For many people, the three letters “O-S-I” conjure up images of intrigue, adventures, glamour and risk.

However, for agents assigned to the Office of Special Investigations, the federal-level investigative service represents long days, serious work and countless hours of writing.

“In a deployed environment, our typical day lasts anywhere from 12 to 16 hours,” said Special Agent Joe Smith, explaining that nighttime meetings account for part of the long hours.

“While there is no ‘typical day’ in OSI work, some of the work we do includes investigative interviews, liaison meetings with (host-nation) officials and U.S. counterparts and briefings,” he said.

The paths of OSI Airmen differ from agent to agent. Agent Smith, for example, was recruited directly out of college from Indiana University. Other agents have prior military experience. The OSI composition includes officer, enlisted, Reserve and civilian agents as well as support personnel.

All special agents attend a four-month school in Glynco, Ga., followed by a year of probation. Enlisted Airmen are eligible to cross-train into OSI after earning the rank of senior airman. Special agents still don’t disclose their rank because doing so could undermine the authority of junior ranking agents who are conducting investigations on senior ranking personnel.

Most agents possess special skills. The OSI Detachment 241 commander, for example, reads, writes and speaks Arabic and is a Middle East area specialist. Another agent on base is joint terrorism task force trained and serves as a security advisor for high technology special access programs. A third describes herself as an “OSI analyst and computer geek.”

While the total number of people assigned to Det. 241 isn’t releasable, the agents all bring special skills used to support operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. The detachment has been a permanent tenant on base since 2004, and the agents feel like a part of the community.

“What surprises me most here is the level of acceptance toward OSI as an integral part of the installation,” said one agent who has seven years with the OSI in four different locations. “We’re established as part of the base family and are treated as such.”

Before working here, some of the agents completed specialized training in post-blast bomb scene evaluation, forensics work, government fraud, fugitive apprehensions, force protection operations and crime-reduction activities. Despite their sophisticated work, the agents blend in on base. They live in the same quarters, shower in the same buildings and eat at the same dining facilities. However, they don’t wear military uniforms.

“Our job isn’t glamorous,” Special Agent Jane Glock said. “We deal with horrific crime scenes, which at anytime could involve a friend from the installation. But, we always speak for the victims -- whether it’s an individual, government or a society.”

Agent Glock said mass media frequently portray federal agents as “nonemotional” people.

“But in reality, we push our emotions aside to find the details of an investigation, and learn to deal with emotions at a different time,” she explained.

Their role is integral to the success of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing mission.

“The OSI provides a vital service to the wing,” said the detachment commander. “We perform operations for force protection, liaison with host-nation counterparts, provide protective service details and conduct investigations for felony crimes like sexual assault.”

Besides serving the wing, agents collaborate with their United Kingdom and Australian counterparts. They also serve on a threat-working group, helping to identify base vulnerabilities. The agents offer U.S. Embassy support and provide valuable information to the United States and Department of Defense.

The many aspects of the mission keep the agents busy.

“For every hour we spend on an operational mission, we spend at least an hour documenting that activity,” said Agent Glock.

Agent Smith finds the work rewarding and, like Agent Glock, thinks it’s “writing heavy.”

“It’s exciting to uncover a hidden crime or hidden intelligence,” he said. “Agents really do the things you see on TV and in the movies. But, the exciting moments are interspersed with countless hours of paperwork and planning.”

The agents believe their work pays off and they are making a difference on base.

“On a daily basis we are conducting critical operations for the protection of U.S. and Allied personnel stationed here,” Agent Smith said. “In addition, our criminal investigations play a vital role in the criminal justice process.”

The detachment commander agrees.

“Although a lot of our work is transparent to the base populace, our mission is crucial to the protection of our personnel, essential to our strategic mission here and key to good order and discipline,” she said.

(Editor’s Note: All agent names have been changed to comply with operational security.)