Jostling down the roads outside this base at 30 miles an hour in a Humvee gives an intriguingly candid snapshot of the host nation.

As the vehicle rolls through, men and women on bicycles nod, children on horses wave, cattle and sheep stare before ambling out of the way toward field after field of farmland.

The security forces members behind the wheels have seen this snapshot dozens of times; what they’re looking for is anything new or suspicious in the picture that might indicate hostility toward the base.

With the drone of a C-130 Hercules overhead, Staff Sgt. Kevin Bovee said, “That right there is the reason we’re out here. If someone was to try to do something to our aircraft, this is where they’d try to do it.”

There has never been anti-aircraft activity in Kyrgyzstan to date, but force protection means never taking anything for granted.

“Until you see it, you don’t realize how low they fly and for how long,” said Sergeant Bovee, as the C-130 dropped into view just above the tree line.

The saber patrol, as these surveillance patrols are called, covers a wide area outside the base, weaving through numerous villages and thousands of acres of open farmland.

Surveillance is only one purpose of the patrol, another is prevention. By explaining their presence, the security forces members on patrols help prevent misunderstandings that can lead to hostility.

This patrol generally stops in a particular village, where children come running to greet the Airmen as soon as the Humvee rolls in.

Diplomacy is important, Sergeant Bovee said. The Airmen are trained to keep impact on the villages to a minimum, driving only on necessary roads and keeping potentially intimidating weapons out of sight.

He made a point to introduce himself to the people in this village when he was deployed to Manas two years ago, explaining his team’s presence through the interpreter who accompanies every patrol.

“I’ve had people come to me and tell me about suspicious people, or plans they’ve heard about,” Sergeant Bovee said.

Base security is in good hands with these dedicated Airmen, said Senior Master Sgt. Daniel Arvin, security forces operations superintendent.

“They know that what they’re doing here is important, and they all want to do their best,” he said.

Hopefully, what they’re looking for on these patrols will never be out there, but they know that could change any day, he said.

As they diligently continue with the daily surveillance mission, patrols accomplish an important secondary function.

Making their rounds through the busy village streets, the patrols are a sign that the Americans at Manas are serious about their mission -- turning jets around safely in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the overall war on terror to help bring peace and stability to all nations.

If all goes well, one day soon the Humvee that rolls through will be the last.