ASSOCIATE Magazine FBINAA Q4-2025

From MEMBER to PARTICIPANT: UPHOLDING THE LEGACY OF THE FBI NATIONAL ACADEMY The FBI National Academy (FBINA) is more than a training program —it is a crucible of leadership, integrity, and lifelong connection. Since its founding in 1935 under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover, the Academy has served as a beacon for law enforcement professionals seeking to elevate their craft and forge lasting bonds across agencies, borders, and generations. Graduates of the Academy—less than 1% of law enforcement professionals—join an elite network defined not only by achievement, but by responsibility. Y et within this network, there is a critical distinction that must be made: the difference between being a member and being a participant. MEMBERSHIP VS. PARTICIPATION: A CALL TO ACTION Being a member of the FBI National Academy Associates (FBINAA) is simple. It requires payment of an nual dues and grants access to a range of benefits—resources, events, and a shared identity. But participa tion demands more. It requires commitment, engagement, and a willingness to give back. To be a participant means: • Engaging fellow graduates in both professional and personal circumstances, offering support, insight, and camaraderie. • Growing the organization by encouraging others to become active participants and stewards of its mission. • Subscribing to the values of the FBINAA—integrity, leadership, and service—and living them in daily practice. • Promoting the organization through active involvement in events, conferences, and community outreach. Participation is not passive. It is a choice to uphold the standard represented by the Yellow Brick—a symbol earned through perseverance, discipline, and unity. THE YELLOW BRICK: A SYMBOL OF SHARED RESPONSIBILITY As I reflect on the Yellow Brick I earned nearly 17 years ago during the 236th Session, I am reminded of what it truly represents. It is more than a memento—it is a standard. It ties me to the 250 professionals who trained alongside me, the 235 sessions that came before, and the 60 that have followed. It is a reminder that I am part of something greater: a living legacy of law enforcement excellence. JOHN ROWAN, NA SESSION 236

FBINAA.ORG | Q4 2025

continued on page 14

13