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| ACA Conference Celebrates Patriotism, Professionalism |
| By By The Corrections Connection Staff |
| Published: 01/28/2002 |
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The American Correctional Association's 2002 Winter Conference last week recognized the renewed patriotism in this nation as well as the continuing professionalism among those in the field. Held in San Antonio, Texas, the conference featured well-known speakers and heroes in their own facilities. The conference officially got underway with an Opening Session speech by Lt. Colonel Oliver North, which reflected on the events of September 11th and what all Americans can do to be involved with the war on terrorism. In his speech, North recalled where he was on that fateful day - in an airplane which was flying over the Pentagon as it had just been attacked. As the man next to him witnessed the horror, North buckled himself into his seat, thinking that a nuclear attack was underway and his plane would be hit with an explosion next. The plane safely landed and North made his way back into Washington D.C., watching people escape the District not in fear, but in concern of their fellow man. 'There were literally tens of thousands of Americans walking out of our nation's capital,' he said. 'They were not pushing and shoving each other - they were helping each other. What I saw was heartwarming to me in the midst of all of this.' North, now a nationally syndicated radio personality whose show Common Sense Radio broadcasts from Washington D.C., took time to applaud the media's initial treatment of the attacks on this country, but also to criticize where that same effort has gone in overplaying the spread of anthrax and fueling fear of what is next. As for what of us not in the military can do to support our country, North advised the crowd to call their local high school and make sure they are not among the 19,000 across the country denying access to military recruiters. If they are, he said ask why, since the military needs 187,000 high school graduates between the ages of 18-24, and more than 18,300 college graduates to become officers. 'The young men and women we need will need to be replaced,' he said. 'You know about turnaround like this in [corrections], so we need quality people.' In closing, North stated that we have an enormous challenge ahead of us in how we deal with the long-term problem of terrorism. Referring to the famous statue of Iwo Jima he often visits for inspiration, the words at the bottom of that structure are as true today as they were the day those men hoisted the flag - 'Uncommon valor is a common virtue.' Following North's comments, the ACA bestowed it's Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship award to Kristie P. Smith of the Florida Department of Corrections for promoting Kin's principles in her everyday work. Medals of Valor were also given out to Officer Glen Williams of the Green Haven Correctional Facility in New York and posthumously to Sgt. Joe Allen Gamble of the Oklahoma State Reformatory for their courageous actions in the line of duty. During the conference's Annual Luncheon, America's Most Wanted host John Walsh shared with the audience the story of his son Adam's abduction and murder over twenty years ago. Walsh was able to turn his own personal suffering in to motivation to help others get justice against those who hurt them. Acknowledging the many victories of the television program, Walsh admitted that the credit is far from his alone. 'Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your support - criminal justice people are the real heroes,' he said. 'I am so honored to be here and look forward to working together for years to come. The average American knows what you do...and on behalf of them and thousands of victims, I humbly say thank you.' |
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