QUANTICO, Va. (AFNS) -- Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass received an indoctrination to the Office of Special Investigations during a guided tour of its headquarters March 12.
The orientation fortified the impression the 28-year Air Force veteran has maintained to this day.
“When it comes to professional counterintelligence and criminal investigations, OSI is leading the charge,” Bass said. “The dedication and skill our agents bring to the fight is incredible. I very much appreciated the education.”
Bass was immersed with briefings covering OSI’s criminal investigations, fraud, counterintelligence, cyber, special projects and anti-terrorism specialty team missions.
Those mission sets show how OSI advances Air Force priorities endorsed by the Acting Secretary of the Air Force John P. Roth, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. and Bass.
“OSI plays an integral role in restoring our readiness. What this command does for us ensures the Air Force is always ready to go,” Bass emphasized. “The amount and type of work they do allows us to be successful around the world.”
Bass underscored why all Airmen should understand how important OSI is to their Air Force.
“If there’s one theme I want every Airman to know, it’s that Air Force OSI plays a huge role in helping keep all of us safe on many fronts,” she said. “They keep us honest with all their criminal dealings, their role of investigating sexual assaults and in the area of fraud, they save money.”
As the 19th chief master sergeant of the Air Force, and the first woman in history to serve as the highest ranking noncommissioned officer of a U.S. military service branch, Bass noted the legacy of the OSI Hall of Heroes which honors 16 fallen heroes.
“Touring the OSI Hall of Heroes was a memorable and moving experience,” she said.
In addition to OSI leadership briefing the work of its more than 290 units protecting the Department of the Air Force from threats, her visit also included a tour of the OSI Enlisted Heritage Hall, and an hour-long call that was shared with the command’s more than 3,500 team members worldwide.
During the virtual all-call, Bass shared her vision for the Air Force and fielded a variety of questions from her global audience.
Prior to her departure, Bass said, “I thank the men and women of OSI for what they do every day, to take care of who and what means so much to our Air Force and the nation. I appreciate it and look forward to working with the agency on a regular basis.”