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