OSI team dedicated to safety, security Published Dec. 5, 2003 By Airman 1st Class Kara Philp 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs TALLIL AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- From improving the quality of life to taking off and landing on the runway here, each and every unit assigned here has an important mission. The Air Force Office of Special Investigation Forward Operating Location 19 is no exception.The special agents here are dedicated to making the base a more safe and secure place for everyone. The only difference is their duties take them off the base.“The job of a special agent is to go (off base) everyday,” said Maj. Steven Lettos, FOL 19 commander. “We go to all the little villages surrounding the base, we see a different side of Iraq.”The special agents here provide counterintelligence support to force protection -- countering or stopping intelligence collection efforts inside and outside the gate.To complete their mission, the agents spend a great deal of time visiting with local families, vendors, sheiks, political figures and police chiefs. People in the local community talk with the agents and, as a direct result of their working relationship, let them know if there is a potential threat to the base. “People know us by our first names, that makes it easier for them," said Special Agent Jake Munoz. "We establish a personal relationship with these folks. We meet their families, have dinner with them and listen to their stories.”Things like eating Iraqi-style meals with locals, securing explosives found in the local area, and even showing children how to use a toothbrush, all play directly into the OSI mission. “The locals realize that most Americans are not familiar with their customs and are very understanding and willing to explain,” Special Agent Keith Lovk said. “We try to help them by removing (unexploded ordinances) from their backyards, and they reciprocate by sharing information about suspicious individuals or events.”Dealing with weapons and explosives has become a common practice for the agents; it is one of the things that make their assignment here different than most other deployments. In most respects, off the base is a dangerous place.“It’s a unique environment here," Munoz said. "There are not many places where there is always a rocket-propelled grenade or bullet waiting with your name on it."OSI agents have worked closely with the 332nd Civil Engineer Squadron’s explosive ordnance disposal flight to identify and dispose of weapons and explosives that litter the local area.“On the way to An Nasiriyah, you may see kids waving mortars at you as you drive by,” Lettos said. “We have to stop and take (the mortars) away.”Like many other jobs, teamwork is key to mission success. EOD specialists, 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron airmen and troops from the Army's 302nd Military Police Battalion are just some of the people OSI agents work with on regular basis to ensure force protection. “We pull everything together, but we couldn’t do that without the support of others,” Lettos said.Despite the demands of the job, the agents agree it is extremely rewarding. Some agents say a child’s smile is a great reward for the long, dedicated duty days. Others say they find satisfaction in knowing they have made Tallil and the surrounding area a bit more safe and secure.“To have been able to take a lot of weapons off the streets that could have been used against us is extremely rewarding,” Munoz said.