June 1, 2010
Today’s Program
FBI Agent Today’s Speaker
Charlotte Braziel
Charlotte F. Braziel has worked as a Special Agent (SA) for the FBI since 1988 and in 1996 became the Senior Team Leader of the Tampa Division Evidence Response Team (ERT). Recently she received a master’s degree in Criminal Justice at St. Leo University.
SA Braziel has been assigned to the Pinellas RA for twenty-two years. During this time, SA Braziel has been the case agent for numerous investigations to include major bank fraud matters, health care cases and organized crime investigations. In December of 2002, she was temporarily assigned to Tampa Headquarters to assist in a major terrorist matter.
She is responsible for the organization and directing of crime scene management as well as budget and training matters. She has taught and provided training for ERT personnel in the following topics: Post Blast, Fingerprinting, Crime scene management, Hazmat crime scene, Photography, and Computer search and seizure.
SA Braziel has been an FBI instructor at the International Law Enforcement Academy, in Budapest, Hungary in December of 2002 and December of 2005. She has also taught at the Department of Justice Health Care and Citizen Academy. In January of 2004, she participated in a forum with the National Terrorism Preparedness Institute which provided live video training to students located throughout the country. The topic of this forum was Perimeter Security and Crime Scene Management for a Weapon of Mass Destruction event.
What’s Happening
New Member
Tom Moseley, sponsored by Kevin Kelso, received his apron as our newest member. Enjoy collecting your fifty signatures and welcome to the club, Tom.
Three Minute Speech
New member Robert Sherman delivered his three minute speech. Robert graduated from Gulf High in New Port Richey. After high school he studied ministry and along the way met his wife, Pam. Later he studied in the field of education and human resources. Currently, he is the Director for St. Anthony’s Health Care Foundation. Pam and Robert have four children; Abigail, Andrew, John, and Rachel.
We are Bullish on Kiwanis
Ron Braun, the matador of our membership effort, is requesting all members to get Bullish and get prospective members to the signature program of June 22 – Skip Holtz, head coach of the USF Bulls. Reserve space now for your guests. Please E-mail the name, mailing address, phone and E-mail of the potential members to Tom Hallis at tom@tomhallis.com so that we may have an accurate head count.
Let’s Go Park
Pat Biscotti is coordinating volunteers to help park cars at the annual All Children’s Hospital Telethon on June 5th and 6th. Watch for his signup sheet.
More Scholarship Letters
Bob Byelick received the following letter from Rodneesia W. who is a sophomore at Lakewood High School
Dear Mr. Byelick,
My name is Rodneesia W. and I am a sophomore at Lakewood High School. This year l entered into the CAT or Center for Advanced Technologies program at my school. It is a little challenging compared to regular courses I must admit, but I'm pulling through; still maintaining A's and B's. It was a good change for me. Right now my favorite subject is Algebra II. I really enjoy math, especially algebra. Equations are my absolute favorite, and I'm doing well in my class. My teacher is also nice, which affects my favoritism.
As for my future career, I am now contemplating on exactly what I want to do. I know I want to work in the medical field, but I don't exactly know what I want to do. So I'm doing my research and talking with my mentor. I'm currently leaning towards some type of doctor. But then again, I don't know. I might work with medicines and be a pharmacy technician.
I would like to thank you again for my Doorways Scholarship. I am grateful and thankful. This scholarship keeps me on the right track. Whenever I come across a problem in school, I just remember that my scholarship is at risk. So thank you!
Sincerely,
Rodneesia W.
Last Week at Kiwanis
Kiwanian of the Day, Tom Hallis, introduced our speaker, Wayne Griffith, retired from the U.S. Foreign Service. He shared with us his experiences overseas, in particular his role in freeing a young American imprisoned in North Korea.
Although much of Wayne’s information is still considered classified, he did say the North Koreans will go to any length to collect information – Geneva Convention protocol be damned! While in North Korea negotiating the man’s release, guards entered his motel room searching for information while he slept. Awakening, his training taught him to play possum and let the bad guys do their thing. Later, a headache alerted him to the probability that he had been gassed.
After this incident, negotiations, well, more like demands yielded a settlement of $5,000.00 to be paid in cash to the North Koreans. The North Koreans released the young man into Wayne’s custody, but only after they agreed to sign a receipt for the cash for Wayne’s records.
Another experience Wayne shared with us concerned his predecessor positioned in Mexico. At the border crossing, the agent was searched by Mexican authorities (I use the term loosely). Explaining that he had diplomatic immunity, the agent was then met by the business end of a rifle. After this wakeup call, the agent gave permission for a car search. Later, the agent met with a Mexican General who brought the abusive border guards to his office. He then reprimanded them in front of the agent and asked the agent if he should have the border guards shot over the breach of protocol. All this over a routine border crossing!
We’ve all seen a worm in a bottle of tequila. But a snake in a bottle? Yeah, that’s right; Wayne’s signature souvenir of his world travels is a treasured bottle of whiskey with a three foot long snake inside. Wayne, was the snake dead or alive prior to insertion in the bottle?
Wayne, we appreciate you war stories from the archives of your colorful career.
Attendance Last Week
We had 50 members and 4 guests.
Jake Holehouse, son and guest of Ron Holehouse
Jerrell Young, guest of Ron Braun
Laura Pascucci guest of Guy Van Middlesworth
This Week’s Quiz
- When was the FBI Established?
- Who created the FBI?
- What is the mission of the FBI?
- Who is the current head of the FBI and how is this office obtained?
- What are the primary investigative functions of the FBI?
Last Week’s Quiz
- The most no-hitters been thrown on Sundays.
- Married… with Children television show used the song “Love and Marriage” as its theme song.Al and Peg Bundy were the names of the ‘loving’ couple on the show.
- The Missouri River is 2,540 miles long, while the Mississippi River is 2,340 miles long, therefore the Mississippi River is the second longest river in the U.S.
- The Jack Daniels distillery is located in Lynchburg, Tennessee.
- The state bird of Minnesota is the Common Loon.
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