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J U L 2 0 1 4 A U G
As the FBI National Academy Historian I have had the opportunity
to meet and write about some really great men and women
who have graduated from the FBI National Academy but only recently
discovered the obvious. As my bride Judy often tells me when I am
looking for something in the refrigerator “It is right there next to the
butter!”
While working on the next reunion of my “Baghdad Buddies”
whom I served with in Iraq for the prosecution of Sadaam Hussein, I
was made aware of my old partner, Marty Briscoe, having graduated
from the 89th Session of the FBI National Academy in June of 1972.
The 89th Session was the last Session to attend class in the Washington,
D.C. area as the 90th Session was the first class to attend the Academy
at Quantico.
Marty and I were inseparable while serving together in Baghdad in
the 2005-2006 time frame. We were part of a small group of personnel
from the Department of Justice various US Attorneys’ Offices through-
out the United States whom had volunteered to assist the Iraqi judiciary
in prosecuting Sadaam Hussein and a number of his associates.
I knew that Marty had attended the FBI National Academy while
he was a young detective from the Russellville, Arkansas Police Depart-
ment (he was only 26 years old) but he seldom spoke of his experience.
I found out eventually that on June 30th, 1975 he had resigned from
the Russelville Police Department and started a 26 year career with
the United States Secret Service. He retired from the Secret Service in
by Terry Lucas
We Often Overlook the Obvious
January 2001 and then began working for the United States Attorney’s
Office in Arkansas as the Law Enforcement Coordinator and then the
Intelligence Specialist.
After realizing the significance of Marty’s attendance at the last
NA class to be held in DC I called and had a series of questions for
Marty about his NA Experience back in 1972.
Marty advised he had been an officer (and newly appointed
detective) with the Russelville Police Department for five years and
eight months when he was selected to go to the National Academy.
At the time of his selection he had been working with FBI Special
Agent Joe Phillips in attempting to get training and more organiza-
tion for himself and the Police Department. The Russelville PD was
typical of many small (and some not so small!) agencies of the time in
they had little formal training or in-service training. The Russelville
Police Chief, Howard Spinks , was a proponent of more training for his
department and also wanted to organize the department in the most
professional way possible. The Chief and young detective Briscoe got
along very well and Marty was selected to go to the NA to further, not
only himself, but also the department!
The trip to Washington, DC in the spring of 1972 was made
non-stop in the pick-up truck of Oklahoma City Police Officer Tony
Hyde. They managed to arrive on time and not get lost along the way!
This is pretty good considering the road network at the time and much
prior to any GPS System! After arrival in DC, Marty, Tony Hyde and
Dick Carbery of the Onondaga County New York Sheriff’s Office were
assigned to share an apartment in Arlington, Va. The NA personnel
were provided with per-diem at the time and had to furnish all of their
own meals although they did often eat lunch in the DOJ cafeteria.
Their classes were held in “the old Post Office Building” or in the DOJ
building itself. The FBI at that time was also in the DOJ building as
the Hoover building was not complete.
The 89th Session was divided into two “Sections” of 50 men each.
There were only two Sessions a year in those days, one in the Spring
and one in the Fall.
There were no NA colored polos in those days but a student had
to wear semi-formal attire. The only clothing requirement was for
khakis on the firing range down at Quantico. PT was basically non-
THE HISTORIAN’S SPOTLIGHT
continued on page 24
(L-R) Terry Lucas, Marty Briscoe.