FBI Birmingham Citizens Academy Alumni Association President's Message

A Message from the President April 2026

David Patton — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:20:50 GMT

Spring is officially here, and with it comes a renewed sense of energy and momentum across our FBIBCAAA chapter. This time of year always feels like a fresh start, and I’m encouraged by the continued engagement, enthusiasm, and commitment from our members, our FBI Team and partners.

Our recent events have been a strong reminder of what makes this organization special. The Birmingham Field Office luncheon and our ongoing programs in Huntsville brought together a diverse group of community leaders who share a common purpose—supporting the mission of the FBI and strengthening the safety and resilience of our communities. These gatherings are more than just events; they are opportunities to build trust, share insight, and deepen relationships across public and private sectors.

Looking ahead, our Child Protection and Human Trafficking initiatives continue to gain traction, with dedicated teams in Birmingham and Huntsville working to expand awareness and deliver meaningful programming. At the same time, our Fraud Prevention efforts will be reaching more communities through speaking engagements and educational outreach. These initiatives reflect the heart of our Chapter—citizens working alongside law enforcement to make a real and lasting impact.

I also want to recognize and thank our officers, board members, and volunteers. Your leadership, time, and willingness to step forward are what keep this Chapter moving ahead with purpose and strength.

As we move further into the year, I encourage each of you to stay engaged, attend upcoming events, and invite others to learn more about our mission. Growth comes from participation, and your involvement matters. By the time you read this, 33 new Huntsville Academy Members will be embarking on their journey. We are excited for them and hope many join us in this effort to make our world a better place.

Together, we are making a difference—and we’re just getting started.

Best Blessings,

Rish

A Message from the President March 2026

David Patton — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 20:30:00 GMT

President’s Message

If the Groundhog is right, we still have six more weeks of winter — which

means spring will likely arrive just about the time this newsletter reaches

you. As always, the change in seasons brings a full calendar of opportunities

for us to learn, serve, and connect — and none of it would be possible

without you, our dedicated members.

We have several exciting events ahead, including a special luncheon at the

Birmingham Field Office on March 11, a virtual shooting simulator on March

5 at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Academy, continued registration for our

Annual Quantico–D.C. Tour in June, and the launch of our first Huntsville

Academy Spring Class on March 31 at Leidos. It’s a busy season, but it

reflects the strength and engagement of this Chapter.

Our Child Protection/Human Trafficking Team will present a program at our

March Huntsville social event, and planning is underway for our next Fraud

Prevention Conference. These initiatives represent the heart of who we are

— members coming together to make a meaningful difference in our

communities.

Please join me in welcoming our newest officers, Ann Kepner as Secretary

and Stacy Kirkner as Treasurer. They have already stepped forward with

enthusiasm and a servant’s heart, and we are grateful for their willingness to

lead. David Little is also working alongside April Tolbert as Membership Co-

Coordinator in preparation for assuming that role. We extend our deepest

thanks to April for her many years of faithful service — her dedication has

touched this Chapter in countless ways — and we appreciate David’s

willingness to carry that important work forward.

We also have an important opportunity for a member to serve as

Newsletter Editor. This once-a-month role requires modest time but has a

tremendous impact on keeping our Chapter informed and connected. If

you feel called to help in this way, please contact me directly at

President@fbicaaa-bham.org. Your service would be deeply appreciated.

Most importantly, we want to hear from you. Our Chapter exists to serve our

members and our communities, and your ideas, feedback, and involvement

are what make us stronger. If there are ways we can better support you or

expand our impact, please let us know. Every Board Member is committed to

serving with purpose, and we welcome your partnership as we work

together to make a difference. Thank you for your continued support, your

service, and your trust. It is truly an honor to serve alongside each of you.

Rish Wood, President

A Message from the President February 2026

Christopher Huys — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 23:35:36 GMT

This year is off to a busy start. Our Child Protection/Human Trafficking Team is planning to have a Speaker’s Bureau to provide programs and content on Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Awareness. All of us will be responsible for finding community centers, civic clubs, churches and schools to get our speakers places to present these programs. Look for more details on how you can help in the weeks ahead. By the time you read this our Elder Fraud Team will have presented this year’s first Financial Fraud Prevention Workshop at Birmingham’s CrossPlex. They too are looking for more locations to send our team of fraud prevention speakers, FBI Agents and law enforcement personnel to present these programs. You’ll be hearing more from them as well in the coming weeks. Our 2026 Officers were approved at our most recent Board meeting on January 20th. President – Rish Wood VP Birmingham- Alex Brewer VP Huntsville- Terry Turpen Secretary- Ann Kepner Treasurer- Stacy Kirkner Membership Coordinator- David Little Please give these new Officers a hand in helping our Chapter grow, in numbers AND in making a positive difference in our community.

And, a final, but important item of business: our Chapter raised $ 2,527.22 for the WellHouse Christmas Stocking Fund. The employees of the FBI contributed items for the Stocking for the first time. A special thanks to COS Jasmine Fells for making it happen! Thanks to all of you who gave sacrificially and especially Jim Stroud, who handled the “stuffing” of the Stockings. Please note our Save The Date announcement on these pages regarding our March 11th Luncheon at Headquarters. Look for more in-person opportunities coming to give you opportunities to learn more about the mission of the FBI and how you can plug in your network to share important information. Hope to see you there.

Best Blessings,

Rish

A Message from the President January 2026

Christopher Huys — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 23:34:49 GMT

Happy New Year!

Auld Lang Syne 2025-Here Comes 2026!

Please join me in thanking Ginger Ory, James Watts and Chris Huys as they rotate off our Board of Directors. These three have been beacons of service for us all as they have served our Chapter. Well done, good and faithful servants! Ginger will continue to help our organization as Special Compliance Officer (she’ll help keep us in good shape from a compliance perspective).

Welcome our six new Board Members: Rodney Robertson, Pat McCay, Ann Kepner and Claudinette Purifoy-Fears, all from Huntsville as well as Birmingham’s Brent Balogh and Stacy Kirkner. They will be great additions to our leadership team.

This year we are planning several events, programs and trips to get more involvement with our community and every one of you will have an opportunity to help. We will have a June trip to FBI Quantico/Washington, D.C. and a tour of the FBI Redstone Campus in the 4^th quarter. We will establish Speaker’s Bureaus for our Child Protection/Human Trafficking and Elder Fraud Teams, respectively. You will be asked to connect our Teams with organizations, schools, groups, businesses, assisted-living / Senior Centers and churches- wherever people gather and need programs and content for their people. Our speakers can make a life-and-death difference to the lives of all in our communities.

We will continue to support the Mission of the FBI and others in law enforcement as we go about our work.

We have a comparatively small Newsletter this month since we did not have a regular Board meeting in December. All the administrative items from November and December will be included in February’s Newsletter.

Our first big event is our Fraud Prevention Workshop on January 31^st, 10:30AM-2:00PM. We will need volunteers to help with registration. We are expecting several hundred people. Contact Terry Collins if you can help: tcollinsfoto@gmail.com.

Looking forward to working with all ya’ll making our communities safer and more informed.

Best Blessings,

Rish

A Message from the President December 2025

Christopher Huys — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:10:52 GMT

December has arrived — and with it, a joyful flurry of twinkling lights, brisk winter breezes, and the hope and wonder that only the Christmas season can bring. As we look toward the dawn of 2026, our Chapter is excited for the growing opportunities ahead to strengthen public safety and support families across North Central Alabama.

At our Annual Meeting in Cullman on Thursday, December 4th, we were blessed to welcome six remarkable new Board Members: Pat McCay, Ann Kepner, Claudinette Purifoy-Fears, Brent Balogh, Stacy Kirkner, and Rodney Robertson. Their passion and leadership are already lighting the path forward, and we are truly grateful to have them joining our mission in the coming year.

As we celebrate this season of giving, I’d like to share one heartfelt request. Each year, we raise funds for the WellHouse Christmas Stocking Fund, helping provide gifts and joy for the ladies and children served by The WellHouse. This year, we still need help to reach our goal of $2,700, and time is running short. Without your support, some of these precious families may not receive the Christmas surprises they deserve.

Would you prayerfully consider sponsoring one or more stockings at $75 each? Even the smallest act of generosity can help us deliver hope — beautifully wrapped in love.

DONATE HERE:

https://secure.affinipay.com/pages/fbicitizensacademyalumniassociation/payments?reference=2025%20Wellhouse%20Stocking%20Drive

FINAL DEADLINE: December 12th

Thank You!

From our Chapter family to yours — may your homes be filled with peace, laughter, and cherished time with the people you love most. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

Warmly,
Rish Wood

A Message from the President November 2025

Christopher Huys — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 22:01:36 GMT

Dear Members and Friends,

Fall is here — and with it comes that wonderful mix of football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, and even ice hockey filling our weekends. The holidays are fast approaching, and there’s a sense of excitement in the air! Amid all that’s happening in our nation and our state, your FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Chapter has been hard at work.

We’re planning another FBI Redstone Arsenal Campus Tour later this month (pending the end of the Shutdown), our Annual Members Meeting in Cullman on December 4th, and we’re finalizing our Memorandum of Agreement with the FBI for 2026 — a key step toward strengthening our partnership and programs.

I’m especially proud of how our Chapter continues to grow in outreach and impact. Our Fraud Prevention Team is expanding, with new public speaking engagements throughout the Birmingham Division and a community initiative to distribute Elder Fraud Awareness brochures at senior centers, churches, assisted living facilities, and neighborhood gatherings.

Our Speakers Bureau is active and growing, and we’re introducing a Child Protection Team dedicated to educating families about the many evolving threats facing our children today. We’re also forming specialized groups focused on Human Trafficking and Crimes Against Children, each with its own speakers to support and complement presentations by our FBI Agents and Analysts at community events.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce plans for a 2026 Tour to Washington, D.C., featuring visits to The FBI Experience and the FBI Laboratory at Quantico — always a highlight for our members!

We’ll continue to support the FBI Birmingham Division’s Teen Academy, Collegiate Academy, and National Night Out programs, along with our own Annual Members Meeting. In addition, we’re organizing more in-person social gatherings featuring law enforcement professionals and security experts offering practical insights on situational awareness, self-defense, and personal safety.

These programs succeed because of you. We need each of our members — your time, your energy, and your unique talents — to help us educate the public and strengthen the communities we serve. When you’re invited to join a team or lend a hand at an event, I hope you’ll say “yes” and be part of making a real difference.

Please make plans to join us December 4th in Cullman for our Annual Meeting. Along with our FBI Leadership Team, we’ll hear from former FBI ASAC Jeff Brown, who will share powerful insights on how to protect ourselves, our families, homes, workplaces, and places of worship. Details on registration are included below — it promises to be a great event.

Wishing each of you a wonderful Thanksgiving season filled with gratitude for the men and women who protect and serve this great nation we’re privileged to call home.

With appreciation,

Rish

A Message from the President October 2025

Christopher Huys — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 23:39:12 GMT

There’s a chill in the air and tailgating going on all over ( I am available for quality control on the food table!) which means we are in planning mode for 2026. We will be looking for new Board Members and some Officers. If you are interested in serving, contact me directly at President@FBICAAA-BHAM.org. We are looking for Members to join Teams to engage our organization in supporting our community. We need help on these TEAMS: Protecting Children; Events; Elder Fraud and Fallen Officer. Reach out to me and I’ll put you in touch with TEAM leaders.

We supported a special 9-11 event at the Shelby County Airport. Check out details in these pages!

Some 27 of your fellow Active members are planning on taking the FBI Redstone Campus tour on Thursday October 16^th. Lots to see and be impressed at the facilities and capabilities of the FBI right here in our state.

We’ll be supporting the FBI in two National Nights Out in October: Calera on the 7^th and Montevallo on the 14^th.

Board Members were present and our Chapter provided supper for all the new Birmingham Academy Class participants at HQ on the 9^th. These folks were so appreciative of our support as they began their Academy journey.

Be sure to Save The Date for our Annual Meeting on Thursday, December 4^th, 6:00-8:00PM in Cullman. As always, we meet halfway between Birmingham and Huntsville for the convenience of all. Look for more details on this meeting in the coming weeks.

And mark your calendars to give your support for the Christmas Stocking Fundraiser for the ladies AND children of the WellHouse. These victims of Human Trafficking need our support as they rebuild their lives and go out into society with hope for their future. You can be a part of their lives with your support of our Christmas Stockings!

As you can see, we are doing things that make a difference AND support the men and women of the Birmingham Division of the FBI in their mission to make our community a safer place to live.

Best Blessings,

Rish

A Message from the President September 2025

Christopher Huys — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 18:51:55 GMT

Time is flying, the days are getting shorter and Christmas will be here before you know it! Well maybe not quite so drastic except the days are beginning to get cooler and football has started!

We are excited for all our new programs concentrating on our Elder Fraud and Child Protection Teams. You’ll all have an opportunity to get materials in the hands of members of our communities and have subject matter experts make presentations on these topics. The collective of the whole of us is much stronger than the sum of its parts. We hope to be like McGruff The Dog and “take a bite out of crime” and make our communities aware of the dangers facing our kids and our elders- both parts of the most vulnerable members of society.

We encourage all of you to become active Chapter members and get involved in helping spread awareness across the entire Birmingham Division.

We are looking for volunteers at National Night Out in Calera on October 7^th and in Montevallo on October 14^th. Both starting at 5:30 in the afternoon. Please let me know if you can participate in handing out materials to the public at the FBI table/tent. Email president@fbicaaa-bham.org. You’ll be glad you did!

Pencil in December 4^th at 6:00PM for our Annual Members Meeting in Cullman. There will more details coming soon.

Looking forward to sharing details on our new Teams next month. Get ready to roll up your sleeves and go to work!

Until next month,

Best Blessings,

Rish

A Message from the President August 2025

Christopher Huys — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 19:24:31 GMT

I don’t know about you but the Dog Days seem to be early this year. All the heat and humidity drain one’s energy and activity. This has not stopped our Chapter from putting together events and participating at FBI HQ with outreach activities.

Several Members shared their experiences ( see Teen Academy on other pages in this Newsletter) in working in the community and giving back the blessings we received over the years. We also have two Social events on the calendar. By the time you read this the events will have happened. Look for photos in these pages next month.

The First Annual All-Class Reunion was held at HQ on July 24^th. Some 35 Academy graduates heard from FBI Leadership and staff, and caught up with other classmates during the afternoon. A great time was had by all and the consensus was “Let’s do it again.”

We discussed our plans to work with the National Child Advocacy Center in Huntsville and it’s affiliate organizations in Jefferson and Shelby counties. These efforts will be coordinated by our new Child Protect Team. Keep an eye out for more details in coming weeks.

We also talked about volunteers needed to work with our Elder Fraud Team to distribute brochures to all assisted living facilities in the counties where we live. More on this later.

Thank you for responding to our requests for Board Member suggestions and other volunteers for our Teams. You all will be contacted soon to discuss your interests and the Chapter’s needs.

Watch out for an announcement soon about our Chapter Tour of the FBI’s Redstone Campus.

That wraps up this month’s news. I trust you all will have a fruitful and safe August!

Best Blessings,

Rish

A Message from the President July 2025

Christopher Huys — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 23:56:39 GMT

Welcome to Summer!

There’s lots going on at our Chapter this Summer, including supporting the FBI Teen Academy and conducting our 1 st Annual All-Class Reunion, both in July and both at FBI HQ in Birmingham. In addition soon after the Reunion we will hold two social events, also open to ALL Alumni, one in Birmingham and one in Huntsville. Keep an eye out for details on those socials. Thanks to the two Terrys (Collins and Turpen) for setting up those socials!

And- a special shout-out to COS (Community Outreach Specialist) Jasmine Fells for all her good work on coordinating the Huntsville Academy Class, the Reunion and Teen Academy. New SAC Dave Fitzgibbons is looking forward to meeting many of you this summer and his newest ASAC, Matt Tootle wants to renew acquaintance with many of you who know him. ASAC James DeLoatch rounds out the Birmingham Division Leadership Team.

Speaking of the Reunion, be sure to go ahead and register NOW. There’s information on the Agenda and Registration in this Newsletter. We already have almost 50 registered (the capacity is 70), so don’t be left out! I attended the National CAAA Conference in Tampa June 25-28 and will have a complete report in our August Newsletter. We’ll also report on our new initiative supporting the National Child Advocacy Center and other CAC’s across the Division. We will need volunteers to serve on Teams to make this initiative happen.

Finally, we are making an appeal for Members to serve on our Board in the following positions: VP for Birmingham, VP for Huntsville, Secretary and Membership Director. Several of you have already shown interest in these positions as well as being on our Communications Team and IT Team. We need more. Please reach out to me : President@fbicaaa-bham.org and we’ll share job descriptions and talk about it.

Looking forward to seeing ya’ll at these upcoming events and meetings.

Enjoy your summer!

Best Blessings,

Rish

A Message from the President June 2025

Christopher Huys — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 01:55:23 GMT

Summer is here and things are popping up all over our FBI Birmingham Division. We are welcoming our new Special Agent in Charge David R. Fitzgibbons who has already hit the ground running. He hails from South Texas and was most recently Deputy Assistant Director at the Redstone Campus in Huntsville. He will be more officially welcomed soon and we will have an opportunity to meet him in person.

May has been full of activities and events. The Huntsville Academy Class has been meeting since April and will have graduated by the time you receive this Newsletter. There are 31 graduates in this Class and we want to extend our best wishes and look forward to getting many of them in our Chapter.

Our latest Fraud & Scams Conference in Arley served some 55 community members in Arley on May 1. Many thanks to our own David Little for putting together this event and Terry Collins for his support. Look for more of these Elder Fraud Conferences.

On May 13th we had 19 Chapter Members at a Lunch & Learn at the National Child Advocacy Center (NCAC) in Huntsville to hear ALEA and FBI Agents discuss the situation involving crimes against children in our Division. This briefing has spawned an interest in our Chapter becoming involved with the NCAC and other Centers like it throughout the Birmingham Division. We will be meeting with the leadership at NCAC the first week of June. Keep your eyes peeled on these pages for more information.

Fifteen more Huntsville Chapter Members came together for a social event at StoveHouse on the evening of May 22. Lots of fellowship and talk about how we can make a difference in our communities in 2025. It is the first social mixer we have had post-Covid and the folks were enthusiastic about plans for the future. Thanks to VP Chris Huys and Board Member Ginger Ory for putting the event together.

Teen Academy will be held at FBI HQ Birmingham in July and several Birmingham Chapter Members will be sharing a portion of the program discussing with the students about community service and volunteerism.

Look in this Newsletter for details on our First Annual All-Class Reunion July 24th at Birmingham HQ. All are invited from all Classes 2003-2025. You need to sign up early and plan for a great experience. We will also be sharing soon details on our Third Annual Redstone Tour in October, It has been a highlight of our year and this year will be the best ever. Come join us for a look at the FBI’s HQ2!

That’s all for now. Have a great Summer kickoff!

Rish Wood

A Message from the President May 2025

Christopher Huys — Thu, 01 May 2025 12:46:35 GMT

Our Chapter is on the move.

Our Huntsville Academy Alumni have two opportunities to re-connect with Board members and each other on May 13 and May 22. You can find details in this Newsletter.

By the time you read this our Elder Fraud Team will have presented a Fraud and Scams Conference in Arley, serving Walker and Winston counties (Smith Lake area) and the Huntsville Academy Class will be half-way through with 31 prospective Alumni Members. Their Graduation is June 3rd.

The Birmingham Fall Class is still accepting nominations through June 30th. Please be thinking of friends you can share this opportunity with and get them involved.

Please mark your calendar to save the date of July 24 for our First Annual Class Reunion of all graduates! It will be held at Birmingham HQ 3:30PM- 7:30PM and optional dinner after at a local restaurant. You’ll get a VIP update and hear from our FBI team on the latest information and tour ( kind of a mini- Academy). Look for more information coming soon!

Teen Academy is coming to HQ July 9-11. You can share information to possible candidates so they can register. We will also need Members to come visit and briefly share your experience in serving our community through the CAAA. We will be providing lunch to the students all three days.

And…our Annual FBI Redstone Campus Tour is coming in October. It’s a highlight for all of us and plan on being on that bus!

Lots happening and more to come.

Have a wonderful May!

Rish

A Message from the President April 2025

Christopher Huys — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 00:12:50 GMT

By the time you read this the pollen count will be down and the rains will cleanse the air (we hope!). Our Annual Quantico-Washington trip will be underway and Acting SAC

James DeLoatch will be at the helm of our Birmingham Division of the FBI. We bid

farewell to SAC Carlton Peeples, who is navigating the long-sought retirement trail.

Also, our old friend Paul Daymond retired after 38 years with the Bureau to get to sleep late. Congrats to all and may your next steps be blessed! We are planning several events for the next few months which will include a special Academy Reunion for all alumni. You’ll want to participate! Keep an eye peeled on these pages for details.

Our Chapter will be hosting a Tour of FBI Redstone this year, which has been a favorite

for many of our Members. Plans are being developed as we speak.

Please join me in welcoming new Board Members Kristi Redford and Tine Hoffmeister,

who will be assisting and ultimately taking over our Membership Team from April

Tolbert. Our new Secretary is Steve Ray and he is already at work in keeping up with

our paperwork. Alex Brewer is now Vice-President Birmingham and will be assisting me

in leading new initiatives for the rest of 2025.

We still need more help in leadership, events and Member engagement. Please let us

know if you are willing to make yourself available in sharing the opportunity to serve our Chapter and community this year by emailing me directly at president@fbicaaa-

bham.org.

Our Chapter will begin adding service opportunities you can take advantage of each

week in our weekly email blast publicity alerts. Look for those opportunities each week. Special thanks to David Little for his leadership in setting up our next Elder Fraud Conference in Arley on May 1 st . He and the Elder Fraud Awareness Team led by Terry Collins have conducted events since last October. Our own Alex Brewer presented an excellent program at one of these events. It takes all of us working together to make a difference in our community. We appreciate the dedication of all those mentioned. We look forward to several other areas of community service we can ALL become involved with to help expand the mission awareness of the FBI.

Until next month,

Best Blessings!

A Message from the President March 2025

Christopher Huys — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 22:10:59 GMT

Presidential Transition

Our Chapter President, Sam Roberts, has tendered his resignation effective March 1, 2025. He was replaced by VP Birmingham Rish Wood at our Chapter Board Meeting February 18th. Sam’s elderly in-laws in Massachusetts will require his full-time attention in the next few months and it became apparent he would be unable to serve any longer as President.

We all appreciate Sam’s contributions to our leadership team this past 12 months and look forward to his involvement in the future as a Lifetime Member. Thanks Sam!

Our Board appointed a new Secretary Steve Ray, who will begin work immediately. The Board also voted to replace Rish as VP Birmingham with Alex Brewer.

Our Membership increased to 146 with several new Birmingham Fall 2024 graduates joining. That number includes 32 Lifetime Members! Be sure to renew your membership by the end of March.

New FBI Director Kash Patel will be making changes to the Bureau, which according to News Reports , will include 1,000 new employees at the Redstone Campus this year. That growth will keep Alabama on the FBI strategic plan for growth in Technology, Administration, Procurement and Human Resources. Our Chapter will continue to provide tours and liaison with the Redstone Campus.

Our Community Outreach Specialist Jasmine Fells has been working with our leadership team to add more opportunities for our Chapter members to have more opportunities to network, fellowship and learn from FBI agents and staff. She will help expand our outreach to Huntsville members as well. There are 37 candidates for the Spring Class in Huntsville beginning April 1st, which will be the largest group ever.

Look for more news on activities and community service opportunities on these pages. Our Elder Fraud Awareness Team led by Terry Collins held an event February 22 at Cordova Baptist Church, expanding our reach into Walker County. David Little is heading up plans for an Elder Fraud Conference in the Walker/Winston Smith Lake area as well. Thanks to Terry and David for their work on these meetings. You will see more expansion of our work in the next few months to help expose the mission of the FBI to our community.

Some notes of interest to our Chapter: Former Birmingham SAC Johnnie Sharp retired at the end of January; former Birmingham-Huntsville COS Paul Daymond announced his retirement at the end of March; and our current SAC Carlton Peeples announced his plans to retire by early summer. We thank these men for their service to our nation,

the FBI and our Chapter. We wish each of them fair winds and following seas in their new career paths and retirement. Thanks gents!

Until next month, best blessings to you all.

Rish Wood

A Message from the President February 2025

Christopher Huys — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 21:55:38 GMT

Call for Volunteers: FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association Board & Committee Team Opportunities

Dear FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association Members,

As we continue our mission to support the FBI and foster stronger community relationships, we are reaching out to you our valued members to consider taking a more active role in the Association. We are seeking dedicated individuals to volunteer for open positions on our Board of Directors and various committees.

Your participation is vital to the continued success and impact of our organization. By volunteering your time and talents, you can directly contribute to furthering our mission of our chapter - e.g., promoting understanding of the FBI's work, supporting community outreach initiatives, etc.

We currently have openings for the following Board positions:

Vice President-Birmingham
Secretary

In addition to Board positions, we are also seeking volunteers for the following Committees and Teams:

Outreach Committee
Communications Team
Fundraising Committee
Technology Team

Our Committees and Teams play a vital part in the continued success of our Association.

Serving on the Board or a committee is a rewarding opportunity to:

Make a meaningful contribution to your community.
Develop your leadership and organizational skills.
Network with fellow alumni and FBI personnel.
Gain a deeper understanding of the FBI's mission and operations.

If you are passionate about our mission and have the time and dedication to contribute, we encourage you to consider volunteering.

We appreciate your continued support of the FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association and look forward to welcoming new members to our leadership team.

Sincerely,

Sam Roberts

President

FBI Birmingham Citizens Academy Alumni Association

If you have interest, contact us via email at: communications@fbicaaa-bham.org

A Message from the President January 2025

Christopher Huys — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 21:52:35 GMT

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for all their efforts throughout the year. The success of our alumni association is built on the efforts of our members and in this past year, we have faced several challenges and enjoyed some successes. Thank you for the commitment of each of you and especially to the Board, I extend a special thanks for its dedication.

We’ve come through a year that was filled with two wonderful classes in Huntsville and Birmingham. On behalf of the Birmingham FBI Citizens

Academy Alumni Association, please allow me to extend my personal and genuine appreciation to each and every one you for your valuable

contributions to our efforts. Working with you this past year has been a pleasure and I’m proud of all of you.

Your support is even more critical this coming year as we are faced with new challenges and with your partnership and joint efforts we will continue to thrive and serve the FBI as community ambassadors.

I offer our best wishes and happiness to you and your families as we all look forward to a successful and rewarding 2025.

Sincerely,

Sam

A Message from the President December 2024

Christopher Huys — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 13:51:20 GMT

Welcome to all of the graduates of Birmingham Class of 2024!

We encourage all new Graduates to join the Alumni Association and volunteer you time and talents in continuing the mission we have accepted from the SAC and the Director to act as Ambassadors furthering the public perception of the FBI. A reminder for all members as well as new Alumni. Our annual meeting is on December 5th in Cullman. Go to the website and get your tickets, I look forward to seeing each of you as we look forward to an active and rewarding 2025.

We have adopted the cause of Elder Fraud for the coming year and we are planning events that will engage the membership in offering training on methods to prevent fraud and more importantly, we will have seminars with FBI agents outlining steps to be taken for filing complaints when a fraud has been discovered. We envision being able to take this presentation to small and large groups throughout the Birmingham area of operation.

It is that time of year again when we reflect on the blessings that have been bestowed upon all of us in this great nation. I hope each of you find peace and happiness. A perfect day to be surrounded by family and friends.

Merry Christmas

Sam

A Message from the President November 2024

Christopher Huys — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 17:24:03 GMT

The mission of the FBI is "to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States". Elder Fraud is considered fraudulent activity targeting individuals aged 60 or older. As part of the FBI's mission, the FBI pursues ways to combat criminals targeting seniors in alignment with internal and external partnerships through the Department of Justice's Elder Fraud Initiative.

Through IC3.gov , the FBI has created a public avenue for seniors to report fraud. IC3 receives and tracks thousand of complaints daily. IC3 reporting is key to identifying, investigating, and holding these criminal actors accountable for their actions.

Do not be afraid to report a suspected crime. IC3 promises you are not alone. Millions of elderly Americans fall victim to financial fraud through a fraud scheme committed on the internet.

Just this year I was advised someone had used my name and Information to make an substantial loan from the Pay Check Protection program. When the Small Business Administration did not receive any repayment, they, of course, came looking for me for payment of outstanding debt. I certainly was surprised my info had been used and I immediately reported the crime to IC3.gov. The FBI has opened a file and this case is being investigated.

If you, or someone you know, is a victim of a fraud or scam, do not hesitate to file a complaint with the IC3.gov.

We are looking to train and deploy teams of our members to help Seniors learn the ways to avoid and to report fraud. Please talk with your Board members about participating in this effort.

We are dedicated to supporting the FBI mission.

Warmest Regards,

Sam

A Message from the President October 2024

Christopher Huys — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 13:29:45 GMT

Lately the world can seem like a dangerous place. We read the daily reports about increasing crime rates in our communities, saddened by the most recent school shooting in Winder, Ga, the shooting in Birmingham’s Southside and to make us even more on edge continuing global terrorist attacks.

The nightly news reports are enough to make want to only speak to the world through locked doors. The law enforcement agencies who serve our communities need our support and sponsorship to assist them in their outreach to those who need the help the most. By engaging community leaders to work with and share their ideas and concerns with law enforcement agencies, we can work together to face the uncertainty around us. We need to help in educating both our communities and those who serve them. We can bring the necessary parties together to find solutions to our community problems. The more familiar we can make community aware of those resources around us, the greater the chance of we have of knowing who to call in times of need. We can promote events that range from cybercrime, human trafficking, community policing, and elder fraud. Our presence can be valuable to our Community.

We know there are often no easy solutions to complex problems; but the more we learn about the world around us, the greater the chance of success when problems are approached together. we are actively involved in a host of diverse issues in our communities we are looking for ways to better connect with our communities.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions on programs we can use expand our involvement. We are looking for ways to engage our membership and continue to fulfill the opportunity we have to expand our community outreach.

Have a great month!

Sam

A Message from the President August 2024

Christopher Huys — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 14:10:29 GMT

I am deeply saddened and concerned about the recent attempt on former President Trump’s life during a campaign rally.

This event demonstrates how Law Enforcement, Federal, State and Local, will always have difficulty in protecting any of us from the lone crazy shooter. Unfortunately, there were some injuries to the President and his supporters and sadly one casualty before the shooter could be neutralized. Further loss was avoided by the rapid response of the counter sniper teams.

Personally, I believe in supporting each other, especially in times of crisis. Now is the time for us to stand united as a country and reflect on the importance of civility. I hope everyone can find a way to come together and show care and respect for one another, regardless of political differences.

To keep our nation strong and united, we must stay true to our values. This nation has always survived by coming together during trying times.

My thoughts are with Trump and his family and the families of attendees that were wounded or killed in this senseless act.

Regards,

Sam

A Message from the President July 2024

Christopher Huys — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 15:10:08 GMT

Elder Fraud, in Focus

Elder fraud complaints to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) increased by 14% in 2023, and associated losses increased by about 11%, according to IC3 Elder Fraud Report released April 30.

This annual publication provides statistics about incidents of elder fraud—or fraud that explicitly targets older Americans’ money or cryptocurrency—that are reported to IC3. The report aims to raise the public’s awareness of this issue and to prevent future and repeat incidents.

And elder fraud is probably a more insidious threat than the report shows. Many of these crimes likely go unreported, and, as the report states, “only about half” of the fraud scam complaints submitted to IC3 in 2023 included victims’ ages.

Here are five key takeaways from the report.

1. Elder fraud is an expensive crime. Scams targeting individuals aged 60 and older caused over $3.4 billion in losses in 2023—an increase of approximately 11% from the year prior. The average victim of elder fraud lost $33,915 due to these crimes in 2023.

2. Older Americans seem to be disproportionately impacted by scams and fraud. Over 101,000 victims aged 60 and over reported this kind of crime to IC3 in 2023. On the flip side, victims under the age of 20 years old seemed to be the least-impacted demographic, with about 18,000 victims in this demographic reporting suspected scams or frauds to IC3 last year.

3. Tech support scams were the most widely reported kind of elder fraud in 2023.Nearly 18,000 victims aged 60 and over reported such scams to IC3. Personal data breaches, confidence and romance scams, non-payment or non-delivery scams, and investment scams rounded out the top five most common types of elder fraud reported to IC3 last year.

4. Investment scams were the costliest kind of elder fraud in 2023. These schemes cost victims more than $1.2 billion in losses last year. And tech support scams, business email compromise scams, confidence and romance scams, government impersonation scams, and personal data breaches all respectively cost victims hundreds of millions of dollars in 2023.

5. Scammers are coming for people’s cryptocurrency. More than 12,000 victims aged 60 and over indicated that cryptocurrency was “a medium or tool used to facilitate” the scam or fraud that targeted them when reporting it to IC3.

The FBIBCAAA looks forward to assisting our local Field Office in fighting Elder Fraud. There will be detailed information in the coming months about our further efforts to support our mission.

Have a great Summer,

Sam

A Message from the President June 2024

Christopher Huys — Thu, 30 May 2024 14:00:00 GMT

“Presidents letter due today…”

It has been my experience that These are often the four most dreaded words by every non profit leader when it’s time to send the member newsletter , so bear with me as I post my first communication—

As your new president, I want take this opportunity to thank our Board members past and present that have devoted many hours to our mission and I ask all of our members to welcome the Spring 2024 graduating class of the Huntsville Academy.

Over the next months, I will be reaching out to all our members to request your help in growing our membership and asking for your suggestions of programs and events you would like to have. Our alumni association fills an important local role is supporting the FBI’s community mission and I look forward to talking with each of you on your ideas to grow our efforts and expand our outreach.

Please reach out directly to me with any ideas, questions or concerns. We are the collective product of our entire membership and each of us has some idea for community engagement, please take a minute and call/text/email me your ideas.

I am honored and humbled to have been selected by the board and pledge my energies to growing the Birmingham/Huntsville chapter to new heights.

Best Regards,

Sam

A Message from the President April 2024

Christopher Huys — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 14:09:48 GMT

Happy Spring Season and March Madness!!

I hope that this April Edition of our FBICAAA Newsletter finds all of you well and in good health!!!

As we move towards the end of the first Quarter of 2024, please be mindful that we are still focusing on participating in Quarterly Activities that will help keep us engaged in the community. If you have not done so already, please be sure and mark your calendars for the 2024 Birmingham Civil Rights Conference taking place April 15^th and 16^th at the Historic Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. We have been asked by our local FBI Birmingham Division to assist in hosting this event so please let us know if you are available to volunteer either day by registering under FBICAAA at https://www.bcri.org/event/civilrightscon2024 .

Our One-On-One Meeting with SAC Carlton Peeples took place on March 11^th at FBI Headquarters. It was a good opportunity for both the SAC and Board Members to conduct a candid conversation about our role and more importantly our partnership efforts with the local FBI. Many comments, recommendations and perspectives came out as a result of the gathering which will be shared once we have compiled various notes taken by those in attendance.

The first day for the FBICAAA Huntsville Class was held on Tuesday, March 26^th at 6:00 , hosted by our Huntsville Chapter. Good luck to this new group!

Also keep in mind our fellow board members, some who are still dealing with various health challenges as well as others who are experiencing new health concerns at this time. Compassion for our fellow man is important and I think we can all appreciate it if someone shows kindness, caring and a willingness to help others, especially members of this notable organization.

In closing, I’d like to take a moment of personal privilege to SAY THANKS TO EACH OF YOU for your hard work, dedication and support in making this organization meaningful for others. Your commitment has not gone unnoticed and I am appreciative for all who continue to support me during this term. Of note, there will be some additional changes that will be shared with all at a later date so stay tuned for updates.

Best regards,

Coop

A Message from the President March 2024

Christopher Huys — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 22:15:16 GMT

Happy March Team!!

I hope that this March Edition of our FBICAAA Newsletter finds you well!!!

I want to first start off by saying THANKS AGAIN to all the Board Members in attendance{especially the Huntsville Contingent} on February 3rd at our Annual Board Summit held on the beautiful campus of Lawson State Community College. My sincere gratitude also goes out to Dr. Cynthia Anthony who provided the facility and the equipment to ensure that our meeting was resourceful and productive. A lot of great recommendations came out as a result of this gathering and as a Neophyte in my role as President, I am reinvigorated as to what the group has committed to accomplish this year.

One main consensus from the meeting was for the CAAA to be more involved with FBI-related activities in the community at a minimum on a “Quarterly Basis”. With that focus in mind, plans are in the works for the following activities:

Ø One-On-One Meeting with SAC Carlton Peeples{Board Members Only} - March 11th

Ø FBICAAA First Day Huntsville Class{YEAH!!!} - March 26th (Details-To-Follow}

Ø FBICAAA March Board Meeting – March 19th @ 6:00 Via TEAMS {Details-To-Follow}

Ø Meet and Greet Reception with the Huntsville Class (TBD)

In our efforts to increase promotion of the CAAA, I am encouraging my fellow members to submit any special announcements, highlights and any newsworthy items you would like for us to include in our monthly publication. As an extra bonus, we will be featuring “Member Spotlight” articles with bios to showcase what our Membership is doing to promote Servant Leadership in the community.

A special “thank you” to Tanveer Patel, one of our newest Board Members who not only volunteered to host some chapter events this year to keep our membership engaged but who will also be assisting Chris Huys as part of our IT Team. We are still in need of a Treasurer for the CAAA and would love to have someone in place by the end of the first quarter so please let me know ASAP if anyone is interested in filling this position.

In closing, I would appreciate you taking a moment to send out some words of encouragement to Alex Brewer and Rish Wood who are both experiencing some health challenges at this time and I’m sure would welcome hearing a friendly voice to help boost their recovery efforts.

Best regards,

Coop

A Message from the President January 2024

Christopher Huys — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 17:09:48 GMT

Happy Holidays and Seasons Greetings to all of my FBICAAA Family!!

Hope you and yours are doing well.

In what is our 17^th year, it is my honor to address all of you as the incoming President for the FBICAAA. I follow in the footsteps of the incredible Jennifer Cofer who led our organization these past 2 years in unprecedented ways by providing her guidance, expertise and leadership skills with a myriad of community projects and opportunities. I think each new person in this role wants to start with a solid foundation and I am committed to making sure that the accomplishments, accolades and momentum achieved under Jennifer’s tenure continue to grow under my direction.

I also want to give a huge “SHOUT OUT” to our “ Huntsville Team” that continues to support us in numerous ways and now with the multi-billion-dollar capital investment for the FBI’s 2^nd Headquarters at Redstone Arsenal it is just the major step needed for us to reach our full potential.

Our new Board will be convening in January 2024 and I have some pretty lofty goals with regards to fundraising that I think can be accomplished if we all make a “personal commitment” to support this organization.

Three Strategic Areas Are:

1. F/Fundraising……Financial sustainability is what I would like to focus on so that as we engage in various projects throughout the year that require financial support we don’t cause any unnecessary strain on our reserves.
2. B………………………Bring any and all great ideas/suggestions/recommendations to the Board so that we can discuss them in length to determine which ones will best assist us in serving our community stakeholders.
3. I……………………….Important to always remember one of the key focal points of the FBICAAA is “to promote public safety and security through community engagement, education and service initiatives”. As everyone is aware, there have been several local as well as world-wide events that serve as constant reminders of how now, more than ever, we need to be ever vigilant and ready to support our Partners in Law Enforcement.

Each of us plays a role in ensuring that the mission of the FBICAAA is upheld at every opportunity possible and we are very fortunate to have now in place Birmingham SAC Carlton Peeples who has encouraged this organization to take a more active role in assisting him and the local office in promoting positive community initiatives.

As we move into 2024, I also want to personally challenge each of you to reach out to any Alum that you know and inquire if they are active and if not, encourage them to renew their membership on an Annual or even better, Lifetime basis. The Board is committed to providing activities to keep you engaged, programs to keep you trained and partnership opportunities to help build safer communities through Servant Leadership and we look forward to strategizing on ways to help us accomplish all of these goals.

“LET”S MAKE 2024 THE BEST FBICAAA YEAR EVER”!!!!

Yours,

Coop J

A Message from the President December 2023

Ginger Ory — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 03:50:02 GMT

Hello friends!

As we go into the holiday season, I reflect back to two years ago when I was asked to serve as President of the Birmingham Citizens Academy Alumni Association. What a journey the last two years have been! I would be remiss if I didn’t use this opportunity to thank the Board Members who have worked so hard to continue the mission of the FBICA. It is their dedication and hard work that enables our alumni members to continue with opportunities to stay involved and serve the FBI and our communities.

As I end my tenure as your president, I want you all to know that you will be in great hands moving forward! Lisa Cooper, who has served as Treasurer for the last two years and one of the most active members of the board, will be stepping up to serve as President. It has been a blessing to get to know Lisa over the last two years. While all of our board members have shown their hearts in serving their communities, Lisa has stood out with her passion for community service. I can also say that she NEVER meets a stranger. I have no doubt that she will take our chapter to new heights with her ideas and outgoing personality. She has a true heart for serving and we are so lucky to have her step into this leadership role.

I would also like to thank SAC Carlton Peeples, and the local FBI field office for their continued partnership. It has been a pleasure to get to know Carlton since he has been in Birmingham. Also, we could not have had such amazing FBICA classes in Huntsville and Birmingham without Season Allen and Nathaniel Rutledge at the helm. Thank you for everything!

While I will be stepping down as President, I will continue to serve as an advisor to Lisa as Immediate Past President. I will always remain active as a Lifetime Member of the organization and I will be seeing you all at future events. Thank you all so much for your support as I have served in this position. I feel blessed and honored to have met so many wonderful people I would not have met outside of this organization. May God bless you all this holiday season.

Blessings,

Jennifer

A Message from the President November 2023

Christopher Huys — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 14:54:04 GMT

Greetings Alumni and Welcome New Graduates!

As I start to wrap up my tenure as President of this organization I want to take a moment and reflect on how THANKFUL I am to have met so many of you and to have served on this Board. The FBICA alumni group is unique in that it encompasses such a diverse group of people with one goal, to assist the FBI in their mission to make our country safer for our families, children, grandchildren and future generations. I am thankful to have worked on this mission alongside so many people whose paths I may have otherwise never been fortunate to cross.

You will soon be receiving emails regarding renewing of your dues. Please remember that we now offer a $500 lifetime membership option, or you could continue to pay the $75 annual fee. We can’t have an organization without YOU! The infamous Lisa Cooper will be taking over as President in January and she has already firmed up the date for the Quantico trip in 2024. Save the date for the week of July 29th for the trip to DC, with the Quantico tour falling on July 31st. Our FBI field office is already working on other tours to solidify our trip. More details will be coming in January but our date for this trip is already confirmed.

Continue to watch for our end of year gatherings. We hope you can join us for our After Dark Event or for our Stocking Stuffer party! We look forward to great response for our Stocking Drive not only in raising the funds, but also in the fellowship of pulling it all together for these women and children at the WellHouse.

Have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!
See you soon,

Jennifer

A Message from the President October 2023

Christopher Huys — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 14:55:38 GMT

Greetings Alumni,

The Fall FBI Citizens Academy class is in full swing and the attendees are so energized to learn about all things FBI. As I sit in the classes I remember back to when I first attended in 2016 and the energy and excitement buzzing throughout the class. I would like to encourage every one of you to think back to your experience in the class and the amazing people you were able to meet. As an alumni of the FBICAAA you continue to be a part of that amazing network of people. WE NEED YOU AND YOUR NETWORK!

For the second year in a row we have adopted the women of the WellHouse for a stocking drive. This year, we have also committed to provide stockings and gift cards to the children of the WellHouse. The residents of the WellHouse, both women and children, have all been victims of human trafficking and we want them to know there are people out there that care.

Last year’s drive was amazing and this year we want to do even more. We recently sent out a letter to all alumni, along with a link to a Word document letter for you to customize and send to your friends and local businesses to raise money for these stockings.A copy of that announcement is inside this Newsletter as well. A page of snapshots from last year’s effort is also inside this Newsletter.

We would love to have 100% participation. Even if every alumni gave a little it would go a long way. You can also donate directly through our Website at https://secure.affinipay.com/pages/fbicitizensacademyalumniassociation/payments?reference=2023%20Wellhouse%20Stocking%20Drive.

As always we value your partnership and your participation to keep our Chapter energized and successful. It takes all of us to remain committed to the mission of our Chapter, which is to partner with the FBI in providing resources in support of their mission in North and Central Alabama.

Thank you for your continued commitment to the FBICAAA.

Jennifer

A Message from the President September 2023

Ginger Ory — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 02:51:34 GMT

Hello friends!

September is upon us, which means the FBICA class in Birmingham is about to begin. It is our hope to have more than 20 attendees at the Fall Class to learn more about the FBI and their mission! I know that many of you remember the excitement of that first class. It is sure to be another great experience for those fortunate to be selected this year.

With many changes this year in personnel at the local Birmingham field office, the FBI was unable to coordinate the trip to Quanitico and D.C. this year. They have assured us that it will be a priority next year.

Just a reminder that the WellHouse Stocking Drive is coming up as Fall is around the bend and the Holidays will soon follow. If you signed up to assist on the Human Trafficking Team, be looking for an email in the next month asking for volunteers with this effort. We can’t do it without you.

Thank you for your continued support of the FBICAAA!

Blessings,

Jennifer

A Message from the President August 2023

Ginger Ory — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 02:49:45 GMT

Greetings Alumni,

Wow! What a wonderful turnout for our Redstone Arsenal Tour! It was great to see some new faces and some familiar faces! I would like to give a huge shout out to our Birmingham Vice President, Rish Wood, for helping to organize our tour and making sure the attendees were cleared for the tour. Without Rish we wouldn’t have had such a great event for our alumni members.

Every year we strive to assist the FBI in their outreach programs. There will be several events coming up this fall where we will need volunteers. If you volunteer for one of the events, please do everything you can to attend or at least contact the coordinator or myself if something were to come up so that we can call on other volunteers to cover the gaps. We hope to have MORE than enough volunteers!

The Birmingham Civil Rights Conference

September 24 & 25th at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

Information on times TBD

The FBI Diversity Agent Recruitment Event

September 26th at the Red Mountain Theatre 5-8 PM

National Nights Out

October dates and locations TBD

Wellhouse Stocking Drive

Team members needed

Please be looking for information on these events in upcoming announcements. If you already know you would like to volunteer at one of these events, please email me at president@fbicaaa-bham.org!

Our organization is a service organization and we can’t do it without you. Thank you for getting involved!

QUANTICO TOUR - Please be looking for a separate email to members in the next couple of weeks if you are interested in this tour. The FBI Field Office is hoping to make it happen, but they will need enough participants and a lot of things need to coalesce to pull it off due to personnel changes at the FBI office.

Jennifer

A Message from the President July 2023

Christopher Huys — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 00:00:43 GMT

Greetings Alumni,

I hope that many of you are going to be able to attend the FBI Redstone Campus Tour on July 18th! It should be a phenomenal day of exploring and learning. I hope to see you there!

Recently the FBIBCAAA Board nominated and voted in the next President of our Chapter. Lisa Cooper is now the President-Elect and will officially take office on January 1, 2024. Lisa has served as Treasurer for the past year and a half and has been an amazing resource when it comes to getting things done. Lisa is extremely passionate about our organization and I know that she is going to do amazing things! I am excited about showing her the ropes over the next 6 months as she gets ready to take the helm.

I would like to take a moment to thank Board Members Brian Smith, Deb Jaramillo and Ginger Ory along with FBICAAA Past President, Paul Franklin, for attending the national conference in Boston. This group accepted our Chapter of Excellence Award and we are grateful for their dedication and contributions to our Chapter.

Everyone stay cool during this heat wave! I hope to see you at some of our upcoming events!

Jennifer

A Message from the President June 2023

Christopher Huys — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:18:20 GMT

Hello Alumni!

We did it again!! Our Chapter has won the Excellence in Chapter Operations Award for the 2nd year in a row. The Birmingham FBICAAA has a long standing history of winning this award and it wouldn’t be possible without your support and the hard work of our Board Members. This year our Chapter submission reviewed several areas where our chapter thrived in 2022. Here is a brief summary:

Our chapter works with Infragard several times throughout the year to conduct counterintelligence briefings for research facilities and defense contractors. In 2022 we held 8 of these events which were very well received. Topics included:

1) An overview of the FBIs Behavior Analysis Unit

2) Made in Bejing: the plan for Global Market Domination

3) FBI Birmingham Cyber Squad

4) All things about the World Games

5)FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, IC3.gov

6) Overview of the Online Gaming Scene

7) The Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center

8) Threat Overview of Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Unmanned Group Vehicles

Our Chapter also extended community outreach at National Night Out events in both Huntsville and Birmingham. Through these events we were able to hand out FBI pamphlets to attendees and act as ambassadors to share the good works and programs of the FBI. The National Night out event in Helena, AL brought through approximately 3,000 attendees. The National Night out in Huntsville also had a great turnout. We plan to continue setting up for these events each year and continue this outreach program.

Our goal for 2022 was to have a fundraiser for our Stockings of Hope Drive. Through the use of social media, e-mail, and word of mouth, we were able to raise $500 for our Stocking Drive. With the monies collected we were able to purchase stocking stuffers for the residents of the Wellhouse who are female victims of human trafficking. Our Chapter came together to assemble the stockings and two of our board members delivered them to the Wellhouse before Christmas. We plan to continue this fundraiser this year.

We have several members of our board who will be attending the FBICAAA National Conference this summer to accept this award for our Chapter. We look forward to them sharing information on how to continue to grow our Chapter upon their return.

Thank you all for your continued support!

Jennifer

A Message from the President May 2023

Christopher Huys — Mon, 01 May 2023 13:13:07 GMT

May 1, 2023

Greetings Alumni,

The countdown is on for another graduating class of the FBI Citizens Academy. Graduation will be on May 16th and we are looking forward to having new members join our alumni association. I would personally like to thank Season Allen, FBI Birmingham Training Specialist, for everything she has done to organize the class and keep things running smoothly. Season is currently covering some of the past duties of Paul Daymond since he has transitioned to his new role.

EVENTS YOU DON”T WANT TO MISS

July 18th - There will be a tour of FBI @ Redstone

September 28th - Tour of Quantico

Look for Redstone Tour Agenda and link to sign up in this Newsletter- Paid Alumni Only

Your board of directors puts a lot of time and effort into organizing special events for you. Our chapter has been historically successful in having a Chapter of Excellence in organizing events, outreach and chapter partnerships. Please take advantage of the opportunities that are offered and also let us know what type of events you would be interested in attending.

As always we value your partnership and your participation to keep our chapter energized and successful. It takes all of us to remain committed to the mission of our chapter, which is to partner with the FBI in providing resources in support of their mission in North and Central Alabama.

Thank you for your continued commitment to the FBICAAA.

Jennifer

A Message from the President March 2023

Christopher Huys — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 00:34:31 GMT

Happy March!

I hope that all of you are doing well!

There are no Birmingham or Huntsville FBICA graduates who do not know Paul Daymond. You were all selected by Paul to participate in the FBICA and he has always been known to choose the best of the best! Paul has been the backbone of the FBICA classes throughout the years and has set the bar to a very high standard. In case you don’t know, Paul is no longer with the Birmingham Division of the FBI and will now be working directly for our former SAS, Johnnie Sharp in Huntsville. I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank Paul for all of his support for our organization over the years. He is a dear friend to many of us. Paul, best of luck in your new role.

As we say goodbye to Paul, we also welcome a new SAC to Birmingham. I had the privilege of meeting SAC Carlton Peeples recently to review our Memorandum of Agreement for the FBICAAA for 2023. Mr. Peeples is very excited to be in Birmingham and looks forward to working with us as we continue to support the FBI with our outreach programs.

It’s going to be a stellar year with the FBICAAA! My hope is that you will look for opportunities to network and serve. Our board of directors works hard to put together events that will bring us together and make us a Chapter of Excellence. We hope to see you soon!

Yours,

Jennifer

A Message from the President January 2023

Christopher Huys — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 00:41:36 GMT

Happy New Year Alumni,

We have wrapped up 2022 and the first year of my term as FBICAAA President. I can't thank the 2022 Board Members enough for everything they have done to support the chapter this year. I would like to thank all of the board members who are rolling off. They have served our chapter well!

Rolling off

Vanessa Vargas

Marc Curles

Tim Johns

Arthur Price

TJ Knight

Joe Dinoto

Graham Sisson (Graham is staying active as our legal counsel).

Amanda Jarrett

New Board Members

Sam Roberts - Birmingham

April Tolbert - Birmingham

Ginger Ory - Huntsville

Emerald Jones - Huntsville

Lindsay Rice - Huntsville

The Board will be meeting to plan events and outreach efforts for 2023 in mid-January. We hope to arrange a tour of the new FBI facilities in Huntsville for all members sometime this summer. Be checking for announcements on upcoming events.

If you haven’t yet paid your dues for 2023, remember that you now have the Lifetime member option for only $500. We hope to increase our outreach and our membership this year and we can’t do it without you. We humbly ask that you help support our chapter with your renewed membership and plan on ways to get involved with our outreach efforts.

Again, thank you all for your commitment to the organization.

Blessings,

Jennifer

A Message from the President December 2022

Christopher Huys — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 00:52:54 GMT

Greetings and Happy Holidays Alumni,

It’s one of the busiest times of year for so many of us as we get ready to transition through the holidays and into a New Year! We’ve had a successful 2022 coming off the backside of the pandemic, however, I’m hoping that 2023 will bring even more engagement from our alumni! As you are making your new year resolutions, remember the FBICAAA and find ways to get engaged!

As many of you know, our Chapter partners with The WellHouse to help support female victims of human trafficking. The WellHouse provides residential therapeutic programs women who have been sexually exploited, offering medical, spiritual, mental and emotional care. The FBIBCAAA has adopted The WellHouse this Christmas to provide each of these ladies a “Stocking of Hope”. Hopefully you have seen the flyer by now. Please think about giving a donation to help fund this project. Items for Stockings of Hope will be purchased with the donations and all other donations between now and Dec. 16th will be donated to the WellHouse. Thank you for considering your gift, big or small! Every little bit helps these ladies who are starting over.

If you haven’t already, please look for our Facebook group, “FBI Birmingham Citizens Academy Alumni Association.”

I pray you and your families have a safe, happy and healthy holiday season and look forward to the great ways we can serve our communities in 2023!

Thank you,

Jennifer

A Message from the President November 2022

Christopher Huys — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 13:16:47 GMT

Greetings Alumni,

The FBICAAA Birmingham Board of Directors recently voted to start offering a Lifetime Membership in 2023 for the great value of $500! This membership fee would be non-refundable and non-transferrable. Non-transferrable means that should you move to another state and want to join their chapter you would have to pay their fees. Not all chapters offer the Lifetime option. The Lifetime option is also not retro-active.

As many of you know the benefits of joining the chapter include:

Official Communications
Invitations to select activities
Alumni newsletter
Invitations to exclusive briefings
Range Day
Field Trip to Quantico & FBIHQ
Members-only communications, Group social media and website access
Eligibility to serve as an officer or board member
Voting privileges

When you start receiving renewal reminders this year, please consider the Lifetime Option. Of course you are still able to pay year-to-year for $75.00.

We continue to add volunteer and community outreach options every year. We plan to vote in our new Board members at our Annual Meeting on December 1st! We hope you will join us! Be looking for details!

Thank You,

Jennifer

A Message from the President October 2022

Christopher Huys — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 20:49:11 GMT

Greetings everyone,

I hope this message finds everyone doing well! The FBICA Fall class in Birmingham is underway and we hope to have several new graduates join our chapter upon graduation.

I am sure we all remember the excitement of those weeks learning more about the FBI and why we all became ambassadors for the organization. It seems, however, since Covid it has become much more of a challenge to get members engaged despite our efforts.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

What sort of activities would you like to see more of?

Are you interested in serving?

If you have ideas for events for our chapter, we welcome hearing from you! Our board members are all volunteers and work hard to try to get members engaged. We need you!

Please continue to watch for announcements in our weekly blasts. Try to commit to one or two events each year to volunteer for. Don’t miss out on upcoming events! Announcements are sent out weekly!

Thank you,

Jennifer

A Message from the President September 2022

Christopher Huys — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 16:28:41 GMT

Greetings everyone,

I hope this message finds everyone doing well! I want to start out this column with a big congratulations to Johnnie Sharp on his promotion to Assistant Director of the IT Infrastructure Division in Huntsville. With the growth of the FBI campus in Huntsville we know Johnnie will be a huge asset in serving in that role. Not all FBICAAA Chapters are fortunate enough to have a supportive SAC. Johnnie has been supportive of our chapter since he came to Birmingham in 2017. While we are sad to see him go, we are happy he is not going far and we are confident he will continue to be a supporter of the FBI Birmingham CAA. Thank you, Johnnie for everything!

The FBI fall class will start on September 13th at the FBI Field Office in Birmingham. It’s always an exciting time to meet future potential alumni. It is important to continue to grow our chapter and continue with our community service and outreach efforts. If you are able to volunteer in any capacity for the events listed in our newsletter, please respond. Not only do we have a lot of fun, it is a great way to network with local professionals in your area.

Our board members meet monthly to discuss new ways to get members engaged. If you have ideas for events for our chapter, we welcome hearing from you! Our board members are all volunteers and work hard to try to get members engaged. We need you!

Don’t miss out on upcoming events! Announcements are sent out weekly!

Thank you,

Jennifer

A Message from the President August 2022

Christopher Huys — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 14:41:49 GMT

Hello everyone,

I hope this message finds all of you well!

We have a lot of exciting things to share this month. Lisa Cooper, Paul Daymond, Paul Franklin and I had the opportunity to go to the FBICAAA National Conference in Norfolk, VA in June. Not only were we fortunate to accept the Chapter of Excellence Award for 2021 (see photos). Thanks to all of you who weathered the “Covid” storm and helped Paul Franklin and last year’s Board earn this Award!

We also came away with some great ideas to propel our Chapter forward. What we need from you is a little bit of your time to help us keep the momentum we are gaining. Please take time to review the FBIBCAAA Alerts our communication team puts out weekly to find areas where you can serve our chapter and our communities.

We are working to put together a TogGolf fundraiser in the spring. Our goal is to have the same day scheduled at the TopGolf locations in Huntsville and Birmingham. We will start by inviting our friends at the FBI and follow up by reaching out to other local law enforcement agencies. Our plan is to make this an annual fundraiser. If you would like to assist in coordinating this event and have some experience in Fundraising, please contact me at 205-914- 7075 or email me at President@fbicaaa-bham.org. Be watching for more information.

One of the FBIBCAAA missions is to assist the WellHouse in providing opportunities for restoration for female victims of human trafficking. Be sure to see our WellHouse feature in this Newsletter.

If your organization would be willing to provide job training or employment opportunities for these women please e-mail, Jim Stroud at jim.stroud88t@gmail.com. Jim not only serves on our board of directors, but also serves on the board for the WellHouse. If your organization would be willing to help it would truly be a blessing.

Please check out the alerts and the newsletter for ways to get involved. We look forward to seeing you all soon! Our next board meeting will be held in Alabaster on August 16 at 6:00 at the Shelby County Instructional Services Center. All members are welcome to attend!

Thank you,

Jennifer

A Message from the President July 2022

Christopher Huys — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 14:25:51 GMT

Hello everyone!

I hope that everyone is enjoying the summer while also surviving the heat. Many of you are getting excited about the World Games coming to Birmingham! I know many of our alumni have put in a lot of work to make sure Birmingham is represented well. I will be attending Drone Drag Racing and can’t wait to see what it is all about.

Thank you to all who came out recently to our Members Only dinner in Cullman in June. A special thank you to Matt Tootle for sharing information on Elder Abuse. Agent Tootle also talked about the FBI’s response to the shooting at St. Stephen’s where three people were killed. Thank you to the FBI and all the first responders for what you do every day to keep our communities safe and assist in tragic situations like this.

I hope to have much more to share in my next column following the FBICAAA National Conference. In the meantime, please enjoy your summer and stay safe!

Blessings,

Jennifer

A Message from the President June 2022

Christopher Huys — Thu, 26 May 2022 00:13:39 GMT

Hello fellow alumni,

I am overjoyed to announce the graduation of 23 new alumni from the Spring FBI Citizens Academy. It has been two years since we have been able to have a class graduate from Huntsville. We had a large representation of attendees from our Board of Directors on graduation night May 17^th to meet and greet the new alumni and we are excited to see what they will be able to contribute to our Chapter. The graduating class, as all are (thanks to the great Paul Daymond), is a very talented and dynamic group!

With every graduating class comes a revitalized energy for our membership. As I told the group on the night of graduation, they are the future of our association, our Board, and our mission. We hope that ALL alumni make a commitment to stay involved and we are working hard behind the scenes to organize more events for our members.

I want to give a HUGE thank you to Bobby Blankenship at Twin Peaks for the outstanding catering. It was some of the best food we’ve had for a graduation dinner. Huntsville alumni, you’ve got to go by Twin Peaks and try their roast and their salmon. It is exceptional! Thank you also to all the board members that were able to attend!

Details will be coming soon on a members only meeting scheduled for June 21st in Huntsville. We hope to see many of you there! Be watching for an announcement. Enjoy your summer and be safe!

Wishing you many blessings,

Jennifer

A Message from the President May 2022

Christopher Huys — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 23:58:34 GMT

Greetings Alumni!

I am excited to announce there will be a new group of FBICA participants graduating from the Huntsville class on May 17th! We are looking forward to having members of this class join the FBICAAA. We have been fortunate to have a board member attend almost every class in Huntsville and it has been a pleasure to see the energy of the group. I know these graduates will bring a lot of energy to our chapter!

The World Games are quickly approaching and we still need volunteers for the May 12th and June 9th surveillance training classes. If you are able to participate, please e-mail me at president@fbicaaa-bham.org. You won’t regret it!

Our organization relies on volunteers to stay in compliance with our National Chapter and Bylaws. Our board members contribute their time to meet monthly to help plan events and review important issues to ensure our chapter is a Chapter of Excellence. Currently we are looking for an active alumni to help manage our membership database. This is a very important role for our chapter and we need someone who can commit to the task. Please contact me if this is something you would be willing to do or if you would like more information.

We hope to firm up some membership meeting dates for you soon. Stay tuned!

Thank you all for your continued dedication to our chapter!

Jennifer

FBICAAA President, Birmingham

A Message from the President April 2022

Christopher Huys — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 00:05:15 GMT

Greetings All!

Are you interested in getting more involved in the FBICAAA? Are you computer savvy? Our chapter is in DIRE need of a Membership Chair to help keep our membership database up to date. If you would be interested in serving our chapter in this role, please e-mail me at President@fbicaaa-bham.org.

It is an exciting time for our Chapter as we have a new FBI Citizens Academy Class taking place in Huntsville. This is the first class the FBI has been able to host in Huntsville in two years! Many of our board members were able to attend the first class and greet the attendees. It is our hope they will want to continue on as active alumni upon graduation. We also held our March Board meeting the night of the first class and we are firming up some great activities for the rest of the year! We would like to give a special shout out to alumni member, Bill Honea, for providing dinner for the opening night of the Spring FBICA class. Thank you, Bill!

With the World Games coming up soon, we have been asked for help in offering actors to assist in the Surveillance Detection Course. We need 8-10 volunteers on May 12 and June 9 to help with this training. Volunteers will need to report to the Riverchase Galleria from 9-3 on these dates. Your mission will be to gather as much surveillance in the mall throughout the day without getting caught. Several members helped with the last training and it was a BLAST!!! You can even bring props to change your appearance. PYou will not only have fun, but you will be helping agents train to be able to identify potential threats. If you are able to volunteer for either or both of these days, please let me know.

Our chapter was able to serve the FBI in providing lunch recently to the NIEF (National Improvised Explosives Fundamentals) class attended by state and local bomb technicians. When it comes to these training sessions we are happy to help any way we can. A special thanks to FBICA Treasurer, Lisa Cooper for representing our chapter and making sure lunch went smoothly.

If you have not yet had the opportunity to tune in for one of the Link and Learns you are missing out. March’s topic was Made in Bejing: The plan for Global Market Domination. The programs are free and open to the private sector partners across North Alabama. Be looking out for information on the next event!

I hope you are all happy and healthy and I hope to see many of you soon!

Blessings,

Jennifer Cofer

FBICAAA President, Birmingham

A Message from the President March 2022

Christopher Huys — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 01:43:57 GMT

Greetings!

I hope this newsletter finds everyone healthy and happy!

February has been a fun month for many of our alumni. On February 1st, several alumni members helped FBI Birmingham and a National Guard WMD (weapons of mass destruction) Civil Support Team in training in preparation for the upcoming World Games. In this exercise, members went between Legion Field and Headquarters playing victims, witnesses and interviewees . It was a lot of fun and we appreciated the opportunity to assist in this exercise. We plan to have other opportunities to assist in training as the World Games approach.

Also in February, we held an in person members meeting at the Fish Market in Birmingham with special guest, Patrick Davis, Special Agent in Charge USSS Birmingham. SAC Johnny Sharp was also in attendance and expressed, again, his commitment and appreciation to our organization. Agent Davis shared with the group the extent of planning that is going into security during the World Games. It was fascinating to hear about the magnitude of security that will need to be in place for this event. It was a great presentation and felt good to be face to face with alumni and friends again.

FBICAAA, Huntsville InfraGard Members Alliance and the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency hosted another Link and Learn. Supervisory Special Agent Nicolas Forst, a profiler with Behavioral Analysis Unit-2 presented: An Overview of the FBIs Behavioral Analysis Unit. We had close to 50 in attendance for the virtual presentation. Stay Tuned for March’s topic.

If you are receiving this newsletter and you have not yet paid your dues for 2022, please do so today! We have a lot of great things coming this year, including alumni gatherings, opportunities to assist in preparing for the World Games, Range Day, Link and Learns and more. Renew TODAY!

Thank you,

Jennifer

A Message from the President February 2022

Christopher Huys — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 00:55:00 GMT

Greetings!

I hope that 2022 has found each of you healthy so far.

I’m excited to report that the FBICAAA Board held its annual Strategic Planning meeting in January. We welcomed our new board members and reviewed our plans to have more events in 2022, whether in person or virtual. I know we are all ready to get back to some semblance of normal. It was great to sit around, even virtually, and talk about the plans for our chapter going forward. The energy of our board is contagious! We are ready to take on the year and do great things!

If you have not yet paid your membership dues for this year, I ask that you please renew TODAY! You can find the link to renew on our website. A link is also provided in this newsletter. Once you are activated as an active member you will have access to participate in our members only events. We plan to host our first membership meeting February 15 at the Fish Market Restaurant in Birmingham. Not only can you participate in these events, your dues help us support many of our chapter commitments such as supporting our efforts supporting the Wellhouse, natural disaster community relief, fallen officer response, and much more. With more active members we can do more for our communities!

It is our intention to increase our member engagement this year in Birmingham and in Huntsville. The board is actively planning a members only event in February for Birmingham and an event in Huntsville in April. We hope to be able to alternate events every month and also meet in the middle a couple of times a year. This spring the FBI will welcome a new Citizen’s Academy cohort in Huntsville and we look forward to supporting them through their 9 weeks and having them become a part of our organization upon graduation.

As this pandemic seems to mutate and change with the wind, so we venture into 2022 trying to navigate it’s path while continuing to serve our communities in partnership with our FBI Field Office. We are so fortunate to have the support of SAC Johnny Sharp and COS Paul Daymond. They never hesitate to support our chapter and our efforts. Thank you!

I would like to thank each of you reading this newsletter for your continued engagement in our chapter.

Stay well,

Jennifer

A Message from the President January 2022

Christopher Huys — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 20:25:21 GMT

Season Greetings FBICAAA members!

With this being my first column as the new FBICAAA Board President, I thought I would take a moment to tell you a little about myself.

I’ve worked in the field of education for 21 years and currently work for Shelby County Schools as Student Services Supervisor. I work with a wonderful team of professionals to help administrators in areas of discipline, attendance, school safety and any other areas where we can serve students and their families.

On a more personal note, I live in Pelham with Buddy, my husband of 8 years, and our two dogs. My sweet mom also lives with us with her dog so we have a total of three fur babies under the roof. I am blessed to have two wonderful stepchildren, their spouses, and two beautiful granddaughters, all of whom I refer to as my own.

I graduated from the Birmingham Class in 2016 and have been an active member in the association since. I’ve tried to take advantage of all the opportunities the FBICAAA has to offer outside of the class. From Range Day, to After Dark Events, a trip to FBI Headquarters in DC, and so much more, I have continued to learn more about the FBI and all they do to serve our great country. I hope that in 2022, we can all have more opportunities to partner with them and find ways to serve our communities in the wake of the pandemic.

The FBICAAA Board will be meeting in January to plan out events for the upcoming year. Please make a resolution in 2022 to participate in as many events as you can. A reminder about paying the dues for 2022 will be coming out soon.

I pray that all of you have a wonderful holiday season and get some much needed rest! I’m looking forward to seeing you all in 2022.

Blessings,

Jennifer

A Message from the President December 2021

Christopher Huys — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 19:03:17 GMT

The end of the year approaches, and we are abuzz with activity – in just the last week, we had a fabulous members meeting in Huntsville and a board meeting from Birmingham; we've also been engaged in the nominating committee process, selecting nominees for next year's officers and board of directors, and to top it off there's been the inevitable sheaf of end-of-year reports and forms and such matters and things to deal with.

And lest I forget to mention it up-top, we have our Annual Meeting coming up on Thursday, December 2, at the Golden Corral in Cullman. I sincerely hope that you'll be able to make the short trek to Cullman to join us. Finding the location (especially given the prevalence and ease of GPS) is simple: I-65 to exit 304, follow East on Cherokee, and just as Cherokee is about to intersect with US 31, there's the Golden Corral. We have a good program and an excellent speaker (Jacqueline Gray Miller), so come on out, please, We'd all love to see you, and you can help transact some important chapter business as we spend time together.

And now to the other Big Deal. As I approach the end of the third year of my two-year term, this will be my final column as your President. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve you – one of the great highlights of my adult life. I want to take a moment to thank all the board members and officers who have so generously given of their time and talents to serve the chapter. I want to offer my special thanks to the FBI personnel who have made the time and the task go so very easily – SAC Johnnie Sharp, Jr., SAC Roger Stanton, ASAC's Todd Bobe, Andy Loftin...and so many more. Special thanks go to COS/PAO Paul Daymond, without whom the job would be impossible.

Over its history the Birmingham chapter of the FBI CAAA has been awarded time and time again as a chapter of Excellence, a Chapter of Distinction. What means much more to me is that in recent years we have been repeatedly awarded for our heart – we have had several of our members singled out for national recognition for their exceptional service to the community. In fact, the national organization created a new award – the Humanitarian Award – solely to recognize our chapter for its efforts to aid those in great need. So I'm proud of that, but also for our history of innovation. We were the impetus for the national CAAA to create a committee to work on human trafficking. And we – our chapter – initiated the efforts to provide relief and material aid for injured or slain law enforcement officers. And now that effort has gone national. We are hosting monthly “Link and Learn” programs on counter-terrorism. We started the “Coffee With and Agent” events that other chapters are beginning to hold. We were the first chapter to co-host Bomb-Making Awareness seminars...I could go on, but you get the idea. We get there first and we do it better. I am so proud to be a part of this chapter. I am so proud to be a partner with the FBI, helping to keep our people safe and informed. I am so proud of the people that I've been working with these several years, and all that we have accomplished together. And I am so, so proud to have held an office in this organization, and to have played some small part in all that we have done together.

So as I take my leave, please indulge me – I want to thank you, dear reader, personally. It is because YOU have taken this organization seriously, because YOU have supported the chapter – with your dues, with your attention, with your time and talents over the years – that any of this has happened. It has been a difficult and trying past two years, but because you knew the task was important and that the work we do matters – because you have stayed with us, we are still standing. We are doing more and more each month, and hope we will be back to something close to “normal” again in the near future. Please come out. Please take part. Please continue to support our chapter and to support our board and our officers as we continue to strive toward greatness. We simply can't do it without you.

Thank you again for your support. I wish you all the best.

--- Paul H. Franklin, President FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President November 2021

Christopher Huys — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 22:42:33 GMT

Greetings, all.

Let me tell you about some good things that happened in October. The first is that I’m still exhilarated over the training session that our members conducted with the Department of Homeland Security, where we (a cadre of FBICAAA volunteers) did role-playing as a team of bad guys, conducting adverse surveillance while trying to elude security force trainees in anticipation the upcoming World Games. We spent a half-day at The Galleria in Hoover, casing the place, taking photos, and being sneaky and menacing while trying not to be caught as we gathered information about secured and unsecured entrances, CCTV locations, as we sized up where to place explosives or ram a vehicle into the mall, what the police and security presence at the mall was...It was absolutely fascinating – our team built a texting group with our coordinator, and we passed information back and forth among ourselves, and even did a “dead drop” of a package...all while trying not to be spotted by the security trainees. At the end of the exercise, we had the opportunity to do a “debrief” with the trainees and their instructors to go over methods and observations. It was time well-spent; I think all our FBICAAA role-players thoroughly enjoyed the day, and I hope the experience was useful for the trainees. I highlight this event because I was told that they plan to do at least two more of these training sessions between now and Summer of 2022, when the World Games come to town. We’ll be looking for more volunteers. Don’t miss out!

The second is that we held another in our now recurring Members Meetings, this time in Birmingham at the Fish Market restaurant. Our speaker was Don Lupo, who presented us with a vast amount of information about the aforementioned World Games. If you were not aware, the World Games are likely to be the largest gathering of visitors ever to occur in North Alabama, and they will draw athletes, representatives, heads of state and other officials, and spectators from around the globe. The opportunity for the FBICAAA to play an important role is genuine, and I hope and trust that we will rise to the occasion and be a positive force in making the Games a huge success. But back to the meeting...Don did a fine presentation, the food was good, the company excellent, and chef George Sarris himself greeted us toward the end and distributed dessert – fresh baklava for each of us. A fine evening, enjoyed by all. Do plan to attend the next one, will you? We should be announcing a similar evening in Huntsville soon.

Our nominating committee is working on a slate of proposed officers to 2022-23 and nominees for open board seats for the upcoming term. And note that you will have a voice in this process because the members elect the board. The nominees will be presented at our Annual Meeting, on December 2nd in Cullman (because it’s halfway between Birmingham and Huntsville). There’s more about this meeting to come soon in an official announcement, so watch for that.

As we approach the end of the year and I look back on 2020 and 2021, the two things that amaze me most are that we’re still standing and that you’re still with us – you’ve stuck with us through the most difficult period this organization has ever endured. Your unwavering support of the FBI and your belief in the mission of the FBI CAAA is inspiring. I can’t thank you enough.

--- Paul H. Franklin, President

FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President October 2021

Christopher Huys — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 18:21:53 GMT

Greetings once again.

We have some activities and opportunities on the near horizon that I want to make you aware of. First and immediately upcoming is a request from Kirk Toth at the Department of Homeland Security. He has asked for our chapter's help in conducting training for security personnel for next summer's World Games, which will take place in Birmingham. He needs about 10 volunteers to do role-play on Thursday, October 7th– to pretend to be doing surveillance: photographing, filming, note-taking, and/or generally snooping about – at the Riverchase Galleria from 10 in the morning until about 3-3:30 in the afternoon. There are no great physical demands, no risks; and you will be told what to do and how to go about it. So...want to be a spy for a day? Write me and I'll give you full details: phfranklin36@gmail.com. Thanks!

Another upcoming good thing: we'll have another general membership gathering at the Fish Market restaurant at the Med Center in Birmingham at 6:00 pm Thursday, October 21st. If you came to the last one, you'll remember these are very informal, order-off-the-menu-if-you-choose-to evenings. We plan to have a speaker, but these are fist and foremost opportunities to get together, network, and socialize. Please come. It's just no fun if you're not there. Bring your significant other, or even an insignificant other if you have one of those and want to. And Huntsville members – we 'll try and have a similar gathering there in November. Stay tuned.

I had the occasion to conduct a workshop at our (very) recent National Leadership Conference, and by way of introducing myself to the assembled multitude, I mentioned that I was serving the third year of a two-year term as President of our chapter. What a ride it's been! On the one hand, it seems like it's been a long time, yet it also seems like just yesterday when we began this journey together. One thing for certain – it has not been a dull three years. We've done so much and accomplished so much as a group. There have been new faces, new initiatives, new partnerships...and Covid. So let's just say it has been...eventful. But now the end of my term approaches and we are beginning to focus on the coming year and the coming of new officers and board members, a new Memorandum of Agreement with the FBI's Birmingham Field Office, and it's new goals and objectives. We'll be convening a nominating committee forthwith, and we'll negotiate an MOA with the FBI, too. All will be revealed at our Annual Meeting, which we expect will take place in early December. You'll get a notice about that as soon as the particulars are finalized.

One more thing. We lost a giant this past month. Dr. Joe Popinski -- a long-time member, a multiple-term board member, a member of the National board of directors, long a trusted advisor and confidante to all our board members and officers, a thoughtful and reflective gentleman who was always on the right side of every discussion, one who never said; “no” when asked to assist in any project or to undertake any task...all this and so much more – Dr. Joe passed away in September from the effects of Covid-19. His loss is incalculable. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to Mrs. Popinski. Dr. Joe meant so much – did so much – for so many. All who knew Dr. Joe will miss him terribly. May we all try to live up to the example he set.

Please be well and take care.

Paul H. Franklin, President

FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President September 2021

Christopher Huys — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 00:02:09 GMT

Twenty years.

That’s how long it’s been. Twenty years ago this month, America endured the devastating, heart-wrenching 9/11 terrorist attacks. Twenty years. Three thousand deaths, the skyline of our nation’s largest city and commercial hub changed forever...Twenty years. This is a sad, sad anniversary, one that demands solemn remembrance and reflection.

9/11 changed everything. It certainly changed American society in ways big and small. A trip to the airport or a visit to any government office or installation should serve as proof of that statement. We are much more cognizant of the potential dangers that exist in our quotidian routines. We are changed, and we’ll most likely never be the same again.

The attacks that day changed the FBI, as well. The Bureau was tasked with taking on broad anti-terrorism and national security duties, and it has performed them commendably for a generation now, keeping our nation and its citizens safe and secure. And this, I suppose is where I can tie this back to what I am doing here today, writing this column.

I really thought about this month’s column simply being left as an empty white page with nothing but “9/11 -- 20th Anniversary” in the center, but in the end I decided I did want to relate his back to you. To us.

As I’ve said, the FBI CAAA exists to support the mission of the FBI. We are eyes and ears in the community for the FBI. We are ambassadors to the broader public for the FBI. We provide support to the Bureau whenever and wherever we can. We act as force magnifiers for our nation’s premier anti-terrorism and national security agency.

So when we support and co-host the monthly counterintelligence briefings, when we support and co-host the Explosive Precursor workshops...when we support agents in performing their jobs in any way, we are contributing to keeping our nation safe. The FBI is charged with keeping America safe and secure – protecting you, me, our

families and friends safe from hard; neutralizing threats against us and our way of life, and as we support the FBI, as we work with the agents, we contribute to that effort, too.

So as we approach this somber anniversary, please take a moment to reflect. And take a moment to appreciate those who have dedicated themselves to keeping us safe. And give yourself a pat on the back for all you do to help others and our society.

So be safe. Be good to yourself and others. Be of service. And be well.

Best wishes,

Paul H. Franklin, President

FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President August 2021

Christopher Huys — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 23:34:08 GMT

Greetings again, and welcome to August.

First, thanks to all who came out to the first of our (rejuvenated) Members Meetings. We enjoyed an entertaining and well-attended evening at the Fish Market restaurant in downtown Birmingham, where we enjoyed fresh seafood and afterward had a lively and informative presentation by Carolyn Potter and Holly Bunn from The Wellhouse. I cannot express how good it was to gather as a group again – in person – and just share space and enjoy one another’s company. I am certain that all who attended would score this as a success; and we are already planning for the next such event, which we’re expecting to host in Huntsville in the next few weeks. Look for details as soon as all are locked in.

One of the things that emerged for having an energized group and representatives from one of our long-standing service projects, is that opportunities – fresh ideas – arise. And it occurred to us that although we have worked with The Wellhouse to combat human trafficking for some years, the vast majority of our membership knows little about the facility itself. So we are discussing having a tour of The Wellhouse’s campus for our members in the near future. We’ll see the entire operation, including their newest buildings, which include housing for the very youngest HT survivors, a chapel, and their transitional living facility, where residents phase back to independent living and working in the community. We’ll try to make a good half-day of the visit by including a group meal or other such activity. So stay tuned as we work on arrangements.

And have I mentioned our monthly Counterintelligence Briefings? They are held the 3rd Thursday of each month, from 11-12 noon, and they are incredibly well-done -- packed with timely and useful information. You should be getting the invitations; please join us. Otherwise, we expect an opportunity to assist explosives expert John Bates at a workshop in the Quad Cities in September, we will be ushering in a new CA class in Birmingham that same month, and our National Leadership Conference will convene in Las Vegas that same month. Busy times ahead!

Let me take just a moment here. As I mention our national organization and our annual conference, let me note that NO chapter is better represented at the highest levels of the FBI CAAA. Two of our members – Dr. Joe Popinski and Andrew Smith, who serves as Treasurer, sit on the national board. Dr. Joe runs “front of house” for the conference, handling AV and tech matters for the entire proceeding. Don Lupo has been the strong force behind our crisis response team, both locally and nationally. And this year, I’ve been invited to present a workshop on “How to President” at the conference. Our fingerprints are all over this thing. It is a source of pride that the Birmingham-Huntsville chapter is looked upon as the Gold Standard among FBICAAA chapters – the standard for innovation and involvement, and we hope that never changes. Okay, that’s plenty from me for now. I hope to see you soon, perhaps at our next Members Meeting. Until then, please stay safe.

Best wishes,

Paul H. Franklin

President FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President July 2021

Christopher Huys — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 01:18:46 GMT

Greetings.

I had a bit of a mind-snapper yesterday. I logged on to our monthly Regional Leadership call, as hosted by our FBI National CAAA organization, and honestly, I just expected to spend a quiet hour listening to faraway people talk on faraway topics. Not so. Our Regional rep introduced Alicia Wadas, our national organization’s president, who greeted the dozens of attendees and immediately said; “Today I’m putting the spotlight on the Birmingham chapter.”

She specifically cited the recent training session on explosive precursors that SA John Bates conducted in Huntsville in May (wherein he trained industry and retail types on recognizing efforts to secure potentially explosive or incendiary materials), and then she told the attendees about our newly-launched monthly Counterintelligence briefings (important news and updates to defense contractors and researchers concerning spying and hacking efforts) – both of which we are proudly co-sponsoring and on which we work alongside our FBI partners. She noted that no other chapter in the nation has ever attempted even one such project, and here we are, launching two major such initiatives in partnership with our FBI Field Office in the space of a month. She held us up as an example of innovation and dedication to our mission.

Pretty much made my day.

Seriously, this indicates the respect and esteem in which we are held nationally – we are the chapter that TRIES stuff – we take on projects and we get things done. We always have and I hope we always will. When it came my turn to talk, I attributed it to two factors: our willingness to partner with the FBI and others to achieve progress and perform service to the community, and equally importantly, an unparalleled level of communication and cooperation with our Field Office. We are truly blessed in these regards.

Okay, back to the fun stuff: we’re back to having in-person board meetings as of June. And we are launching in-person members meetings in July. We will have our first gathering in a private dining area at the Fish Market in Birmingham on Thursday evening, July 22nd. You’ll hear much more about that shortly. We’ll follow that up with a similar event in Huntsville. We’re working on the details now. And look for a few other public events this summer, too – like a tournament at Top Golf in August to benefit human trafficking survivors at The Wellhouse. Please come out and support these events when you get the official notice. We have missed seeing one another terribly this past year, and we are eager to get back together and put things right!

I truly hope to see you in the very near future at one of our upcoming events. Please stay tuned for further details.

Best wishes,

Paul H. Franklin

President FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President June 2021

Christopher Huys — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 17:43:03 GMT

Greetings, all.

As much as I’ve tried to resist, and despite that it makes my wife groan to hear me do it, I’m going to do it – I’m going to quote Monty Python when John Cleese said; “And now for something completely different.” What’s different is that, upon advice of science and public health experts, we’re (finally) opening things up again. So expect more and more of our activities to take place in public once again. And may I add a hearty and heartfelt “Hoo-rah!” to that.

One thing we’ve learned over this last 14 months or so is that there’s a lot of positives to Zoom and other such virtual resources. So we’ll be maintaining a Zoom or Zoom-like component to almost everything we do for the foreseeable future. It simply makes sense when our membership is clustered around two population centers 100 miles apart. And it’s a boon to those who are out of town or otherwise unable to attend a given event in person. So that. But please know that we’re in the process of finalizing in-person members meetings on an alternating basis between the two cities to start ASAP.

A couple of other items of note: we’ve picked up two outstanding new projects: We co-sponsored (with Infragard) FBI explosives expert John Bates’ day-long training session on explosive and incendiary devices in Huntsville at the FBI/HPD firing range on May 12th, and we expect and intend to sponsor additional training sessions at other locations in N AL in the coming months. And our board has adopted another new program, whereby we will sponsor monthly counterintelligence briefings for defense contractors and scientific and medical researchers. Our chapter will handle registration and conduct surveys for each session. As a special favor, our members will be invited to attend these (virtual) sessions. The first of these counterintel briefings will take place in late June, and you will receive an invitation to register and join.

A brief explanation of why these two new projects are significant: we are the first and only chapter in the nation to undertake projects of this sort. We are honored to be asked and honored by the trust shown in our members by the FBI. And we want you all to benefit from our partnership with the Bureau. So please, when you see the invitation to participate by attending or volunteering to serve as we work these events, please do come aboard. You’ll always be welcome and appreciated.

As we transition to “normal” activities, expect to hear from us about upcoming members meetings, a fall CA class in Birmingham, the annual Civil Rights and the Law conference, some pure-fun social outings, and more. I do so look forward to seeing you in person soon. Until then,

Be well,

Paul H. Franklin, President

FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President May 2021

Christopher Huys — Mon, 03 May 2021 00:42:26 GMT

Greetings once again.

It seems that after months and months…and months of writing variations on the same theme (in the interest of public health and safety we are not doing any public events, but we are hoping for a change in the not-too-distant future…), it appears that we can now see a time when that policy will change.

The SAC has authorized a fall Citizens Academy class in Birmingham – the first in eighteen months! – and our board of directors has determined that we will began to hold in-person gatherings beginning this summer, and that we will plan for a fall chapter “retreat” at a nearby destination to allow us to, shall we say, reconnect with one another and begin anew. We’re thinking about a summer event centering around the FBI installation at Redstone Arsenal, and we hope to do home-and-home baseball games with the Trash Pandas and the Barons, as well. Bear in mind that all these events are contingent on the public health situation at the time, but at this point the trend line looks encouraging enough to allow us to be hopeful and to make plans.

The first thing we expect to offer is a late July members meeting – an FBI After Dark event – to be held in a private dining section of a Birmingham restaurant. We intend to follow that with a similar event in Huntsville soon after that, then make those members meetings regularly-occurring events.

Meanwhile, there should be a notice forthcoming any day now about a virtual members meeting, where we will host our “other” ASAC, Andy Loftin. Look for details about this Zoom meeting in the next several days; we do hope you will join us to see and hear all he has to say.

We had a good and productive face-to-face meeting with The Wellhouse, and we hope that we’ll be able to work very actively with them on Human Trafficking matters in the months to come. And I’m personally excited that we are about to embark on our first cooperative venture with our FO’s explosives expert, John Bates, as he conducts outreach and educational events to raise awareness about explosive and incendiary materials and efforts to secure them by potentially bad actors. We’ll be co-sponsoring a workshop in Huntsville on May 12th, and we hope that there will be many more to follow.

Let me sum it up by saying thanks for staying with us during this most unusual period. We’re going to make every effort to repay your faith and trust in this organization, and we look forward to seeing you very soon.

--- Paul H. Franklin, President FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President April 2021

Christopher Huys — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 13:07:24 GMT

Hello again, and welcome to Spring 2021.

It appears that we are on the cusp of being able to hold public events and to invite you to in-person members gatherings once again. Not today or tomorrow, but in the near future. And that is rather exciting news after what we’ve been through. I’ve recently been informed that SAC Johnnie Sharp, Jr., has tentatively approved a Fall 2021 Citizens Academy class in Birmingham – our first CA class since 2019. And we’ve begun discussing doing FBICAAA nights for Barons and Trash Pandas games this summer. And perhaps a summer event involving a tour of the new FBI facilities at Redstone Arsenal and briefings on the projects and progress there? And maybe a “range day”-type experience or two? Could be…we’ve got a lot of ground to make up. But so much of this remains tentative, awaiting the word that we can safely resume some public activities. In the meantime, you’ll find news in this issue about our upcoming April members meeting, which will be held via Zoom. I do hope you’ll make plans to attend.

What have we been up to lately? Well, we’ve assisted in tornado relief, brought in the “Soup Ladies” from Seattle to cook for first responders in the storms’ aftermath, we’ve assisted collection of needed items for tornado victims, and we made a very generous contribution to the Miami Chapter as they assisted the families and Field Office co-workers of the FBI agents who recently lost their lives in the line of duty. We are in the process of setting up meetings with The Wellhouse to assist with their clients – human trafficking survivors. And we’re trying to gear up our Bomb-Making Awareness project and arrange for new training sessions. And there are several other items that are beginning to crop up on the horizon – think of these as the green shoots of new life and growth for our chapter.

And listen – speaking of life and growth, I’ve been meaning to put this in a column for a while now, and I don’t want to let this opportunity pass me by again: What I want to say is this: Thanks. Thank you so much. Thank you for the faith you’ve shown to stay with us through this awful period when we’ve been so constrained. Thank you for keeping your membership current. Your dues allow us to contribute to assist the families of slain officers, to contribute to cover the Soup Ladies’ lodging expenses while they were with us, providing hot meals for first responders. But those are just a couple of examples. It’s everything we do. Everything we do is because you care about the mission of the FBICAAA, and what we do together means enough to you that you are willing to pay your dues each year to keep your membership current and keep us afloat. So thanks. And I really, really look forward to being able to thank you for your support in person as soon as we are able to schedule some “live” events. And for those of you who have not yet renewed your membership for the current year, please consider doing so. It would mean so much to us to have you back with us as a member in good standing.

Stay well and stay strong,

--- Paul H. Franklin, President

FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President January 2021

Christopher Huys — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 00:51:41 GMT

Fondest greetings to you all on the New Year. I hope you’ll allow me the honor of being among the first of the seven billion inhabitants of this planet to express the same thoughts: my gratitude – and relief – that 2020 is now in the past. It was a year that will be long remembered, but never missed.

As awful and disruptive as 2020 was, our chapter appears to have emerged relatively unscathed, and looking forward to the time in the not-too-distant future when we may once again fully engage with our many projects that serve the community. We hope and expect that we will once again be able to pursue our work on human trafficking, opioid awareness, bomb-making awareness, along with our efforts on crisis relief for fallen law enforcement officers and on natural disasters, as well as offering support for Citizens Academy classes, and on and on…

I hope that many of you were able to attend our excellent (virtual) Annual Meeting in mid-December. I do think we were able to put together a good show – our SAC, Johnnie Sharp, Jr., was excellent, as always – so very informative. It’s always edifying when the SAC can open up to take questions from the members as he did. It was lively and packed with useful inside information. We are so fortunate to have the relationship we enjoy with our FBI Field Office. SAC Sharp and COS Paul Daymond are simply superb. It is their support that allows us to be the outstanding chapter that we are. And Marc Curles, our board member, parliamentarian, and resident SEC football official, exceeded all reasonable expectations with his talk on officiating in the SEC in the time of Covid-19. Absolutely spellbinding. Our thanks to Marc.

But now, with the arrival of the new year, as the poet says; “The moving finger writes…”, and we must bid goodbye to several officers and board members whose terms expired at the close of 2020. V-P Ginger Ory, Secretary Debbe Trehern, our Treasurer Chris Karlson, and the great Joe Popinski…all vacate their seats due to term limits. Our thanks to all for their tremendous efforts on behalf of the chapter.

And we welcome new officers: V-P’s Brenda Conville (Huntsville) and Jacqueline Gray Miller (B’ham), Secretary Vanessa Vargas, and Treasurer Damita Hill, along with new board members Rish Wood, Fernando Valentin, Alex Brewer, Huisuk Kim Palmer, and Paige Boshell. We are excited about the prospects for a new and invigorating year. There are many challenges that face us and there is much that we want to accomplish. Let’s start out by stating our intent to be the best FBICAAA chapter in the nation, just as we have been for these many years.

Please give these new officers and board members your support, and we hope to see you – virtually at first, and in the flesh as soon as it’s feasible once again. Let’s pledge to go forward together and make 2021 a memorable year – for all the right reasons!

Happy New Year!

--- Paul H. Franklin, President FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President December 2020

Christopher Huys — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 22:43:02 GMT

Greetings. As always, I hope this issue of our newsletter finds you well and happy in this Holiday season.

This is the final time I will come to you in print this year, and it is truly a bittersweet goodbye we will bid to 2020. This is the point where in a typical year I would recount to you our chapter’s many accomplishments, events, and projects. But that would be in a typical year. I recall some years ago, in addressing her subjects, Queen Elizabeth II spoke of the then-current year as an; “annus horribilus;” and that is what we have experienced, as the pandemic – among other elements -- upended all semblance of “normal.”

Yet we have persevered. We have received awards – gaining both the highest honor given to a chapter, and as individuals, with several of our members awarded medals for their exemplary service to others. We have assisted on multiple occasions when law enforcement officers have been injured or killed in the line of duty, and we have organized and served as a coordinating agency for hurricane relief (repeatedly) this late summer and fall. So we’ve done what we could, and we’ve obeyed the advice of experts and curtailed our group activities, all while waiting for vaccines or therapeutics to arrive and allow more typical activities to resume. And on that front, we have hope that 2021 will be far better and more productive for us in the public arena, as it appears help is on the way.

So allow me to mention a few things: we are working with the local FBI Field Office, and we should have a new Memorandum of Agreement to present to you shortly. The MoA, as you may know, is the document that we use to guide and measure our projects and activities in the coming year. And we will be operating with a largely-new slate of officers and a few new faces on the chapter’s Board of Directors for 2021. We’re also working on a couple of opportunities to work together to make the holidays brighter for some folks who could really use the help. The details should be elsewhere in this issue, or if time runs out before final arrangements are made, we’ll email the membership to let you know how you can help.

More news: we will be unveiling the new slate of officers and a few new board members at our Annual Meeting at 6 PM on 12/17. We will hold the meeting via Zoom, and further details will appear else where in this issue. Our SAC, Johnnie Sharp, will speak and we know you’ll also want to hear from our special guest speaker, board member and SEC football official, Marc Curles, who will talk about officiating in the SEC. This should be especially interesting as he discusses SEC football in the age of COVID. Again, more details elsewhere in the newsletter, but rest assured that we’ll have a lively evening.

I’ll hope to see you on Zoom on the 17^th. And I want to thank you for your faith in us and your continued support throughout 2020. And please accept my wishes for a happy and blessed Holiday season for you and yours. Let’s all hope for a safe and enjoyable close to this year and a far, far better 2021 together!

--- Paul H. Franklin, President FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President November 2020

Christopher Huys — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 22:42:34 GMT

Greetings again. You know the old saying; “Time flies when you’re having fun?” Well, it turns out that it moves surprisingly quickly when you’re hunkered down in a pandemic, too. Thinking back on it, our chapter’s board had just completed our Strategic Planning Meeting in February -- we had all these grandiose plans for how we were going to organize ourselves and unleash all these great projects on the world in 2020…and a number of our members then went on Paul Daymond’s annual Washington DC tour. While there, I remember spending time in the situation room at FEMA and watching the first COVID-19 numbers pop up on the board in front of us. We returned to Birmingham in early March, and well, basically that’s where everything that we once thought was normal and ordinary ceased to be. And now – suddenly -- we are rounding the final turn and heading into the homestretch of 2020. It’s been extraordinary in every sense of the word. I think I can safely say that when 2020 is behind us, few if any will look back on it fondly.

But that’s where we stand for now. Largely still. Continuing to exercise the greatest amount of caution, trying to keep everyone safe and healthy. But as for what lies ahead…we simply don’t know for certain, but we have to plan as though a return to “normal” will eventually occur. With that in mind, this is the season that the chapter begins to prepare for the coming year. Very soon, we expect to meet with the Birmingham Field Office’s executive staff and negotiate a Memorandum of Agreement to guide our efforts in 2021, and we have undertaken the nominating process for a slate of officers to begin their terms in January, 2021. We’ve begun to lay the groundwork for our (Zoom) Annual Meeting, which should be held in early December (details to follow).

We have been hamstrung by the inability to host public gatherings and events this year, and it hurts us in an important way: we haven’t been able to interact with the membership in the way we like, and we have thus been unable to discuss the opportunities for active members to step into open board seats. So I would like to take this opportunity to invite members in good standing who would like to become more active to consider joining our board of directors. We will have several seats open due to departures from the board based on term limits, and we will need to fill those seats with active and enthusiastic members. If you would be interested in taking a more active role in the chapter, please contact me directly at: president@fbicaaa-bham.org to discuss the idea in depth. I’d love to hear from you.

Be well,

Paul H. Franklin, President FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President October 2020

Christopher Huys — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 17:11:34 GMT

Greetings. Another month has passed since my last missive to you, and…not a lot has changed in terms of the big picture. We remain in the same “holding pattern” that we’ve been in since March, and that pattern looks as though it will remain in place for at least a while longer. So thanks for keeping the faith as we try to follow the advice of the experts, observe best practices, and wait this pandemic out. It seems our best hope for the near future is for the release and dissemination of a successful vaccine or therapeutic, and indications are that those items are getting closer to becoming a reality. But so far, nothing.

While we’ve been unable to accomplish much in the public arena, we have been able to act on a couple of public service fronts. We’ve had two hurricanes strike the Gulf Coast in September: Laura, which had its landfall near Lake Charles, LA, and Sally, which came ashore less than two weeks later near the Alabama-Florida border. Both caused tremendous damage and left many thousands in need.

When Laura struck the Louisiana coast, we responded, as Birmingham always does. We collected funds, we volunteered and helped at the receiving site, and all in all, at least six truckloads of food and other supplies were sent to Louisiana to aid the victims of the hurricane.

Then, lo and behold, less than two weeks later, Hurricane Sally made landfall not far from Orange Beach, AL. And we have swung back into action. As I write this, Don Lupo and I will make a purchasing trip tomorrow to buy food and other needed items to send to south Alabama, mostly with funds our chapter contributed.

So it’s the familiar tale – a crisis occurs, a problem arises, a concern is raised…and Birmingham responds. It makes me very proud to be a part of a group like this – always willing to reach a hand out to assist others. And others notice. When we had this month’s Leadership Call for Region 4, our regional rep decided that she would place the spotlight on Birmingham’s disaster response efforts. We were singled out and congratulated for our work on these projects.

A thought or two: We are approaching the end of 2020, and may I say, good riddance to it. Bur as the year closes, we will begin to negotiate a new Memorandum of Agreement with the FBI Field Office, in which we will set forth the projects and activities we will be tasked with for the coming year, and we will undertake the nominating process for our chapter’s board and officers for 2021. There are several stalwart board members and officers who will be rotating off our board due to term limits. And in this most unusual year, we haven’t been able to spend time with our general membership, so it seems appropriate to ask you this now: if you’d be interested in taking a more active role in the work of our chapter and joining our board, we’d like to hear from you and discuss the prospect in depth. Contact me directly at: president@fbicaaa-bham.org, and we’ll talk about it.

Stay strong; stay safe.

Paul H. Franklin, President FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President September 2020

Christopher Huys — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 17:34:34 GMT

Two guys are sitting on the couch. One turns to the other and says; “Did you know there a million dollars in the house next door?” The second guy reflects on that a moment and responds; “You idiot, there IS no house next door – that’s a vacant lot.” The first guy replies; “Then let’s BUILD one!”

That’s a quote from Marx. Not Karl; Groucho. What does that have to do with anything? Everything. It says a lot about leadership. You’d have to say Groucho was the leader of the Marx Brothers. Why? Well, one reason is that Groucho defined the reality of whatever situation they were in. And that’s an attribute of a leader: they define the reality for the group. They make the possible seem easy and the seemingly impossible a potentially-attainable goal. They break new ground. They chart paths.

Each of you is, by definition, a leader. The idea for the FBI Citizens Academy involves bringing community leaders together in order to support and further the mission of the FBI. You all were invited to participate in the CA class. Ergo, you are leaders. You are dreamers, planners, organizers... You chart paths that others will follow. And you are aware that these are tough times for leaders, and all those who strive to make a difference in their community. We are constrained by the Covid-19 pandemic and by the need to keep ourselves, our family, and our community safe and healthy. So we wait. And we hope. If there’s a positive to take from these times, it’s that I suspect that we’re getting closer every day to the point where a vaccine is approved and made widely available, and perhaps that a therapeutic answer for the virus will be determined to be safe and effective. Soon, we hope and pray…soon.

Meanwhile, it would be appropriate to single out a couple of folks for their demonstrated leadership. One is Tim Johns. Tim, a board member, is involved in scouting along with his kids. He took the initiative to invite our SAC, Johnnie Sharp, to speak to his scout troop, and the SAC graciously accepted. He attended and the results were excellent. Kudos to Tim and SAC Sharp. An article and photos will follow.

And the other is Dr. Joe Popinski. Joe is about to rotate off the chapter’s Board (again), and will also be leaving the post of BMAP coordinator for North Alabama. Joe doesn’t do much for us; he’s only been active longer than any other Board member, where he has served multiple terms, has been the initiator of our Tech Committee, wrote position descriptions for our officers, edited our chapter’s by-laws, serves on the FBI CAAA’s National Board of Directors, has served as sage advisor to essentially every President we’ve ever had (I think)…other than that, he’s just loafed. Apart from his family, friends, and church involvements, of course. I joke, but the fact is that Dr. Joe has been the beating heart of this chapter for as long as I can remember. When we’ve needed something done, a hand has always shot up to volunteer to help, and that hand has most frequently been attached to Joe’s arm. All officers’ terms end, all Board members rotate off…none of us is irreplaceable. No one. Except perhaps Dr. Joe Popinski. Joe – heartfelt thanks for all you do and have done for us. Joe says he will remain an active member of the chapter, thank goodness. And Joe -- don’t think for one moment I won’t be consulting you. And my successor(s), too. Dr. Joe is like that house next door – he’s worth a million dollars.

Be safe; be well. We’ll see you soon.

--- Paul H. Franklin, President

A Message from the President July 2020

Christopher Huys — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 17:10:25 GMT

Greetings. And once again, I hope this edition of the newsletter finds you safe and well.

Though we are still largely in shut-down mode as of this writing, I can report that there are signs of life – efforts are underway to schedule general membership meetings with speakers, to begin very soon. Watch your inbox for announcements concerning dates and times. And there are plans for a fall Citizens Academy class in Birmingham, to begin in September. The nominating process for that class is beginning now, so if you have a name(s) of a prospect for this class, let us know.

And there’s news from National: The FBINCAAA has created a new award -- the FBINCAAA Humanitarian Service Medal -- and has granted it to several members of our chapter in recognition of their outstanding efforts in support of law enforcement officers who were injured or killed in the line of duty, and of course, for support of the investigation into the abduction of “Cupcake” McKinney. More on this elsewhere and later, but medals and certificates have been awarded to Don Lupo, Bill Conway, Joe DiNoto, Christine Karlson, Andrew Smith and myself. Congratulations to the recipients, and thanks for the good work. It says volumes that our chapter’s work has been so auspicious that a new award had to be created to recognize it – we broke the mold.

And – Breaking News – I have just today been informed by Tracey Ballinger at FBI HQ in Washington, DC, that our chapter has been awarded the “Chapter of Excellence” award for 2019. They are shipping our trophy to us, and it will be formally awarded in a public ceremony at a date and time TBA. I’m sure you understand.

Another item: you have probably received and may have puzzled over the “Membership Application” that popped up in your email just recently. “Why? I thought I was already a member? Am I supposed to pay dues again? What’s all this page-after-page of chapter behavior?” Good questions, all. Let me try to explain.

We have an excellent chapter -- a well-governed chapter -- and we have always played by the rules and colored inside the lines. But there have been other chapters that have violated rules and occasionally have even brought themselves gone “off the reservation” so to speak, brought themselves into disrepute and involved their local FBO office and even HQ into their problems. Chapters have even been dissolved over such issues.

To attempt to eliminate such confusion and conflict, National and HQ have determined that ALL our members should be asked to sign the FBI CAAA Code of Conduct, as well as the standards of conduct and governance that the chapter must follow to remain in full compliance. We’re not “fundraising,” although if you dues are up for renewal, we’d appreciate it if you’d take this opportunity to re-up.

We apologize if you have been confused by the application. Please continue to support us. And support us in our efforts to make our communities better – more decent, more just, and more fair. Join us, please.

--- Paul H. Franklin, President

FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President June 2020

Christopher Huys — Wed, 27 May 2020 20:16:05 GMT

It must be said at the outset that I am writing this column with an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. Once again, I send you greetings from my home to yours, hoping that this issue of our newsletter finds you healthy and secure. And once again it is my obligation to tell you that all our chapter’s outward-facing efforts continue to be on hold. It is our fervent hope that there will be a change for the (far) better in the very near future, but for now, we will continue to play it safe.

Our board of directors met via Zoom again in May, and this and our other such (virtual) meetings seem to go very well indeed. The attendance is excellent, the discussion is free and open, and we transact a lot of business. It seems as though we have stumbled upon something here, and I strongly suspect that even once we are able to meet as a group in-person, we will make provisions for those who cannot be present at the meeting location to attend via Zoom or its equivalent. So that’s a good thing – we are handling administrative matters well. We are fully in compliance with National’s standards, and all is seemingly well in that regard.

But as much as we seem to be handling administrative matters well, we miss holding public gatherings, doing educational work, doing outreach with and for the FBI, providing opportunities for all our members to gather and take part in the work of the chapter…There’s been so much that we planned for 2020 – from a fall gathering at Lake Guntersville to home-and-home baseball nights with the Huntsville Trash Pandas and the Birmingham Barons, Chasing the Dragon events, Bomb-Making Awareness Training sessions, a “takeover” social event at a Huntsville shooting range, regular members meetings at restaurants in both cities, home-and-home Top Golf events in both cities…and on and on and on…

I hope and trust that we will be able to resume our public activities soon. In fact, elected officials on both the state and national levels have urged us – all of us -- to “open up” and “restart.” But as much as we would like to comply and resume our normal activities, it is clearly not yet the time to do so. The Covid-19 infection rate is currently climbing in our state, and more Alabamians are suffering at the hands of this illness every day. And in the absence of proven therapeutics to treat the virus or a vaccine to prevent it, the best way to combat this disease is not to catch it. So with that in mind, our stance is this: we will monitor the situation. And when the FBI and local, state, and national doctors, scientists, and health officials advise that it is reasonable to do so, we will enthusiastically reengage our public activities.

Until that time, we welcome your continued faith and support in our chapter. Please renew your dues to support us. You may note that our board has lowered renewal dues for 2020 out of consideration for the virus and its effects on our group. And if you haven’t yet done so, consider making us your Amazon Smile charitable organization. Thanks so much for you kind attention, and I hope to see you all in person very, very soon. Until then, please stay safe and healthy.

--- Paul H. Franklin, President

FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President May 2020

Christopher Huys — Fri, 01 May 2020 12:02:47 GMT

Greetings. I hope that this issue of our newsletter finds you safe and well. As I was considering the phraseology in which to couch our chapter’s status for this month’s column, I happened to recall an episode of the M*A*S*H* TV series – one that took place back when it was still attempting to be funny. In this particular episode, Major Frank Burns, the perennial party-pooper they called “old Ferret Face,” was sent out on a scouting patrol. When he returned from his uneventful mission, they asked what he had found and he responded; “Sighted nothing; reporting same.”

Well, it’s a little bit like that. No public action. Everything on hold. But on the other hand, that isn’t exactly the case, either. It’s more like when you see a duck gliding along the surface of a lake: above the waterline it’s all grace and seemingly-effortless progress; but below, those feet are pumping like mad. So we’re a bit like that. Or to be absolutely truthful, we’re somewhere in-between.

Although we are still under orders that prohibit us conducting any significant public activities (CA class, BMAP training, members meetings…all postponed indefinitely), our board met for a highly-productive and well-attended Zoom conference in April and we’ll do so again in May. We’ve been taking care of administrative and other action items that needed attending to, and we’ve knocked a lot of action items out. And when we meet in May, we will begin making plans for those projects and activities that may be resumed, when it is once again safe and permissable to do so. And by the way, if your 2020 dues are still payable, you’ll soon be notified of a special rate available to give consideration for our lost time and limited activities in response to the COVID-19 restrictions.

So we wait. And if and when restrictions on public gatherings are eased, watch this space for news of upcoming activities. Our chapter stands ready and able to meet the challenges ahead of us to educate and inform the public and support and further the mission of the FBI. But until that time comes, please do us all a great favor and heed good scientific and medical advice, and keep yourself and your loved ones safe and healthy.

Stay strong!

Paul H. Franklin, President

FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President April 2020

Christopher Huys — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 19:31:27 GMT

Greetings. I hope this month’s newsletter find you all safe and well.

I am certain that no previous edition of our monthly missive has been delivered under more unusual or disquieting circumstances. So it is through this veil of uncertainty and upheaval that I write -- a stark departure from my usual pep talk detailing our chapter’s recent accomplishments and upcoming events.

As a nation, we are confronted with a public health crisis that is unprecedented in the past century. The Covid-19 pandemic forces all organizations, including nonprofits such as ours, to assess their activities and options during this period. Here is how we must act in response to the current crisis:

We will hold no public meetings or events until such activities are given an “all-clear” message by both government AND public health entities. We will reassess and announce the resumption of activities when we are advised that it is safe to do so.

We will hold no in-person board meetings or committee meetings until we are advised that it is safe to do so. In their place, we will pivot to conducting such meetings through email, teleconferencing, and other “virtual” methods.

All Outreach and Education meetings are indefinitely postponed to prevent contracting or spreading the Covid-19 virus. The Spring Citizens Academy class in Huntsville has been put on hold, and we will not be conducting “Chasing the Dragon,” “Active Shooter Preparedness,” “FBI Day at Children’s Hospital,” “Coffee with an Agent,” and other such programs and gatherings are suspended for the present time; and our planned “Bomb-Making Preparedness” class, tentatively scheduled for May, is presently in doubt -- subject to suspension and rescheduling. Stay tuned for information on when we can reschedule these events, and others like them.

Be aware that, because of your involvement with the FBI CAAA, you may be seen as privy to “inside information,” or that family, friends or coworkers may look to you as somehow better-informed than most, and they may look to you for information and advice in this crisis. Please take care to be properly informed and factually correct in what you say and do – it’s a form of public service and may serve to keep others safe. If you need sources for accurate information concerning the Covid-19 crisis, please obtain it from such trusted sources as these:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html

World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses

Johns Hopkins Corona virus Resource Center: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/

And another thing – Let me make it clear that we care about each and every members of this chapter, and we care about your well-being. So please follow the advice of the experts and stay safe. We also want to know how you’re doing and if there might be anything we could do to help one another out. So be on the lookout for a notice from us. I’ll be looking into the possibility of holding a chapter “town hall” via teleconference to give our chapter’s members a chance to let us know your needs, and apprise us of your ideas. So until the next time we chat – stay safe; be well.

Support the FBI CAAA with Amazon Smile

And as a far more upbeat note than my earlier column (you’re welcome), I want to tell you about a very simple thing you can do to support our chapter. It’s a form of fundraising that won’t cost you a single penny. Assuming you don’t live in a cave, I’ll imagine that you are familiar with a small start-up company called Amazon. In fact, I suspect one or two of you already have an Amazon account. But have you heard about Amazon Smile? It’s a subset of Amazon, whereby the company makes a donation of a small percentage of your purchase to a charitable organization – again at no additional cost to you whatsoever. And YOU can set YOUR Amazon Smile account to automatically donate a portion of your purchases to the FBI Birmingham CAAA. Here’s how it works:

From your computer, go to: smile.amazon.com.
Log in to your existing Amazon account.
At the top of the page, go to your account and select the option to change your charity
Search for FBI National CAAA and navigate to “location: Birmingham AL.” Select it.
There is also a box to check that will automatically open Amazon Smile each time you go to Amazon. It would be lovely if you were to check that box.

And from a mobile device, it’s equally simple. Get the Amazon app, then open, pull down the menu from the upper left and select Amazon Smile, then follow the steps just like on a computer.

This is a simple, painless step. Amazon will donate .5% of each purchase you make to our chapter. That’s not a big deal on an individual basis, but if you extrapolate that figure out over a few hundred members, it adds up, and can serve to help underwrite our chapter’s service to the community. And my thanks go to our friend and board member, Jacqueline Gray Miller, for this excellent suggestion.

So please take a moment and do us a favor -- visit Amazon Smile, set up your personal charity as the FBI National Citizens Academy Alumni Association, Location: Birmingham. And while there, set up your Amazon account as your default setting. You’ll be making donations to the chapter at no cost to you.

--- Paul H. Franklin, President

FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President March 2020

Christopher Huys — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 15:26:29 GMT

Lately, I’ve become hyper-aware of the cycles that occur in our chapter. Certainly board meetings leap to mind – probably because I must call them, set the agendas, etc.; but there are others as well, and there are those that are sources of excitement and enthusiasm. We express our appreciation to board members and committee heads who have rotated off or whose terms have ended, and we warmly welcome our new board members, officers, and committee and project heads. We have a great crew heading up our chapter, and our future looks bright.

A perfect example of our cycles is that, as March arrives and spring approaches, we anticipate the launch of a new Citizens Academy class in Huntsville. And as you all no doubt remember from your own experiences, the Alumni Association will be present in force, to warmly welcome the new students into our very special company (remember – we are a select group of community leaders, nominated by our peers to attend the CA class) on their opening night, and to provide a meal for the class and the alumni and FBI staff in attendance.

And our board is hard at work in this (still new) year, renewing our commitments to long-term projects -- beginning anew to arrange “Chasing the Dragon” showings in both Birmingham and Huntsville, planning efforts to deal with human trafficking in conjunction with our partners at The Wellhouse, and of course, much, much more, such as a second annual FBI Day at Childrens of Alabama, and a second sub-regional gathering that we expect to offer – a Summit at the Lake, bringing several chapters together at Lake Guntersville in the Fall. But as certainly as these cycles recur, we continue to innovate. In fact, our chapter probably initiates more new projects than any other chapter in the nation does or ever has. This year we have an important new project; a ground-breaking one, unique to the Birmingham chapter that we hope and expect will be a long-term commitment for our chapter. Let me tell you a bit more about it.

Four of our members – Dr. Joe Popinski, Tom Polk, TJ Knight, and I – attended training last year on the DHS’s Bomb-Making Awareness Program. We are now authorized to train volunteers to visit merchants and others and teach them to recognize efforts to obtain the materials to make explosive or incendiary devices. Now to you: If you would like to receive this BMAP training and become a Community Liaison officer, we would love to have you. We anticipate holding training sessions (4 hours) in Birmingham and Huntsville in March, and already have several volunteers signed up to attend the training sessions. There are still several slots available, so if you’d like to participate in a potentially life-saving program, call us or write us and volunteer to attend training. We’ll get you on board right away.

Thanks for your attention and support.

--- Paul H. Franklin, President

FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President February 2020

Christopher Huys — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 13:23:29 GMT

Greetings. I hope this issue finds you well and happy. It seems I’ve just had my first deep breath of this month – it’s really been busy around here. We had our first board meeting on the 12^th of January, followed by the Annual Meeting later in the afternoon. Thanks to all of you who came out to join us at the Vestavia Hills Library. I hope you enjoyed Dr. Joe Popinski’s program, which was an excellent overview of the Bomb-Making Awareness Program, which will be one of our signature projects in the days to come. A highlight for me was the opportunity to present well-deserved Chapter Leadership Awards to Bill Conway, Joe DiNoto, Chris Karlson, and Dr. Joe Popinski, for their outstanding efforts over the past year. And let’s take the opportunity to welcome Jennifer Cofer (our new Membership chair), Jacqueline Gray Miller, Chris Huys, James Watts, Tim Johns, and Gary McCullors to our Board of Directors. We look forward to working with them for the coming years.

We followed that meeting up with an all-day Strategic Planning session at Lake Guntersville State Park’s Lodge. You should have been there – it was magic. We got so much accomplished, and have so much in the works that we’ll be rolling out for you soon. One of the things we found was...we love Lake Guntersville State Park. We love it so much that we’re thinking in terms of hosting a gathering there in the fall. We are likely to call it The Summit at the Lake, and we’ll likely invite several other chapters to join us for social time, informational presentations and discussion groups, outings in the beautiful natural settings, and networking opportunities. Look for more information as the date approaches.

At the end of the month, I got a call from our Executive Director, Sandy Mangold, concerning the two police officers who were shot and killed in the line of duty in Waikiki, Hawai’i. The Honolulu chapter had never dealt with a situation anything like this, and Sandy asked me to help out. I called their President, Jason Fujihara, and we struck up a working relationship that became a firm friendship over the several days and the several long conversations. We leveraged some of our (unfortunate) experience from having assisted in three police shootings and a child abduction in 2019 to help the Honolulu chapter navigate the process of supporting the law enforcement groups involved in the case – providing food, beverages, and more to the investigators and the affected precinct, and in raising $20,000 in donations to go to the survivors of the two officers. It’s a source of considerable pride, that when a crisis occurs and the chips are down, the FBI Birmingham CAAA is where they look for leadership and direction.

And you’ll surely remember that I’ve been harping on the need for more and more frequent opportunities for our members to gather. We’re on it. Look for news of a social event in Birmingham in February, followed closely by an event in Huntsville. There’s great things happening in our chapter. We hope to see you at an FBI CAAA event soon. Be well.

--- Paul H. Franklin, President

FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President January 2020

Christopher Huys — Mon, 23 Dec 2019 14:08:01 GMT

Happy New Year! With this issue of the newsletter, we begin both a new year and a new decade together.

2019 was a year of great challenges and great accomplishments for us. I recounted much of the year in last month’s column, but as surely as I thought 2019’s crises were behind us, we were greeted with another tragedy – a Huntsville police officer was shot and killed in the line of duty. Once again, we rose to the challenge of feeding and supporting the local police in the wake of a tragedy. This time, special recognition goes to Board member Joe DiNoto and Treasurer Chris Karlson for handling local efforts in such an exemplary manner. Many thanks to Joe and Chris for their superior service. And we were assisted by Sandy Mangold, Executive Director of our national organization, who was able to marshal national companies’ support to augment the local help.

As proud as I am – as we are – of our chapter, and as much as we sincerely believe that we have the best FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Chapter in the nation, we have room for improvement. We could do more and better outreach into the community, there are initiatives that we could undertake, we have committees that could function more effectively; but above and beyond those items, the most pressing issue for us is that we could and should have more opportunities for members to get together.

That last item is the one we will focus on with laser-like intensity this year. We WILL have multiple opportunities for our membership to come together, socialize, network, and learn from one another, as well as to enjoy programs and presentations from FBI personnel.

The first general membership event is on the horizon – we will hold our Annual Meeting at 2:00 on Sunday, January 12^th, in the Community Room of the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest. We hope you’ll make plans to attend. You will receive more information about the event under separate cover, but please join us.

--- Paul H. Franklin, President

FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President December 2019

Christopher Huys — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 14:44:20 GMT

It’s far from an original thought, but as I sit down to formulate my thoughts for my final column of 2019, the first thing that pops into my head is; “Omigosh – this year has gone by so fast!” Yet here we are, staring at the calendar for the final days of 2019. Simply shocking…

So a few items to help recap our year: We began 2019 with tragedy – a fatal shooting of a Birmingham Police officer. Our chapter rose to the occasion, providing food for the slain officer’s precinct, then providing funds for his out-of-town relatives to attend the funeral. On a far lighter note, we held the inaugural “FBI Day at Childrens” in early Spring – an enormous delight for the kids at the hospital. We held “Chasing the Dragon evenings in Huntsville and Birmingham, with attendance greatly augmented by live streaming. We held the first Sub-Regional Gathering at Redstone Arsenal in summer, attracting attendees from Nashville and Jackson (MS). We co-sponsored Active Shooter Preparedness for Houses of Worship in both cities, attracting capacity crowds. Then when another Birmingham Police Officer was seriously wounded in a running shootout in late spring our chapter provided food and support for day after day to assist the West Precinct, where Officer Stafford was assigned. Soon after that incident, several of our number attended the National Leadership Conference, where four of our members received Presidential awards for Meritorious Service and our chapter received the prestigious “Chapter of Excellence” trophy – the highest honor possible. Fall arrived…more or less (we entered October with 100-degree heat and drought) and we were called upon again when a 3-year old child was abducted from a birthday party. We fed hundreds of meals over many days for the investigative team, and then we were specifically requested by the Chief of Police to lead a grid search through neighborhoods in NE Birmingham to look for the missing child, or evidence. Sadly, that story had a most tragic ending. A couple of weeks later, however we gathered at a Birmingham restaurant for a lively “FBI After Dark” evening. Good food, good crowd, great program…apparently, though, we had such a good time that the restaurant closed down the next week. Rough crowd, right?

All in all, this year has been quite a ride. The highs have been tremendous, the lows sometimes difficult to endure. But through it all we have continued to grow in number and in reach. As we approach the holidays, I am most thankful for the many opportunities – to attend the CA class back in ’15, later to serve on the board, and later still for the trust you’ve shown by allowing me to hold office. I am grateful – so grateful – for ALL the staff at the FBI Birmingham Field Office, and for the support and trust they give us. It’s humbling. And I am thankful for our hardworking officers and board members; and especially thankful for each and every one of our members. As good as this organization is and has been for 16 years now, it’s all because of each and every one of you. To all you interested, active, engaged members, thank you so very much. For those who haven’t yet had the chance to join us at events and meetings, please do so. The FBICAAA is one of those “bathwater” organizations – you know the type: where once you get in and get used to it, it’s actually not so hot...We are different. We are special. Come and be special with us – be an active part of the alumni chapter in the nation. You will love it. I hope you can join us at the FBI FO’s luncheon on 12/13, or the FBI After Dark that’s soon to be announced in Huntsville, or our Annual Meeting, which we will hold in early January.

Thanks for everything. Best wishes for happy and blessed holidays, and I hope to see you very soon.

A Message from the President November 2019

Christopher Huys — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 20:24:04 GMT

Greetings! When they hear that I’m involved in the FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association, people often ask what it is that we do. And longtime inactive members may wonder what the same. Allow me to catch you up on our most recent activities.

Since I last wrote you, we cosponsored our annual Civil Rights and the Law symposium. This year’s program focused on Hate Crimes and was held at the historic 16^th St Baptist Church. As always, it is auspicious and moving to attend an event at 16^th St, and this symposium was no exception. And since we are on the subject of senseless, hateful crimes, we were fully and deeply engaged when little Kamille McKinney was abducted from a birthday party in Birmingham. Our FBICAAA chapter coordinated with National leadership and the FBI’s local Employee Assistance Program and provided literally hundreds of hot meals and beverages to the Command Post, over the course of several days. We supported and fed as many as 50 FBI, BPD and JeffCo Sheriff’s Dept. personnel per shift, as they were investigating the 3-year-olds disappearance. And on Sunday, 10/20, we were specifically called upon by the Birmingham Police Department to conduct search parties in Huffman to look for the missing child. I personally led a squad of 24 on a grid search to scour a neighborhood, an apartment complex, and a wooded area, searching for clues or evidence related to the case. Thanks to all our members who came out to help with the search, and special thanks to our partners at Infragard and to Jay Germann and his cohorts from the Chelsea Police Department, who also answered the call for assistance.

On a brighter note, we had a very enjoyable evening last week in Birmingham, where we had an FBI After Dark event at Macaroni Grill. A good crowd attended, and we had social time with fellow members and some of their significant others; SAC Johnnie Sharp was gracious enough to join us and provide welcoming and introductory remarks, and then ASAC Todd Bobe presented a study of a case he worked in north Mississippi a few years ago, called “The Stupid Poisoner’s Handbook.” It was a wild ride.

Presently? We have the Birmingham Fall Citizens Academy class about to graduate in 2 weeks – the Alumni Association will provide dinner and firm handshakes to all. And Paul Daymond is making final preparations for Range Day 2019. Details will be forthcoming shortly. And if you missed the FBI After Dark in Birmingham that we just held, you’ll have another chance coming up shortly – we’ll be announcing one for Huntsville very soon, so look for details.

So…all in all, we’re busy and productive. But there needs to be more opportunities for our members to come to know one another better, and to socialize and network. So in that interest, know that in the immediate future, there will be an increased emphasis that – social educational, and service events to provide opportunities for our members to come together, so watch for announcements.

All best wishes,

Paul H. Franklin, President

FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President October 2019

Christopher Huys — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 18:54:43 GMT

I hope this finds you all well and happy. Recently, I’ve been sitting in on the sessions of the current Fall 2019 Birmingham Citizens Academy class, acting as an “ambassador” for the Alumni Association, and it has been an eye-opener for me. The sessions have been interesting and the presenters excellent, as always, but I’ve been most struck by the class members themselves. What an attentive, enthusiastic, engaged group they are! Several have mentioned that they are looking forward to joining the Alumni Association and remaining active after their class graduates, and I strongly suspect that they will have an impact on our chapter.

Their most outstanding characteristic is their enthusiasm – you get the sense the whole class is leaning forward in their chairs as they hear about the mission and methods of the FBI, as they are being brought into the “Circle of Trust,” as they learn the importance of the Bureau in keeping us safe, and of the opportunity we are given to act as “Force Magnifiers.” And witnessing this enthusiasm and their discoveries affects me, too. Coming to these classes on behalf of the Association – now for the, what, fourth or fifth time – gives me a new perspective. Far from being bored or jaded by hearing the presentations again in the company of the new class, I feel I’m vicariously experiencing the impact of this information for the first time. And it’s a powerful jolt. It makes me hyper-aware what an honor it is to be nominated, to be selected and to attend the classes; and now to be able to serve as an active part of the Alumni Association.

Similarly, I was on a Regional Leadership Conference Call earlier today, and got to hear about some of the projects that are in the works nationally; but what raised my pulse was the chapter reports: hearing how much good work so many of our local chapters are accomplishing. Guys, I hate to tell you this, but some of the other chapters may be catching up to us. We may have to reach down and find another gear in order to stay ahead and remain the nation’s premiere FBICAAA chapter.

And we will. We have our Civil Rights and the Law conference dead ahead in Birmingham, followed closely by our participation in the National Night Out in Huntsville; and we hope you’ll join us for an FBI After Dark event in October (touted elsewhere in this newsletter). We are working on a similar event in Huntsville for November, so look for an announcement of that soon. And our newly-trained Bomb-Making Awareness Program administrators will be beginning to do training sessions aimed at teaching the public to detect and report attempts to acquire materials for explosive or incendiary devices. And stay tuned – soon we will be announcing the date, location, program and other important details of our chapter’s Annual Meeting, to be held in early December.

Once again, thanks – for your support and for all that you do. I hope to see you soon.

Paul H. Franklin, President

FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President September 2019

Ginger Ory — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 14:21:27 GMT

Several of us have just returned from the annual National Leadership Conference in Houston, so allow me to give the briefest of recaps, as it pertains to the FBI Birmingham CAAA. First, and most importantly to all of us, our chapter was recognized with the award that represents the highest level of attainment possible – the Chapter of Excellence. Congratulations to all who helped us reach this pinnacle. The award represents recognition for a great deal of hard work and dedication by many. And on the subject of recognition for superior efforts, four members of our chapter were awarded Gold Medals for “Outstanding Dedication and Service” – so congratulations to Bill Conway, Andrew Smith, and Don Lupo. Due to an apparent clerical error, I received that award, too. Seriously, it was a distinct honor to be so recognized. So again, kudos to all our recipients. Overall, the conference was interesting and involving – these gatherings are a virtual hive of activity, and filled with information. We always make excellent connections with our counterparts from across the nation, and this time was no exception.

We are in something of a “breather” now, as we prepare for a busy Fall season for the chapter. Four of us – Tom Polk, Dr. Joe Popinski, TJ Knight, and I – are about to undergo DHS’s ‘Bomb-Making Awareness” program training, after which we will be conducting training for the public on recognizing attempts to secure IED materials; and the upcoming Citizens Academy class in Birmingham will commence on 9/17. We also have our annual “Civil Rights and the Law” events to be held in Birmingham the last week of September. Planning is just beginning for our Annual Meeting, and we hope to be announcing several more events in the very near future.

As we prepare for the upcoming busy and involving seasons, I recall a Regional Conference Call of a couple of months ago. Bill Wade, our Region 4 Representative, called on the chapters to give a recap of what they have been up to over the last month and what they had immediately upcoming. One by one, the chapters reported, and many of the reports were followed by questions or comments. When he called for the FBI Birmingham CAAA report, I gave them the thumbnail sketch of our most recent activities. I finished and was met by a brief period of silence and then “wow’s.” Bill said; “You know, your last month would constitute a busy year for most chapters.” All this is to say we have set the bar very high, and we never want to take a step back from our levels of service and commitment. And that is how we look to our future.

So please keep in touch. Follow us on Facebook, visit the web page, come to the events, but please continue to support your chapter in whatever way you can. I hope to see you soon.

Paul H. Franklin, President

FBI Birmingham CAAA

A Message from the President August 2019

Ginger Ory — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 19:00:00 GMT

President’s Column – 08/19

Pardon me if this is getting repetitious, but July has been quite a month of the FBI Birmingham CAAA. Fresh off the success of our co-hosting duties for the Active Shooter workshop “Protecting Houses of Worship” in Huntsville in June, we hosted the inaugural Sub-Regional Gathering, where our chapter was joined by members of the Nashville and Jackson (MS) chapters in Huntsville. To the best of my knowledge, this was the first such event for this or any FBI CAAA chapter, and it has garnered national interest. It was terrific to spend time with our local members and our many guests, and to tour and visit the FBI’s facilities “behind the gates” at Redstone Arsenal. More about this event elsewhere in the newsletter.

On a more serious note, when Birmingham police officer Cullen Stafford was shot multiple times and seriously injured as he pursued a robbery suspect, our chapter stepped in to help. Through the Herculean efforts of our board member, Bill Conway (who has done magnificent work on this project), and Executive Director Sandy Mangold of the National FBI CAAA, we have handled meals for the officers of Birmingham’s West Precinct for the past week. Furthermore, upon learning that Officer Stafford was shot the day before his 36^th birthday – and the day of his EOD date for the Birmingham Police – we’re working on plans to host a delayed birthday party -- complete with gifts, refreshments, and decorations -- for the officer, just as soon as he is healthy enough to enjoy it.

And one more thing: I received official notice this week that our chapter has been selected as a Chapter of Excellence by National FBI CAAA. Our representatives will be called up to receive an award to that effect at the National Leadership Conference in Houston in mid-August. The award is a testament to the hard work and dedication, as well as the inspiration and innovation, that marks our chapter as among the finest in the nation. It is heartening and reassuring to receive such an honor; however, we should resolve that any such awards or recognition we may receive should serve as landmarks in our history…but not campsites. We may be excellent, but we can and will be even better in the future.

More good things are in the works, and I’ll provide details as they are available. However, in closing, allow me to note an area that needs improvement: we need more opportunities for our membership to get together. The turnout for our sub-regional gathering was excellent, and it pointed to the fact that when we present an opportunity, our members show up; and we have a great time together. We will address this need and we will do better. If you have suggestions for opportunities or occasions for us to gather, please let me know. Meanwhile, this (more open events for our members) will be an item that we will be visiting more aggressively in the coming months.

Paul H. Franklin, President

FBI CAAA Birmingham

A Message from the President March 2019

Ginger Ory — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 14:56:12 GMT

As I write this, we are approaching the end of February and it has been a busy time for the board and our members. As our Spring events are rapidly approaching, please allow me to call your particular attention to a special few. First, we eagerly anticipate the new FBI Citizens Academy class that is slated to begin in Huntsville on the evening of March 12^th. The first evening of class is always a special time – community leaders and opinion-makers coming together to learn about the mission and methods of the FBI, new acquaintances to make, and the opportunity to share with them about the Alumni Association. And of course we hope that a good percentage of this cohort joins with us and becomes a part of the CAA’s continuing efforts. A number of us will be on hand to provide a meal and a warm welcome to the new class.

I have just received official word that the FBI Birmingham CAAA will co-sponsor an Active Shooter Preparedness workshop for houses of worship. The workshop will take place April 4^th at Rosewood Hall in the Soho section of (Birmingham suburb) Homewood. This all-day presentation will be limited to 100 participants, and holds great promise for being very timely and useful. An official announcement will follow shortly, and we will be seeking volunteers to assist us.

Additionally, there are two extremely special events that we are working to finalize, and I can tell you that I am excited about both. But unfortunately, I can’t yet provide details until the necessary final arrangements and agreements have been made. The most I can say at this point is that one will take place in Huntsville and will feature educational and social aspects; the other will be in Birmingham and will be a heart-warming day of community service. Watch this space – we will be making announcements on both events soon. And you’ll want to register for both early, as they should fill up fast.

The last item – The Washington, DC, trip. There are only a few signatory annual events in the life of our chapter, and chief among them is the absolutely perfect trip to HQ, Quantico, and other major sites in the Capitol, that Paul Daymond arranges each year. If you have been on one of these trips, you understand what I’m attempting to convey here. If not, let me tell you that this is a trip you’ll remember forever – a behind-the-scenes tour of much of what makes the FBI and our government “tick.” A trip you could never hope to duplicate on your own. The dates are April 15-17. It’s easy to do and a perfect way to get to know your fellow alumni on a deeper level. We share this tour with the Jackson, MS, chapter, and I can commend them to you as being good companions. So please seriously consider joining Paul Daymond on this trip.

I’ll close now by thanking you for your continued interest and attention. Please be in touch.

Paul H. Franklin, President FBICAAA

A Message from the President February 2019

Ginger Ory — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 15:30:00 GMT

As I prepared to write this column, I had occasion to ponder the purpose – the necessity – of my writing a monthly missive. And it occurred to me that, rather than dealing with the hard and fast – the dates and times and other specifics of the month just past and the one to come – my charge is more along the lines of telling you about the intangibles and the results of our efforts, things we’re working on, and items we’re excited about.

So let me begin this month’s notes by advising you that our chapter is in exception ally good shape. We have attained a record for active, enrolled members, with still more renewals arriving regularly. If you haven’t yet renewed for 2019, please do so now. You are needed and wanted. And another unprecedented success: we just held a “Chasing the Dragon” event at Huntsville High School on 1/24. We had over 209 pre-registered to attend in-person, and thanks to FBICAAA member and WAFF News anchor Liz Hurley, the event was live-streamed on WAFF and on Facebook. Early results indicate that over 9000 followed the event live through those methods. Let’s sum it up this way: great job by Ginger Ory, by all our many FBICAAA volunteers, by the panel (including our ASAC, Todd Bobe), and of course by Liz Hurley. Phenomenal results.

So, what’s on the horizon? We expect a fund-raising event at a local restaurant in Birmingham in February. Details should be available soon. We are in the early stages of planning for a recurring FBI Day at Children’s Hospital in early Spring. We are working with Paul Daymond to offer Refresher Training for our FBI Citizens Academy graduates, to present updated information to those graduates who attended classes several years ago. Expect an announcement of a Range Day-type event in Huntsville in the very near future. I could go on…

Now back to you. What we need from you is this: involvement. You were nominated to attend the Academy because of your talents and abilities. You learned about the Bureau’s mission and the Alumni Association’s efforts. To do what we do, we have several committees, many connections, which create many opportunities for public service. So please, when we have public events – attend. Network. Join in. And when opportunities for service arise – join in. We are nothing without you. But with you? There is nothing we can’t accomplish. We look forward to seeing you soon.

A Message from the President Jan. 2019

Ginger Ory — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 14:59:31 GMT

Greetings Fellow Alumni

Ginger Ory — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 03:27:51 GMT

Greetings Fellow Alumni,

I know I speak for our entire Board of Directors when I say we are very excited about the opportunities 2017 holds for our organization. Thank you in advance for your commitment to the success of our chapter. While we are still putting final touches on the calendar, I wanted to share the events we already have on the calendar for 2017:

Monthly Board Meetings (the 3^rd Tuesday of each month)
March, May, August and November meetings will be held in Huntsville

All other meetings will be held in Birmingham

All members are welcome at our board meetings

Partnership with Hazardous Devices School

Members in good standing have the opportunity to engage with the Hazardous Devices School from March through September 2017 by participating in a training session

Please call me for more details if you are interested in volunteering for this unique opportunity!

We started with 42 opportunities to serve and currently have 6 opportunities still available

Chasing the Dragon Presentation
This documentary was produced by the FBI on the growing opioid epidemic

Subject matter experts will be on hand to discuss the issue after the film is shown

Birmingham event will be held at Boutwell Auditorium on March 6^th from 930am-Noon

FREE and open to the public however reservations required through Event Brite

Huntsville event date and time TBD (will be in the evening)
Quarterly After-Dark Events

These evening events allow us to socialize as a group and interact with SAC Stanton

We are planning at least two Huntsville and two Birmingham events

The first will be at the March 18^th Huntsville Havoc game http://huntsvillehavoc.com/view/huntsvillehavoc/

Discounted $11 per person reserved seats - Alumni and Family are welcome
Time for pre-game social and any other pre-game activities to be announced soon
700 pm game starts
Stay tuned for Event Brite invitation
Huntsville Citizens Academy
Classes begin March 21^st and graduation is May 16^th
We welcome all Alumni to come and make the class feel welcome
Also, we will need food and drink donations for opening night
Active Shooter Workshop Conducted by Department of Homeland Security
Wednesday March 22^nd – all day event
Discovery Center III, 655 Discovery Drive, Huntsville
Open to the public by reservations required
Co-sponsored by FBICAAA and InfraGard
CAFY (Community Action For Youth)
July 29^th - Huntsville Jaycee’s Building - Volunteers needed to staff FBICAAA booth
National Night Out
October 3^rd at Huntsville Jaycee’s Building - Volunteers needed to staff FBICAAA booth
Birmingham event date TBD
Annual community-building event that promotes police-community partnerships
Range Day in Fall 2017 - Birmingham
Open to all Members in good standing
SWAT Team Demonstration
Bomb Demonstration with Bomb Techs
Joint event with InfraGard
Tour of FBI Hazardous Devices School in the Fall of 2017
Many of our alumni will have had first-hand experience about what goes on at HDS
Please consider supporting the FBI through volunteering to role-play in an HDS training session
Annual Quantico Trip
October 23^rd – 27^th
Travelling with Alumni from Milwaukee Chapter this year
Maximum 20 Attendees (Alumni in good standing and one Guest only for HQ and Quantico portions)
Registration to open soon
Interpol is once again among the organizations being toured

Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions related to our Chapter. I welcome your feedback and participation.

Jonathan Kirby

President - Birmingham FBICAAA

jkirby@redfcu.org

256-722-3514 (o)

256-539-8783 (c)

Fall Happenings in the FBICAAA

Mon, 11 Nov 2013 12:30:00 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

Today is Veterans Day, November 11th. Today is a day our Nation holds dear and celebrates with pride because of those it shines the light on - our Armed Forces. We are privileged to possess the freedoms we do because of those who currently serve and those who have served. Their selfless sacrifice, commitment, and dedication is an inspiration, one which is truly and rightly called our Nations' blood and treasure. We recognize and thank them. We also thank the families who lend to us their very own. Let us use today to thank our veterans and our military and show our appreciation and support. God Bless America and God Bless our Military.

2013 is fast coming to a close! October was a busy month for your FBICAAA Chapter. Two major events took place, both with tremendous member involvement. On October 1 through October 4, your Chapter partnered with the FBICAAA Honolulu Chapter to travel to Quantico VA to visit FBI Headquarters as well as the FBI training facility in Quantico VA. Our Chapter fielded the maximum number of participants, selling out the slots available. Interest was so strong there was a waiting list. st. The good news was that Honolulu ended up with a few extra spaces allowing all desiring Birmingham FBICAAA Chapter members the opportunity to go on the trip. Although Quantico was closed due to the government shutdown occurring during the time of their visit, the FBI and other governmental agencies that were operating were gracious hosts.

The second event, Range Day, was held on Tuesday October 29. This annual event is one of our most popular Chapter events. The day was marked by perfect weather, 17 alumni members, 2 retired agents, 16 members of the media (print and TV), and numerous FBI personnel. SAC Schwein was on site for the entire morning. Our Chapter provided lunch for all attendees featuring baked chicken, potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans, and some sweets for dessert. The day was a huge success as always. I thank the FBI Birmingham Field Office for providing the weaponry and the ammunition. A more detailed account of Range Day soon will be available on our website at fbicaaa-bham.org.

So what's next? The first upcoming event is the graduation of the 2013 Birmingham FBICAAA academy. Graduation is scheduled for Tuesday December 10th. Any alumni wishing to attend the graduation are welcome. Call me to make sure your name gets on the list. My cell phone is 205-482-6594.

The next and final event of the year will be our annual meeting. This is an important meeting as we all meet in one place to report to you, the alumni, what your Chapter has done. In addition, it is the time when you and I, as alumni, vote on submitted names for Board seats for 2014. This is an important meeting and one I encourage you to attend.

It has been a great year for your Chapter. Our Chapter depends on involvement from you and all alumni. I welcome your involvement and thoughts and serve at your pleasure. Take an interest, become involved, and I look forward to seeing you at the annual meeting of the FBI Birmingham CAAA.

Stay alert, stay informed, stay vigilant.

Your President,
Andrew Smith

Message from the President

Thu, 04 Jul 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

We have reached our half way point through the year and although we have been busy over the past six months the coming six months is shaping up to be a hive of activity. Before I begin I want to wish everyone a Happy 4^th of July!

Fourth of July:
The Fourth of July is a seminal moment in our nation’s history. The holiday commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from Great Britain.

This Declaration of Independence was precipitated by the legal separation of the original thirteen colonies from Great Britain which occurred on July 2, 1776. Once the resolution of independence had been proposed and voted on, the Congress then devoted itself to the Declaration of Independence which explained their decision. The wording of The Declaration of Independence was approved on July 4, 1776.

John Adams, a Founding Father of the Untied States, wrote to his wife Abigail the following in a letter on July 3, 1776:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress. And this is why we celebrate the Fourth of July as we do, with fireworks, patriotic events, and all manner of pomp. What a great country we are privileged to live in.

LEO Golf Tournament:
After much discussion and input from your Board of Directors, the decision has been made to cancel the LEO Golf Tournament scheduled for September 16^th of this year. This event was to raise money for an extremely worthwhile cause, the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund as well as being a fund raiser for the FBICAAA. However, it proved to be a daunting task in coordination, logistics, securing sponsors and timing. A gallant effort was undertaken by many but with budget cuts, sequestration, and a soft economy, coupled by our alumni leaders having to drive the coordination while working full time jobs, the Board determined if we were going to do this we were going to do it right. As a result, we felt we could not represent the Alumni at the level we wanted with these headwinds in our face. Having said that, we will redirect our energies to those events that further the mission of the FBI and serve our Alumni.

FBI After Dark:
The good news is I have been coordinating with Paul Daymond to schedule an After Dark event with SAC Schwein. Although a date has not been scheduled, I do know it will be held in the early part of August on either a Tuesday or a Thursday. Times and venue have yet to be determined but when I do know I will put it on our website. The topic to be discussed will be recent events relative to the NSA and/or the IRS. Be sure not to miss this informative event. This event will be held in Birmingham however, I have asked Paul to see if SAC Schwein’s schedule can accommodate a similar event in the Huntsville area in the near future.

Range Day:
The day we as an Alumni live for!! We have a date! Range day will be Thursday, October 29^th at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s range facilities. The FBI will be providing the ammunition and will bring their weaponry. This is a must attend event and we as an Alumni are privileged to have this opportunity. Our responsibility will be food and refreshments so be thinking of how you can help in that regard. This event will be attended by the local Birmingham media, focusing on the FBI so wear something nice in case you get caught on camera!

Thank you to all the alumni, the Board, and all the volunteers for a great year so far. I am looking forward to our upcoming events and joining with you in furthering the mission of the FBI in our communities.

Stay alert, stay informed, stay vigilant.

Your President,
Andrew Smith

Message from President Andrew Smith

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

Wow! It’s been a busy spring for the FBI Birmingham Citizens Academy Alumni Association! Here’s a summary of what we’ve been doing:

Helping Fellow Citizens Academy Alumni
In March, we as a chapter supported the Bresette Family after they experienced a tragic event while at the Birmingham airport. The father, Ryan, is a member in the FBI Kansas City Citizens Academy Alumni Association. Your chapter established a fund so that anyone who wanted to could contribute to show their support for the Brasette. I am pleased to report the fund now totals $10,005.93. These funds will be disbursed to the family in the near future. Thank you for keeping the Bresettes in your thoughts and prayers.

Spring Citizens Academy Graduation – May 14
On May 14 we graduated our scheduled spring class. The class was comprised of 26 leaders in the Huntsville community. Their eagerness and commitment to furthering the mission of the FBI in the community was transparently evident and confirmed by the overwhelming addition of many to the active rolls of the FBICAAA Birmingham. SAC Schwein was in attendance and gave a thoughtful speech and answered questions from the group. As always, Paul Daymond was the “host with the most” and kept the proceedings on track. Joe Popinski, Deb Jaramillo and I were afforded the opportunity to present the benefits and importance of being a part of the FBICAAA and I thank Paul and the leadership of the FBI Birmingham field office in giving us this important venue to showcase who and what our chapter is all about. I want to personally congratulate each of the graduates and hope to see each of you often at future FBICAAA events.

Air Traffic Control Tower Tour – May 18
On the heels of graduation (Saturday May 18), a group of 23 registered FBICAAA members and friends visited the Huntsville/Madison Air Traffic Control Tower (HSV ATCT) at the south end of the airport. Our host, Mr. Don Schrader, Manager of HSV ATCT was our guide along with a number of other ATC personnel. Due to the size of the group, we were split into three groups and were guided through three different operations – the radar room, the radar training room, and the actual control tower. We spent about 15-20 minutes in each area. It was insightful and quite educational especially in light of what air traffic has become since September 2001. The training the controllers go through is not only intense but the time to become certified can take years. Additionally, each controller has to be certified in each discipline so be assured as you fly that the folks taking care of us on the ground are as concerned for our safety as much as we would hope they are! I want to thank the HSV ATCT for their hospitality and personally thank Mr. Schrader for the amount of his Saturday he dedicated to our chapter. As a side note, Mr. Schrader asked me if he could go through the FBI Citizen’s Academy! I told him I would submit his name to Paul for consideration. After the tour, a number of us met at Greenbrier BBQ for some anxiously anticipated lunch before heading home.

So what’s next and how can you be more involved in your FBICAAA chapter?

Safety Day – Jun 12
Our FBICAAA chapter will be supporting the Safety Day at SMDC/MDA on 12 June by handing out Child ID Kits. The Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) with participation by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) are hosting their annual Safety Day on Wednesday, June 12 and the FBI-CAAA has been asked to support the effort. The Location will be the Redstone Arsenal, Von Braun-III building from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM. If you would like to participate let me know and I’ll make sure you get plugged in.

Community Awareness for Youth Day – Aug 17
The next event is the Community Awareness for Youth (CAFY) in Huntsville. This event will be held on August 17 and is a partnership between the Huntsville Police Department, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and Madison County in their Vision of building bridges in their community towards having one city with one vision of success for all; especially our youth! Many organizations will be participating as will the FBICAAA Birmingham. The event will include live bands, free food, free give a-ways and school supplies (as long as they last). They also hope to have some local celebrities to mentor the youth that day as well. The first year of the CAFY event they had over 1,000 attendees and last year they had over 2,500 attendees and they expect over 3,000 this year. Our chapter will attend and hand out bracelets, pencils and the Child ID Kits, al furthering the mission of the FBI in the community. This will be a fun event and I encourage you to consider attending. Our chapter’s board approved $200 to go to supporting the events of the day. On a FBICAAA note, Harry Hobbs, PhD, is the Community Relations Officer for the Huntsville Police Department and coordinator of this event. Harry just graduated from the Citizen’s Academy on May 14 so if you see him put him to work for us (I think he’ll be busy enough)!

Law Enforcement Open (LEO) Golf Tournament – September 16
In September we will be hosting our first annual Law Enforcement Golf Tournament (LEO). This will be a fund raiser for our chapter but also a fund raiser for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund in Washington DC. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is dedicated to honoring all of America’s law enforcement heroes – those who have died in the line of duty and those who continue to serve and protect. That mission is accomplished through the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, as well as programs such as Officer of the Month, Officer Roll Call and others. The date is September 16 with the event being held at the Highlands Golf Course in Birmingham. We are looking for sponsors, golfers, and workers. Be on the lookout for additional information by visiting the FBICAAA-Birmingham website.

Alumni Field Trip – October 1-4
In October we will be making the annual trip to Quantico Virginia. Participants will visit the FBI training facilities as well as the FBI Headquarters in Washington DC. This will be a treat for all that make the trip as the FBI Headquarters building has had limited access since 2001. Our chapter has stepped up to the plate and has filled all available slots. We even have a waiting list which is a testimony to you and our chapter’s commitment to supporting the FBI mission in the community.

I invite all alumni to be active and engaged. As we promote the mission of the FBI in our communities, we as graduates have a meaningful opportunity to be good citizens for a stronger America.

Stay informed. Say alert. Stay vigilant.

Special Message from FBICAAA President Andrew Smith

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 21:47:09 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni:

As you are now no doubt aware, the Bresette Family experienced a tragic event while at the Birmingham airport on March 22, 2013. Upon learning of the father's (Ryan) membership in the FBI Kansas City Citizens Academy Alumni Association, I wanted us as a chapter to acknowledge our support of him and his family. With the tragedy so fresh (less than 24 hours), writing this letter on behalf of the alumni was one of the hardest tasks I've ever undertaken.

I am posting it on our website as it is representative of us and our Association's support of the Bresette family. Click HERE to read the letter.

Ryan Bresette texted me Saturday evening acknowledging the receipt of the letter and the fund that has been established to benefit the family. He thanked our Chapter and asked that we pray for him an dhis family.

Click HERE to learn more about the Bresette Family Benefit Fund established by the FBICAAA or to make a donation.

Sincerely,
Andrew Smith

Welcome message from FBICAAA President Andrew Smith

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 20:31:43 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni:

It is an honor and privilege to serve as your President for the Birmingham/Huntsville chapter of the FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association.

As a 2007 graduate of the Academy and having served on the Board and Executive Committee over the past two years, I have had the opportunity to work with some of the finest and most dedicated alumni the FBI Citizens Academy has to offer.

We are fortunate that those who went before us laid a solid and enduring foundation to provide the continuity needed for future success. Don Lupo, thank you for your leadership over the past two years. Our alumni association is one of the largest, fastest growing and most active associations in the entire country. This didn’t happen on its own. It came under the leadership of a tireless, focused, driven leadership since our founding.

After reading Don’s farewell message you know 2012 was a very busy year. 2013 promises to be equally active. We will participate in pre-game festivities of the BBVA Compass Bowl on Friday January 4th, allowing us to promote our mission and hand out Child ID kits. We are hosting our first annual LEO (Law Enforcement Open) golf tournament fund raising event in April. A portion of the proceeds to go to the Fallen Officers Fund. Additionally, our alumni association will work with the FBI and North Alabama communities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights movement. These are exciting times and we have the privilege to be a part of these events.

Special thanks to the FBI for allowing our association the opportunity to undergird the FBI mission. The FBI’s mission is to protect us, our children, and our businesses from the most dangerous threats affecting our nation. I look forward to working with SAC Rick Schwein in collaborating in this shared mission and welcome him to the Birmingham/North Alabama field office. He has pledged his support and commitment to our endeavors and I am most appreciative and grateful. And as always, I thank Paul Daymond for his support and leadership.

This brings us to the serious business of who we are and why we do what we do. The word freedom is one we use to describe who we are as Americans. But those freedoms aren’t free. They came at a price and continue to be costly for those and the families of those who defend our freedoms every day. It is against the forces of destruction that we fight, those that wish to undermine our way of life, encroach on our freedoms, and slowly and subversively erode those rights so that we lose our individuality and our identity. At its core, that is what terrorism does. It forces us to react, usually to our detriment. Benjamin Franklin said “those that give up an essential liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety”. The FBI is on the front line protecting our liberty and safety to ensure the America we have known and love will endure for the benefit of every American citizen.

We do live in challenging times. As citizens of this great country, we need to continue to be responsible, we need to be engaged in protecting our community, and we need to aid the security and law enforcement officials where necessary and become active in this daily endeavor. The FBICAAA allows you and I to do just that. The key word for the FBI is vigilance, to get ahead of the next game changing event. I will assist this effort any way I can and I know you will also, so that our families, friends, children, grandchildren, and all those who follow us will say they stood up, not stood down; that they rolled, not rolled over; that they held up the ideals that the stars and stripes stand for - nobility, goodness, and freedom.

I am excited about the 2013 year for our chapter. We have a strong and seasoned board that is committed to our mission. Please be proactive in asking how you can participate. We will be busy and our success depends on your involvement. It is our alumni association and it only gets better with active participation from each of you.

I look forward to serving with you as your President for 2013.

Have a safe and Happy New Year.

Andrew Smith

Farewell Message from Don Lupo

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 02:13:04 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

I have been trying for a few days to come up with a final message for 2012, my final message as President of the FBI Birmingham CAAA. The words haven’t come until now.

As excited as I am for 2013, I am full of fear. I am fearful for our nation. It is ever more challenging for us as people that have taken an oath and a mission “to strive to keep our nation safer”. The battle rages on all sides. We are engaged in war abroad and in our own country. We kill small innocent children, we kill mothers, and we kill teachers and don’t forget we kill a Law Enforcement Officer every 54 hours. We kill those people on our own streets, in our own neighborhoods and in schools where it should be safe. The challenge is before us. What will we do? What will I do?

Well, I for one will not forget why I became a part of this group to begin with. Sure I was asked to join, but then I wanted to be part of something that would stand for good, that would help ensure that the acts of 9/11 didn’t happen again and I would get to join a group that was held together by a common goal, a common bond.

In the years that we have been an organization I am proud of what we have accomplished. I am proud to have followed Dr. Mark Michelson and Heather White in this position. I am proud to have been a small part in getting Child ID kits out to so many. I am proud to have had a small part in this organization reaching out to so many and saying we are here “to strive to make our nation safer”. I am proud to have had the opportunity to be a small part in bringing HEROES BEHIND the BADGE to our community. I am proud of each of you for standing up and claiming our mission statement.

I am not going away. Fatima, PK, Heather and I are not going away. This means something to us. What does it mean to you? What does it mean to me?

Even if I had not learned all about the history of the FBI, gotten to shoot on the FATS machine, gotten to attend the National FBI CAAA conference, gotten to go to Range Day, gotten the opportunity to go to FBI Headquarters and all the other opportunities that have come our way I would still be out there doing what we do because I am an American. I am a proud American. I love my country.

We were not built by slackers. We were founded by men and women of principle. We have a Constitution and a Bill of Rights to defend. We have a flag to fly higher than any other. We have an obligation to those that came before us and those that will come after to love, honor, cherish and defend our land. I am not a slacker and I know none of you are either. We alone can not do all that needs to be done. We must help recruit people to join us in the FBI CA. We must find people that share our goal, our common bond and that will accept the challenge laid out in our Mission Statement. 2013 and beyond depend on us. Our small group can be a mighty force in a revolution of change in
America . We can. We must make our nation safer.

Thank you Carmen Adams! Thank you Pat Maley! Thank you Paul Daymond!

2013 promises to be a great year. You have elected a strong board. You have elected officers that are going to lead us into the future. We have a SAC and two ASACs that have put it on the line to defend us. We have our SAC’s promise that he is here for us. With the Board, the officers and the leadership of the FBI Field Office we are going to have a great 2013.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Don

Join us for the annual meeting and board elections

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 04:50:39 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

Please join us for our final meeting of the year.

I hope that you will make plans to join us on Tuesday as we gather for our annual business meeting and board elections. We’ll be meeting at 6:00 pm in the auditorium of the UAB Highlands Hospital, located at 1201 11^th Avenue South in Birmingham (click HERE for details). Our featured speaker for the evening will be Richard Schwein, the new Special Agent in Charge of the Birmingham Division of the FBI.

During the meeting we’ll be voting on a slate of nominees for the board of directors. Candidates will be elected for a two-year term for the period January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2014.

Candidates running for a second term (current board members). Per our bylaws, this will be their final term of eligibility.

Birmingham	Huntsville
Mark Belcher* (2007)	Hilda Mary Esguerra-Eisler* (2009)
Keith Feinman* (2009)	Daniel Fillmore* (2010)
Mark Froehlich* (2010)	Deb Jaramillo* (2010)
Leria Jordan* (2007)
Andrew Smith* (2007)
Libby Todd* (2005)

Candidates running for a first term (new board members):

Birmingham	Huntsville
Poojah Chawla (2011)	No applications received
Sunil Sane (2012)
Andre Bittas (2011)
Shane Spray (2012)

Some board members have elected not to run for a second term. This leaves three vacant positions on the board which will be filled at a later date:

Birmingham	Huntsville
Vacant (was Montre Carodine)	Vacant (was Ana Ramos)
	Vacant (was Jacque Bray)

Our bylaws dictate that board members must retire after serving two full terms in office. During the meeting, we’ll be saying goodbye to several of our long-serving board members and officers who will be retiring at the end of the year: Don Lupo (2005), Pravin Kotian (2007), Fatima Carter (2006), and Heather White (2005).

It will be a great meeting and I hope that you will make plans to be there. As always, we want and strive to make our nation safer.

Sincerely and thank you,
Don Lupo
President

Board member nominations sought

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 18:51:13 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

Our organization has reached its highest-ever level of membership and we have thriving programs in place in both Birmingham and Huntsville. The coming year is going to be awesome, and we want YOU to be a part of it!

Please consider serving on the FBICAAA Board of Directors.

Several positions are coming open on the Board. Positions to be filled include slots for Huntsville and Birmingham CA graduates. The Board needs ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS. The board meets monthly and at other times as needed. Board members are expected to serve on and/or chair committees and special events and to take an active role in FBICAAA activities. It is recognized that the FBICAAA board is a volunteer endeavor. However, it is also recognized that board membership comes with responsibilities that are endowed by the membership at large. All Board members thus recognize their obligations to be responsible to their election by fellow alumni as well as respecting the time and effort of other Board members.

All alumni interested in serving on the board should submit an application to the Nominating Committee for consideration by 5pm on Thursday, November 29. Board members will be elected at the annual meeting and will serve a two-year term (January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2014). An application form and list of qualification is available on our website [CLICK HERE]. For questions, please contact the Nominations Committee at fbicaaa_bham@hotmail.com.

Please consider joining us in leading the efforts of the FBICAAA in the coming year!

As always, we want and strive to make our nation safer.

Sincerely and thank you,

Don Lupo

President

Huge things on the horizon!

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 03:01:09 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

I have never been more excited to be your president than I am today.

Our chapter has never been in a better position to do great things for our state and the 31 counties in the jurisdiction of the FBI Birmingham Field Office than it is now.

I told you in my last post that we were gaining momentum. We are. The final quarter of 2012 is going to be great, and next year will be even better. I urge you to get involved now. TRUST ME. There are huge things on the horizon and you will definitely want to be a part of it.

Here's a brief glimpse at what is coming:

November 13 - The Fall Citizens Academy Class will graduate. All alumni are invited to come back to the FBI building to reconnect with the alumni association and to meet the newest group of leaders to complete the academy. [Click HERE to register]
November 18 - We have the honor--and the responsibility--of being the first chapter to host a screening of the movie, Heroes Behind The Badge. We've booked the Alabama Theatre for the event and we need your help to fill the seats. So mark your calendars: we need people to help raise funds and we need volunteers to staff the event. Most of all we need you to help spread the word! [Click HERE for more information]
December 4 - Don't miss our annual meeting! We'll be meeting at UAB Highlands Hospital again this year for elections, a report on the year's activities, and an outline of things to come. Make plans now to attend! [Click HERE for more information]
April 15 - Introducing the Law Enforcement Open (the LEO) golf tournament. Under the leadership of Charles Perry this will be a unique experience for everyone. Make plans now to help. [Details to follow soon]

We're increasing our communiction channels to help YOU stay more connected with the FBICAAA:

We have a brand-new Facebook Page! Please find us on Facebook and "Like Us" to stay connected.

We have a brand-new Twitter Account! You can find us on Twitter @FBICAAA. Please "Follow Us" to stay connected.

We have an new-and-improved Website! Please continue to check the site for the latest information about the FBICAAA.

October was a busy month:

Range Day was a huge success.
National Night Out in Homewood went smoothly. Our association was well represented as we passed out child ID kits and safety information to the attendees.
Our new SAC, Rick Schwein, will be on site soon. We met him at Range Day. He's full of new ideas and promises to be a strong ally as we build our association.

I say this to you every time I write, but I mean it every time: we want and strive to make our nation safer.

Don Lupo
President

Building the Momentum

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:00:43 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

The summer has brought many changes. SAC Maley is now the Inspector General of South Carolina and ASAC Fletcher has retired and moved to Texas. We embrace the changes and we look forward to great times under our new SAC, who will be arriving in November..

Make plans to come to RANGE DAY on October 11 and meet our new SAC.

It seems funny to write October. Where has this year gone? Your FBI CAAA has had a wonderful and busy year. I hope you will take the time to look at the events and the gallery to see all the great things your alumni association has done.

The Fall 2012 Citizens Academy class is underway in Birmingham. The class is comprised of 28 of the city’s best business, civic and community leaders. I know many of these people personally and am proud to welcome them to the FBI Citizens Academy. We look forward to them joining our ranks in the Alumni Association when they graduate.

Heather White and I just returned from the National Leadership Congress in Denver. We had a great trip and many opportunities to network with FBI CAAA members from 56 chapters from across America. I can tell you that our chapter ranks up there with the best. You can be proud of all of the activities that we are involved in.

One of the action items you will be hearing about shortly is HEROES BEHIND the BADGE. Your alumni association will be bring to a local theater this beautiful and thought provoking motion picture. It will be a night you will not want to miss. Stay tuned to our website for more information.

One of the items that all chapters struggle with is retention of members and the funds that it takes to make a chapter run. We will have over 100 members by the end of the year. 2012 will be our most successful year in membership since we started. However, we know we can’t do all we plan or need to do with our membership dues only.

Our Fundraising Committee and the Board of Directors are planning our first golf tournament. You are going to hear a lot about THE LEO golf tournament over the next few months. Mark April 15, 2013 on your calendar. Come play golf or volunteer on that day and let’s raise some money for THE FALLEN OFFICERS FUND and for your FBI CAAA.

2012 is almost over and 2013 promises to be an even better year for the FBICAAA. Please let me encourage you to join us. Pay your dues and enjoy all the benefits of full membership. As always, I want to remind you to adopt our mission statement. We all want to strive to make our Nation safer together.

Don Lupo
President

Your FBICAAA - Setting our communities on FIRE!

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 23:05:23 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

As we swelter in the summer heat, I want to challenge you to seize the opportunity for leadership and service. Each of us was selected for the FBI Citizens Academy because we are business, civic, and community leaders--and I firmly believe that if our organization were to fully leverage the talents, abilities, and resources of our members, we could set our communities on fire!

The FBICAAA is a vibrant and growing organization. If you haven't been actively involved, I encourage you to get involved. We make a difference. And we have fun at the same time.

This past month we sponsored a members-only Law of the Gun training event that was both educational and fun--click here to learn more about it and to view photos.

Don't miss the opportunity to get involved this summer:

A CERT training class will take place in Huntsvile July 9- August 27. Click HERE for more information.
We'll be supporting National Night Out in three locations this year. On August 7, consider volunteering for a shift in one of our booths in Alabaster, Homewood, or Huntsville as we distribute Child ID kits and other safety information to families in our area. Click HERE for more information.
Join us in Denver for the National Leadership Congress September 19-22 as we gather with other chapters in the mile-high city. Click HERE to learn more.

The Birmingham and Huntsville Event Committees have more exciting events in the planning pipeline: the ever-popular Alumni Range Day, Community Awareness Day, a Gun Safety and Awareness event, and an Alumni Golf Tournament.

Our membership drive is underway. We're doing some big things in the FBICAAA, and we want YOU to be a part of it! So, if you haven't already paid your dues for 2012, please take a moment to do it today. Dues are tax deductible and help us carry out our mission. Click HERE for more information.

As always, I want to remind you to adopt our Mission Statement. We all want and strive to make our Nation safer together.

Let's keep the momentum going!

Don Lupo
President

Summer Opportunities for the FBICAAA

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:01:32 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

The FBICAAA is strong and growing stronger!

May was a busy month:

The graduation of the Huntsville Citizens Academy added 22 new alumni to our ranks. I was impressed with the enthusiasm and energy of the Huntsville Class of 2012, and I know that each of them has something that can help make our Alumni Association the best in the nation. We will soon have photos from the event posted to our website, so check back soon.
Over 100 FBICAAA alumni, FBI personnel, and their families on an Elephant Walk! We gathered at Sundown at the Birmingham Zoo where we enjoyed the hospitality of Dr. Bill Foster and his staff. It was a great time for food, fellowship, and a behind-the-scenes look at the animals. If you weren't able to make it, you missed a wonderful experience. Click HERE to view photos.

The upcoming summer months also bring opportunities for service and education in Birmingham and Huntsville, and I encourage you to get involved. You won't want to miss the upcoming Law of the Gun training event on June 23rd, and National Night Out service event on August 7th. More activiites are being planned, so stay tuned.

Don't forget that our membership drive is underway. We're doing some big things in the FBICAAA, and we want YOU to be a part of it! So, if you haven't already paid your dues for 2012, please take a moment to do it today. Dues are tax deductible and help us carry out our mission. Click HERE for more information.

As always, I want to take a moment and remind you to adopt our Mission Statement. We all want and strive to make our Nation safer together.

Sincerely and Thank you,

Don Lupo
President

We have a new website!

Tue, 08 May 2012 02:42:57 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

I am pleased to announce that our chapter has a new website! This website is our chapter's information hub; I hope that you will return here often to keep informed about events and activities and to connect with your Alumni Association.

Some of the enhancements to our website include:

a password protected members-only area (COMING SOON!)
an expanded photo gallery (COMING SOON!)
a membership directory and the ability to manage your contact information online ((COMING SOON!)
the ability to pay your dues online.

We wrapped up the month of April with a memorable FBI After Dark event. About 35 of us gathered at Nabeel's cafe in Homewood to hear SAC Maley brief us on the Ulugbek Kodirov case. If you weren't there, you missed a real treat! Click here to view photos.

The Events Committee has been hard at work planning a slate of activities for the next few months. You won't want to miss the upcoming Sundown at the Zoo, and the Law of the Gun training event. More activiites are being planned, so stay tuned.

As always, I want to take a moment and remind you to adopt our Mission Statement. We all want and strive to make our Nation safer together.

Sincerely and Thank you,

Don Lupo
President

Don't miss all the fun!

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

The year is going strong, and your board has been hard at work to provide leadership and programs which will benefit our membership and our communities.

The Huntsville branch of our chapter is active. The current Citizens Academy is underway and will be new graduates will be joining the ranks of the Alumni Association next month. Several Huntsville Alumni are enrolled in CERT Training, and have formed a FBICAAA CERT response team.

The Birmingham Events Committee has been busy as well. You won't want to miss the upcoming FBI After Dark program, the Sundowner at the Zoo, and the Law of the Gun training. More information about these events will be available shortly.

As always, I want to take a moment and remind you to adopt our Mission Statement. We all want and strive to make our Nation safer together.

Sincerely and Thank you,

Don Lupo
President

Happy New Year

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:54:46 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

Happy New Year! I am proud to report that your FBICAAA is strong and growing. We did many good things last year. To name a few, we made our trip to Quantico and FBI Headquarters, we participated in Community Awareness Day and National Night Out, we were able to help two of our Alumni after the tornado, we had a FATS Day at the FBI Building, we had a holiday party where we honored Paul Daymond, and we established our After Dark series in Huntsville and Birmingham. We also achieved the highest level of paid membership since our incorporation. So 2011 was a good year. Thanks to all.

2012 offers us the opportunity to do so much more and we will seize that opportunity. Our first order of business was to elect officers for 2012. Several people stepped up and answered the call for office and I am very proud to announce we have elected a great slate of officers. At the Board Meeting we also announced committee assignments. I am excited to have these officers and committee chairs to help lead our FBICAAA for 2012.

It was my honor to be in a leadership position in 2011. I am even more excited about returning as your president for 2012. I am pleased to announce that the folks elected to the Board from Huntsville are no longer ex-officio. You elected a strong group to serve you on the Board and now the Board has elected a group of officers that are going to lead us and do many exciting things in 2012. I am excited that in a short time we will have a class starting in Huntsville and it will not be long till Birmingham kicks in again.

Many ask, “Why should we pay dues?” The answer is simple: you get special invitations to events and the right to participate in those events that the general membership doesn’t get. Only dues paying members can go on the Alumni Field Trip to FBI Headquarters and Quantico in March. Only dues paying members can go to Range Day or FATS Day. So pay your dues and don’t miss out on any opportunity that is offered. You can pay by credit card, PayPal or check. Just visit the website for instructions.

Let me again point you to the website to see your slate of new officers, committee chairs and the calendar that offers opportunities for you to participate.

As always, I want to take a moment and remind you to adopt our Mission Statement. We all want and strive to make our Nation safer together.

Sincerely and Thank you,

Don Lupo
President

Membership Drive Ongoing - Its a New Year and a Fresh Start

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:04:34 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

We had a great 2011. However, that is in the past. As we embark on 2012, there are items of business to be handled. The Nominating Committee put out the call for nominations for a new Board of Directors and the new Board was elected at the Annual Meeting. So, let me welcome the new Board Members. Now it is time for the Board to elect new officers for our FBI CAAA. The call has gone out and next week at our Board Meeting that will be held at FBI Building we will elect new officers to lead the group for 2012. I am excited about the new members and the possibilities they bring to the table.

Dues for 2012 are payable. You can pay online by PayPal or download the form and mail your check to the address given on the FBI CAAA website. We ended 2011 with the largest membership ever. I am confident that 2012 will be even better and that more things will be offered to you as dues paying members that are exclusive to you.

One of those exclusive offers our annual Alumni Field Trip and the opportunity to go to Quantico and FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC. Mark your calendar for March 26, 27 and 28 and check the website for details. I have not been able to make this trip in the past, but I hope to be able to attend this year. All reports are that it is a DO NOT MISS trip.

I am excited about our organization’s sixth year. Thanks to all the Alumni for sharing the goals that are in our Mission Statement. We all want and strive to make our Nation safer.

Sincerely and Thank you,
Don Lupo

Ending the Year on a High Note!

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 04:59:06 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

It has been a phenomenal year! Our organization is thriving and growing. The number of active members is at the highest level in our organization’s history. Last week I had the honor of speaking at the graduation of the Birmingham Class, where 20 outstanding individuals joined the elite ranks of Citizens Academy graduates. Their enthusiasm is contagious and I know that they will strengthen our organization as they get involved in the Alumni Association.

The year is drawing to a close but it is far from over! I am excited to tell you about some important activities that are planned for the next few months. All alumni are invitedundefinedso please mark your calendars and plan to get involved!

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS – FBICAAA Board of Directors:
Several positions are coming open on the Board of Directors for next year. Positions to be filled include slots for Huntsville and Birmingham CA graduates. All alumni interested in serving on the board should submit an application to the Nominating Committee for consideration by Friday, November 11. Board members will be elected at the annual meeting and will serve a two-year term (January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2013). Click HERE to learn more about the qualifications for board service and to obtain an application form.
ALUMNI PARTY - November 20th:
Believe it or not, this year marks our chapter’s 5^th anniversary! Please join us on Sunday, November 20^th, as we return to the scene of our very FIRST alumni event for a party to kick off the holiday season. We’ll be honoring Paul Daymond for his service to our chapter and we hope that everyone will join us for this event! It will be a great opportunity to reconnect with alumni from Birmingham and Huntsville CA Classes and to visit with FBI instructors and retired agents previously involved with the Citizens Academy. Click HERE for more information and to register.
ANNUAL MEETING and BOARD ELECTIONS – December 8th:
All alumni are invited to attend our annual meeting on Thursday, December 8^th. We will have a special guest speaker and present a report of the year’s activities, hold board elections, and announce plans for the coming year. More details will follow soon, but please save the date! We hope that each of you will plan to be there.
MEMBERSHIP DRIVE CONTINUES:
You also know that we’re in the midst of a membership drive. It’s not too late to join the FBICAAA! As part of this campaign, anyone paying their dues between now and the end of the year will have their membership extended through the end of 2012 at no additional cost. Dues are tax deductible and help us carry out our mission. So don’t wait! Join today! Click HERE for more information.

It has been an honor to serve as your president this year. Let’s keep the momentum going!

Sincerely and Thank you,
Don Lupo

Join us as we work to make our Nation Safer Together

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 03:52:36 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

9/11 has come and gone without incident. Ten years have passed without an attack on our homeland. Both of those statements are true and there are reasons that we can say that. One of the reasons is groups like the FBICAAA. We have adopted the words: momentum, commitment, strength, opportunity, leadership and service; in our journey to “making our Nation Safer Together.” Every time we identify ourselves as FBICAAA members we are taking on the role of siding with the good guys and standing against forces of evil. Every time we see something that looks suspicious and report it to the proper authorities we do a job that needs to be done. We as Americans don’t ever want another attack on our homeland; however, there are groups that intend on doing just that. So, to prevent those attacks, we adopt those words and our mission statement and we stand together with the FBI in defense of our nation.

The new Birmingham Fall Class is in session. I had the honor of addressing them the first night. They are a great group of folks that are going to add a lot to the FBICAAA.

There are new dates on the calendar for events that we encourage you to take advantage of. Some of these events are for members only. The Membership Committee has done an outstanding job under Andrew Smith’s leadership. This year promises to be our best year ever for dues paying membership. Take a look at the calendar and see all the events that are still left for 2011 and make sure you pay your dues so you can take full advantage of every opportunity.

Your Executive Board met recently and will bring some items forward to the full board that I think are going to make us an even stronger FBICAAA. It is my pleasure and honor to be the President but all the credit goes to the full Board and our members for all that we have done so far this year.

Sincerely and Thank you,
Don Lupo

Building momentum

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 03:45:28 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

Can you believe that half of 2011 is past us? It has been a busy time for your Alumni Association and for the FBI Citizens Academy. I want to thank each of you for you for adopting the words: momentum, commitment, strength, opportunity, leadership and service this year. Those words define our journey to “making our Nation Safer Together”.

We have new graduates from Huntsville, a Birmingham-Huntsville FBI Citizens Academy Newsletter, a trip to FBI Headquarters and Quantico, the After Dark Program with the SAC, a National Board Member in Heather White and lots of events coming this fall that promise to make 2011 a tremendous year for the group. We want you to be part of the excitement. The Membership Committee led by Andrew Smith is working hard. It appears 2011 will be our biggest membership year to date. There are events coming up this fall that only members can participate in so get your dues in and join in the fun with us.

We will be announcing dates soon for CERT Training, Range Day, and a make-up date for FATS, a Sundowner experience at the new Trails of Africa at the Birmingham Zoo and an After Dark event in Huntsville. Please check the calendar often as new dates are posted.

The storms of April 27 have been the focal point for a lot of people this summer. Being the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Citizens Assistance for the City of Birmingham, I can attest to the long hours and pain that our communities have gone through. Some of our alumni members had total losses. By grace all our Alumni are safe but we all know someone that was taken from us on that day. Let’s honor them by doing something for others.

Sincerely and Thank you,
Don Lupo

Exciting things on the Horizon

Wed, 25 May 2011 03:38:48 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

Congratulations to our newest graduates from Huntsville! The nine weeks went by way to fast. I enjoyed meeting you in Huntsvilleand look forward to seeing you again. The FBI Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association hopes you will consider joining as a full member and enjoying the rights to extra benefits that non-members do not have. If you will visit the website you can see all the extras that are lined up for the year.

June 14 is approaching. Our trip to Headquarters and Quantico is planned for June 14-17. It will be a great trip to Washington. In addition to the Birmingham Chapter being there, the New Orleans Chapter will also be there. The SAC from New Orleans is making the trip as is SAC Patrick Maley from Birmingham. It is a great opportunity to learn more about the FBI, socialize with members, and make new friends from New Orleans. If you are a graduate and an Alumni Association member you are eligible to make the trip. Your guests are also welcome. The deadline for registration is May 31^st.

On May 11 the SAC gave us an impressive briefing on International Terrorism (IT). It came just a few days after an event in our country’s history that we will never forget. Murder of U.S. Nationals outside the United States; Conspiracy to Murder U.S. Nationals outside the United States; and Attack on a Federal Facility Resulting in Death were the charges. Usama Bin Laden, one of the worlds MOST WANTED, has been taken care of. IT is still a threat. Bin Laden was one of many so the war against terrorism goes on. SAC Maley provided us a lot of information and challenged us to be vigilant in our quest to eliminate IT.

We will be announcing dates for CERT Training, Range Day and another Sundowner event with the SAC soon. Watch the calendar for upcoming events and remember: momentum, commitment, strength, opportunity, leadership and service are the words that define us in our journey to “making the Nation Safer Together.”

The storms of April 27 that hit Alabama did a lot of damage. That damage was to things that can be and will be replaced. Some of our members were directly affected. We all share in the hope of rebuilding. Lives were lost. Almost 250 people that were Alabamians were taken from us. We all knew somebody that is not here today. Let’s honor them by doing something for others.

Sincerely and Thank you,
Don Lupo

New Quarter brings New Opportunties

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 03:12:20 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

A quarter of the year is almost gone. It has been a busy time for the FBI CAAA.

As you know, our first newsletter has been published. It has been received with glowing comments. The newsletter will be another tool to get the word out to fellow alumni on all that is happing in the Birmingham-Huntsville Chapter of the FBI CAAA. The Board has met with record participation each month and now we get to the part of the calendar that allows members to get in on the action. Check the calendar for all the opportunities.

Our Past President, Heather White, is now a Board Member of the FBI National CAAA. Heather will bring the same energy to the national board that she brought to our local board. We are very proud to have Heather elected to this position. Congratulations Heather.

The Huntsville spring class is in full swing. It was my privilege to address the class on opening night. They have nineteen class members and some are already inquiring about the FBI CAAA. They even have members that plan on going to FBI Headquarters and the FBI training facility after graduation. Let me remind you to make your plans to go with us to Washington in June. There are details for reservations on the calendar.

SAC Maley will brief all alumni on May 11 at Cantina in a “cutting edge Unclassified brief on International Terrorism (IT) threat.” This promises to be a really fun evening. Please check the calendar for details. The SAC and COS Paul Daymond are making a lot of things available to us that we haven’t been able to take advantage of in the past. I told you in my first letter the SAC and COS were going to offer their support and they have.

Please check the calendar for all the activities coming up an dremember momentum, commitment, strength, opportunity, leadership, and service are the words that define us in our journay to "making the Nation Safer Together."

Sincerely and Thank You,

Don Lupo

New Year Message from President Don Lupo

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 04:01:41 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

2011 promises to be a great year for the Birmingham-Huntsville Chapter of the FBICAAA. You have elected a slate of officers that are committed to working, having fun and growing the organization. The Executive Board has met and promises to engage each of you and tap your expertise. When called upon, be like the soldier in Glory that was asked, “Who will pick up the Flag and carry it into the fort if this man shall fall,” and say, “I will.”

SAC Patrick Maley and COS Paul Daymond are going to offer support as they have in the past. However, this is our group and we will be what we make of it. We have an opportunity to have a great year. I promise to do my share. It was cool to get to go through the class in 2005. We had a great class. Then I found out there was something after the class called the FBICAAA. I joined and now am the newly elected President. We are going to ask you to join if you haven’t; and if you have, we are going to ask you to help us recruit new members.

Last year we participated in several outstanding events. We will again participate in National Night Out, Be Ready Day, Range Day, and a trip to FBI Headquarters. We are represented in the national organization by our Past President, Heather White. Heather is the regional Vice President of the FBINCAAA. With the leadership of the Board, we will take on some new events as well for 2011.

In Heather’s year-end message, there were words like momentum, commitment, strength, opportunity, leadership and service. Let us take those words to heart. Let us be a part of “Making the Nation Safer Together.”

Sincerely and Thank You,

Don Lupo

Farewell Message from President Heather White

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 23:58:45 GMT

Dear Fellow Alumni,

It has been an honor to serve as president of this organization for the past year. I am indebted to the outgoing officers and board of directors for their time and expertise, and to the committee chairs for their enthusiasm for the initiatives that we have undertaken this year. But above all, I am grateful to SAC Pat Maley and COS Paul Daymond, whose unwavering support made all of our activities and outreach programs possible.

This has been a year of building friendships and strengthening relationships with fellow alumni and with the outstanding agents and personnel of the FBI as we worked together to serve our community. As the year draws to a close, I would like to take a moment to reflect on what we have accomplished in the last twelve months.

We have had a busy and productive year: the Alumni participated in our first Range Day, distributed Child ID kits at National Night Out and Be Ready Day, sponsored Citizens Academy classes in Huntsville and Birmingham, held events in Huntsville and Birmingham featuring special speakers, kicked off our sponsorship of the FBI-SOS (Safe Online Surfing) program, contributed to the National Law Enforcement Museum building fund, and embarked on our second annual Alumni Field Trip to the FBI Training Academy and FBIHQ. If you weren't able to participate in these events, I encourage you to visit our photo gallery to see what you missed!

The coming year promises to build on this momentum. The newly-elected officers and board of directors are committed to strengthening the organization, but their success is dependent on your involvement. There are many opportunities on the horizon for leadership and service and I hope that you will consider ways that you can get involved in the new year.

Sincerely,
Heather White

P.S. Click here to review the officers and board for 2011.