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
