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ACADEMY NEWS

F B I N A A . O R G | J U L Y / A U G 2 0 1 9

Cory McGookin

O ne thing I have noticed over the years is that everyone who gets to know the National Academy is truly impressed. That makes my job easier. The other thing I have noticed is that many people don’t know about the NA. I would like to change that. I am putting an emphasis on marketing the program and marketing the benefits of being a graduate. The association makes that graduate benefits much easier for me and I thank you. On the official FBI webpage we have a section titled, “NA Gradu- ates Reflect on Value of Experience.” There are four stories that show operational successes directly attributed to the NA. I know there are so many more and I would like to know about them so I can really show what becomes possible through our programs. I have a writer assigned to seek those stories, find the first hand participants and write them down. I’d like this done for a couple reasons but two of the most important are marketing and reliability. Marketing the program will be so easy when I have lists of success stories. I know there are dozens upon dozens of arrests, prosecutions, crimes prevented, people saved, lives changed because of a phone call made from one yellow brick to another yellow brick. I really look forward to hearing about them. The reliability matters because I get requests from executives quite often for a story to highlight in remarks as the executive is going to another part of the country or another part of the world. It’s hard and irresponsible to pass on a third hand story that I heard from a guy who heard from a guy who heard from a guy. I look forward to the day when the director’s office asks me for a success story to include in his remarks as he travels to another country and I send him six verified stories from which he can choose. other historical tidbits. I would love to hear from any members with suggestions beyond these: a. “Where are they now?” to cover beloved persons such as Tom Columbell, Rhonda Stites, Liz Seal, Moochie Turner, Bernadette in the Boardroom. b. Members with unusual careers or experiences beyond law enforcement. c. Tragic losses of members in the line of duty which did not qualify for the Hall of Honor but whose stories need to be told. 2. We will celebrate 100 years in fifteen short years (2035). Past Historian Pat Davis and the Academy staff in Quantico have a great start with the History Wall that was installed this year. What else should go on that wall for the future? Should some of these memories also be kept in a searchable data base (for example, what happened to each of the legacy gifts left by each session?). 3. Each chapter has a unique history. Has your chapter captured its own history somewhere? Do you have an “official” historian or do you rely on the memories of the older members who are still involved in the association? What happens to that history when that member leaves or passes away? Is that past history important to record continued from "The Historian's Spotlight" page 19

Those are my goals and I ask for your help. The stories are out there. You have them, you know about them, or you have heard about them. Send us a lead and we will track it down the best we can and then share with all of you the great things that happened. Once again, I’m sending you to our general email box for this request. NationalAcademy@fbi.gov is accessible to many in the NA unit and is where we will have our writer start to get the leads for this special project. I can’t wait to hear from you all.

Stay Safe,

Cory McGookin Unit Chief FBI National Academy

“somewhere” for future reference? I would welcome any chapter historian to contact me with details about how, where and why they are recording. 4. How many “double digit” members does your chapter still have? Have they been contacted to record their stories? I find it amazing that some of these members graduated over 50 years ago... and still faithfully pay their dues. Their stories are worth collecting and honoring at your chapter events. One day that could be you wondering if these “young whip- persnappers” are interested in anything you have to pass on. Do them the honor of celebrating their stories. The final duty I have as the Association Historian is to be the chair of the “Governance” Committee. I am still learning what exactly that will entail. Stay tuned... I have done a lot of things in my life – some I wish I could now change – but I know this decision to apply to be on the National Board will be one of the highlights I will never want to take back. Any suggestions about profiles, articles, local history, please con- tact me at Creed@fbinaa.org or CindyR45@comcast.net. I’m looking forward to a busy 4 years.

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