Here’s a good starting point: first, did the patrol procedures employed by the USAF differ in any way from those used by the Army, Marine Corps or other services. The day after the suicide bombing, a Marine Corps unit was back on patrol in the same area. Early reports indicate the bomber (on a motorcycle) was able to get “inside” the patrol before he detonated his explosives. Perimeter security?
Secondly, with four AFOSI agents in the patrol, they were clearly out to gather information or possibly arrest someone. Whatever the mission, were there any indications of increased surveillance of patrols in the days before the attack. An operation like this one isn’t happenstance; the Taliban knew the right place and time to target the patrol, with devastating results. What was missed (in the way of intel) that might have prevented the attack?
USAF personnel have been patrolling outside the wire for years, so this type of mission is hardly new. But it would also be helpful to know how long this ground had been in country and how many times they had patrolled the area before.
In the Air Force, OSI mission is not limited to criminal investigations. Their mission includes the counter intelligence roles associated with air base defense. In simple terms, their mission extends beyond the wire to find and fix the threats that might support and execute indirect fires on the air base. The Army does this mission with military intelligence resources.
The OSI agents have suffered 10 killed in action in the past 12 years of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are not just looking for cool dudes selling weed in the chow hall.
The OSI agents were going to a meeting. Their security force was provided by the 820 Base Defense Group. These guys are trained to operate outside the wire and understand the many years of lessons learned from VBIED attacks. These guys understood the thread and recognized the motorcycle threat. This dude was stopped and searched. They did not find the explosive and when the OSI team left the meeting, the suicide bomber went straight to the target and detonated himself. His torso was found 60 meters away from the blast. Remember, none of the security force was authorized to engage per ROE until the bomb was detonation.
This is what life in Obama Land goes on every day in Crazy Land.