ASSOCIATE Magazine FBINAA Q4-2023

Thank you! John Simmons THE HISTORIAN'S SPOTLIGHT

FBINAA.ORG | Q4 2023

T hanks for all of the congratulatory notes I’ve received since being appointed historian. It is with great pride I join the Executive Board – and an extreme honor to be tasked with sharing historically relevant topics. One of my goals is to not only share important historical facts about our Association but also recollec tions from past graduates. Also, I look forward to sharing items under the category of “making history.” We have some NA and YLP graduates who are doing just that. All of these stories should prove to be both interesting and inspiring. Many of you know Ed Ross , NA Session 79, and longtime member of the California Chapter. But did you know he became a Honolulu police officer before Hawaii became a state? Ed was sworn in as a Honolulu police officer in 1957, two years before Hawaii became a state in 1959. He attended the NA in 1967, years before the current Academy at Quantico was built. Ed attended classes in the old Department of Justice building in Washing ton, D.C. and had the good fortune to meet FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover twice during that time. Ed remained very active in the FBINAA and served as Hawaii Chapter president in 1976-77, then served as the Chapter secretary-treasurer for 25 years. He retired from the Honolulu PD in 1985, relocated to California and most recently attended the Hawaii Chapter Retrainer in Honolulu. (Thanks to the California Chapter Newsletter for this information!) In keeping with the theme of being inspired, it was brought to my attention we have a currently serving Chapter president who also served as president of another chapter! Dean Smith , NA Session 209, president of the Wisconsin Chapter, also served as president of the Virginia Chapter. I’m not aware of any other members who served as president in more than one chapter. I recently visited with Duke Adkins , NA Session 226 and active member of the Texas Chapter, regarding an international incident that took place in 2006 while he was attending the NA. In a revered and emotional showing of state pride a Texas state flag mysteri ously appeared hanging from the top of the Jefferson Dorm. Soon thereafter it disappeared without a trace. Duke searched high and low for the errant flag, thinking it had been removed by staff or an act of God. This marked the beginning of a drama with both national and international intrigue. Allow me to provide some important background. Session 226, as with all sessions, was passionate about raising money for a good cause. They chose Cops Kids as the benefactor of their fundraising efforts. Their NA226 Silent Auction raised $16,800! Un fortunately, someone in the class wasn’t completely satisfied with this figure and decided to do something to raise the ante. A note was found in one of the elevators in Madison that read as follows: TEXAS, I have your flag... yes the one that so proudly flew on the west side of Jefferson Dorm for all to see. If you want the symbol of your “republic” returned unharmed you will meet all my demands... you need to secure $200.00 in small bills or change... you will be given future directions... you must do exactly as you are told if you want your flag back... You have 48 hours. Signed, “Kidnapper for the Kids” Duke stated this “kidnapping” created quite a stir. He showed me numerous letters of support that began appearing on elevator walls. States, nations, military services and federal law

enforce ment agencies (well, at least their honorable representa tives) all proclaimed their shock and horror at this appalling crime and pledged their undying support to the cause of rescuing the kidnapped symbol of Texas honor. Of particular note, the U.S. Navy stated they were moving two Carrier Strike Groups “to an undis closed location near Virginia Beach” and placed Seal Teams Five and Six on movement orders. The ordeal took on a life of its own! Fortunately, Duke reported the necessary funds were collected and the ransom “paid.” This entire episode proved to be an amaz ing fundraiser – they didn’t raise a mere $200 but a total of $731, bringing their total donation to over $17,500. The flag was officially returned to Duke during the session graduation ceremony. Director Mueller commented how the theft of the Texas flag on FBI prop erty was potentially going to negatively impact his annual budget request. President Bush – another proud Texan - was in office... Lastly, I’m always touched by how small our world is. I’m al ways running across people who ate some of the same dirt, lived in some of the same places or knew some of the same people as I. A recent email from John “Jack” Hammell , NA Session 137, underscores this point. He congratulated me on my new position as historian before identifying our many similarities. We were both “Buffalo Soldiers” assigned to D Troop, 10th US Cavalry in the U.S. Army (he in Vietnam in the 1960s and I at Fort Knox in the 1980s); we were Army Military Police Officers commissioned through Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning; we both were assigned to the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command (he as a staff officer and I as a CID Special Agent); and we both have ties to Leavenworth, Kansas. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed hearing from Jack and learning of our shared background. The creativity, dedication and depth of service of our NA brothers and sisters never ceases to amaze me! I’d like to hear about – and share – more examples of “commotion for a greater good” within the hallowed halls of the National Academy, self less service by our members and sense of oneness within our as sociation. Feel free to share your stories with me at jsimmons@ fbinaa.org .

John Simmons FBINAA Historian

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