The Alaska Chapter held their annual meeting on December 4, 2018 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Anchorage. The meeting was well-attended and we were honored to have our National Executive Director, Howard Cook in attendance. Howard gave an excellent report on what is happening at the National level with the NAA. Our Youth Leadership Program participant, Rivers Rogers provided her report, along with photos of her experience from Quantico in June. It was moving when Howard presented Rivers with National’s commemorative coin. Rivers’ parents were in attendance and it was a very proud moment. Thank you to Rivers for representing Alaska’s youth so well, and thank you Howard for recognizing her. When Director Christopher Wray was in Anchorage in August he told us that he agreed that the NA is the crown jewel of the FBI. We believe the Youth Leadership Program is the Alaska Chapter’s (with our comparatively small contribution to National’s).
Rivers appreciating her Uncle – Kenai Police Dept. Lt. Ben Langham (Session #268) for his recommendation and support. Sean McGee (Session #202) in the background serves on the YLP Selection Committee and takes over as Chair in 2019.
Executive Director Howard Cook (Session #224) with YLP participant Rivers Rogers
As of January 1, 2018, I will become the Past President and Alaska State Trooper Captain Barry Wilson (Session # 244) is stepping in as President. Northern Region Vice President Sean McGee (Session #202) won his second two-year term and Anchorage Police Department Deputy Chief Ken McCoy (Session #265) was unanimously voted in by the board to serve Barry’s last year as Vice President of the Southcentral Region. We were pleased that Special Agent in Charge Jeff Peterson, recently assigned to Alaska, attended the meeting and gave updates on the FBI activities. He honored us by swearing in the new board.
SAC Jeff Peterson shakes hands with Vice President of the Northern Region, Sean McGee. Past President Shirley Coté looks on after Mr. Peterson swore them in, along with new President Barry Wilson (on the phone).
Our annual Executive Development Conference was also held at the Hilton Garden Inn - December 5th through December 7th. Incoming President Barry Wilson had to be at a different conference, however, he helped a great deal beforehand and solicited the help from his wife, Elizabeth and granddaughter, Sahara to put the attendee amenities together. Shirley’s daughter, Morgan Warner has helped her Mom with conferences since she was little. This year we chose 4-pistol gun cases for something different from the traditional notebooks and attaché cases. Thanks to 5.11 for some of the contents that are always a hit – socks and knives.
President-elect Barry Wilson, Morgan, Sahara and Elizabeth.
We were able to provide to our 90 registrants and members some excellent presenters. Our very own board members, Alaska State Trooper Captain Andrew Merrill (Secretary/Treasurer, Session #257) and Alaska State Trooper Lieutenant Chad Goeden (Vice President Southeast Region, Session #266) presented along with their Lieutenant Moose Sims and Sergeant Eric Spitzer on updates to the Use of Force. One of our newer graduates, Anchorage Police Department Captain Sean Case (Session #272) spoke on the “Net Generation.” John Campanella (Session #239) presented on “Mitigating Police Fatigue,” and Dr. Mitch Javidi, Chancellor of the National Command & Staff College spoke for a day and a half on “MAGNUS Leadership.” As gifts of appreciation, the speakers received an engraved Yeti mug with the NA seal.
National President Johnnie Adams had a delay with his flight, however, he made it to Anchorage in time for our annual Christmas party and the last day of Dr. Javidi’s class. President Adams was recognized by Dr. Javidi for being a MAGNUS leader for the efforts he made in coming to Alaska and supporting the Alaska Chapter. Sitting next to Johnnie, he said that he felt his face was red, but Dr. Javidi was spot on. Johnnie is our humble leader.
We had excellent financial partners with the Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police, the Alaska Police Standards Council, 5.11 Tactical, and the Hilton Garden Inn.
After a lunch break on Friday, I was recognized by the members of the board of directors for my service as President for the past two years.
Vice President of the Northern Region presenting a plaque to Shirley Coté for her term as President
The Chapter held their annual Christmas party on December 6th. We usually do a white elephant type of gift exchange, but opted for something different by rolling great big dice to see if we keep the gift or pass it on. Many thanks to Leonard (Skip) Coile (Session #163) and his wife, Patty for handling the party games. Skip was given a Yeti mug in recognition of being our emcee for so many years. We usually have a theme for our party and this year it was “Space: The Final Frontier in the Last Frontier.” Costumes were not required, but comfort was strongly recommended.
Howard chose comfort. Johnnie bought his lighted Star Wars Christmas sweater for the party. Shirley is an alien.
Thanks again to Howard and Johnnie for traveling to Alaska and spending so much quality time with the members of our Chapter. We were truly honored as this was a first for us, and although we are a small chapter they made us feel very important. Thank you, as well to all the staff at the National Academy who always give us immediate, friendly, and competent assistance whenever we have the need.
I have enjoyed my time as a member of the chapter and serving intermittently over a long span of time as the Secretary/Treasurer, Vice President of the Southcentral Region, Training Committee Chair and other committees appointed by then President Terry Vrabec (Session #186) who very appreciatively served as President for 16 years. It was a lot of work, but our board of directors and our members made every minute worth the effort.
On a different note, I would like to recognize and thank the FBI NAA Charitable Foundation for helping me to recover from the destruction to my home from the November 30th earthquake. When Johnnie called to see how we were doing in the aftermath I told him what had happened to my house. I had seen Doug Muldoon’s email to the members offering support from the Foundation for any members suffering from the effects of the earthquake, but I didn’t think that it might mean me. When Johnnie said, “Don’t forget the Foundation,” I decided to contact Doug. Within a couple of days I received confirmation from Doug that the Foundation would help. I will never forget the emotional and financial assistance I received, and during the time when I was trying to put on a conference. There are no words to convey the level of my gratitude.