presentation, which is now posted on the CenterNet, under "Other Training."

"Previously, organizations on Hanscom would monitor, report and produce internal guidance on foreign travel and complete briefings for those personnel traveling abroad," said Special Agent Brad Tucker. "As we communicated with those units, it was apparent the process was not designed to deal with the amount of foreign travel conducted by base personnel. Since AFOSI is chartered to provide these services to protect service members, Air Force technology and Department of Defense assets, we decided to develop a better process."

The foreign travel pre-briefs are designed to for those who have a security clearance, work in research, development and acquisition and those traveling to high threat countries.

"It is our desire that personnel traveling overseas complete this training at least once a year; however, individual units may impose requirements that are more stringent," said Agent Tucker.

Each time a member travels abroad they are required to complete the foreign travel pre-brief questionnaire. This questionnaire is located on the last slide of the training. Because of fluctuating threats based on real-time world events, the questionnaire allows AFOSI to review key data provided by those who complete the survey to determine if an in-person threat brief is required.

"The questionnaires are vital in protecting Air Force personnel and Air Force resources and it is extremely important that these surveys are completed each time you travel abroad," said Agent Tucker. "Exceptions may apply. An example would be if you have multiple overseas travels in a short time frame, then you could include all locations into one pre and post questionnaire."

AFOSI, Detachment 102, in conjunction with key Hanscom Air Force Base representatives, want to support DoD affiliated personnel who forward deploy, according to Agent Tucker. Due to the daily change of threat information for personnel deployed to high-threat countries, the office is unable to provide up-to-the-minute threat information for each contingency location. To bridge the information gap, they have created online training to introduce the member to the general threats and the actions they could undertake to mitigate those threats as they deploy. The training provides multiple references for the deploying Airmen.

"These programs have been developed with you, the Air Force member, in mind," said Agent Tucker. "It is critical to the protection of ESC's mission to ensure you have the latest threat data and AFOSI is aware of various travels so we can assist you in protecting that data, as well as yourself while traveling the world."

Contact information is displayed on the ESC CenterNet, in the training material and in the questionnaires. For questions or concerns, personnel may call DSN 478-4605 or e-mail hanscom.threat.detection@hanscom.af.mil.