ASSOCIATE Magazine FBINAA Q4-2025

I t is a word that my father used so many times every day, but especially in his last year and a half of life, as he battled cancer until his final breath in 2014, with me and our family at his hos pital bedside. Every time somebody met him for the first time or greeted him with the words, “How are you?“ he would answer, “Grateful.” His response would usually lead to a conversation about how he could be grateful in his terminal condition. My father would respond that he had experienced much in his life, caused much pain, been forgiven much, and knew where he was going when he died. He looked forward to every opportunity to offer hope and faith to anyone who cared to listen. He hadn’t always been a good man, and he had previously served several years in a Louisiana State penitentiary for armed robbery when he was 24 and I was two. Though I may share more of his story another time, I touch on it because I learned so much about gratitude, especially in difficult situations, from the changed and better man he grew to be; and I find myself using his favorite word frequently. As I begin my term as Chaplain for the organization that means so much to all of us, I would like to greet you all by sharing one of the current and very special reasons for which I am grateful. As we can all relate, when we move into a new assignment, position, circumstance, or relationship, there are many unknowns. The transition can often be painful or positive depending on how we are treated and prepared by our prede cessor and those influencing our new role. I’m sure that we all have memories of positive and negative experiences in which we either benefitted or suffered at the hands of one who was sup posed to help us succeed. The reason I am grateful is because my predecessor is Chaplain Mike Hardee. While I am also extremely thankful for our National Board, Executive Director, Jeff McCormick and each of the amazing pro fessionals of our National Office family, for all of their kind assis tance, Mike has exceptionally guided, informed, sacrificed many hours, and shepherded me in order that our association may best be served in the future. He has done all this with selfless Kevin Jensen A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAPLAIN Grateful

ness, humility, and a servant’s heart. In our many conversations, we discovered that we are in total agreement that we have a duty to put service above self, and we are responsible for carrying on the faithful and dedicated service of each of the Chaplains who came before us. Many may not know that during his four years as Chap lain, Mike has partnered with the National office to safeguard, research and prepare the Memorial Roll to recognize, honor and hold in memory our fellow graduates, who recently passed away, at each annual National Conference. He has compassionately prepared and presided over the Hall of Honor services at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, whenever a graduate is killed in the line of duty due to adversarial actions, and he gave the invo cation, when asked, at the FBINAA graduation ceremonies. Mike also created the growing Spiritual Leadership Network of Chap ter Chaplains. He has provided guidance, support, and prayers at many FBINAA events, meetings - and privately to our members, whenever called upon, and he has offered words of wisdom and insight to the National Board as a trusted voice of reason. Until recently, even the National Board was unaware that Mike arranged quite a while ago, and since partnered with a former colleague to send handwritten notes of condolence on

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Caption (L-R): Mike Hardee, Craig Petersen.

Caption (L-R): Kevin Jensen, his spouse, Julie and Mike Hardee.

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