HOUSTON ASIS INTERNATIONAL CHAPTER MINUTES

DECEMBER 17, 2003

 

The Chapter held a luncheon meeting at the Renaissance Hotel.  Chairman Mike Crocker CPP presided.  Sixty-one members and guests attended.

 

Opening Prayer: Bill Hart

Pledge:  Mike Crocker

 

A special welcome to Lisa Smith, Senior VP for Group 2 and our new Region 6 RVP, Neal Mulchrone, CPP.  Lisa encouraged the membership to plan to attend the National Conference, being held in Dallas next year.  It celebrates the 50th anniversary.  Volunteers will be greatly needed the Saturday night before the conference.  Please contact her if you can help.  Lisa also put out a challenge to the membership for the use of the correct name for our organization: “ASIS International”.  If you hear any Executive or Committee member use the wrong name, they must donate a dollar to the scholarship fund!

 

Committee Activities:

Newsletter:  Tom Hamilton CPP presented Mike Crocker with the first copy of our new newsletter.  Tom proudly announced that 586 copies of the newsletter were mailed that morning.  The first organizational meeting for the newsletter was held October 1.  The committee was recognized for their superlative efforts in producing the newsletter on schedule and fully budgeted through advertising sales.

Placement: John Brady encouraged the membership to check the web page regularly for new job postings.  Several quality positions have been filled this year.  A new position is expected to be posted in the next week or so.  It is a free recruitment resource for companies and an exceptional method of reaching high-caliber applicants.

Treasurer’s Report:  Copies of the treasurer’s report were distributed.  Invoices have been mailed for the local Chapter dues.  Prompt payment is appreciated.

Golf Tournament: The date is May 17, the week following Mother’s Day.  Please contact Mike Crocker, Darin Dillon or Bob Cascino if you would like to be on the committee.

Legislation:  PLEASE CHECK THE LOCAL WEB PAGE FOR AN IMPORTANT UPDATE ON HB 1769.

Elections: Darin Dillon CPP was sworn in by Neal Mulchrone as the new Chapter Vice-Chairman.  The remaining Executive Committee members, Mike Crocker, Bob Cascino and Pam Duncan, are incumbents.  The Committee Chairmen were presented certificates of appreciation for their contributions to the Chapter.  Steven Bourg, CPP, (TX Children’s Hospital) will replace Darin as the CPP Chairman.

Law Enforcement Recognition Award: The Law Enforcement Officer of the Year is selected from all the officers recognized throughout the year.  Mike Mallon announced that HPD Officer Michael W. Iwasyk, who rescued a drowning victim from the San Jacinto River, will be chosen for 2003.  The award will be presented at our first meeting in January.

 

 

 

Speaker Topic: Homeland Security: the proposed removal of the Texas Air National Guard from Ellington Field.  We were honored to have two speakers.

 

 

Special Guest Speaker: U.S. Representative Chris Bell, 25th Congressional District

 

Congressman Bell is a member of the National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations Subcommittee.  The Committee traveled to several locations including Israel, Jordan and Baghdad, to immerse themselves first-hand with the issues facing the region.  Homeland Security is always on the mind of those in Washington and makes up a large focus of work.  It was a major military accomplishment to capture Saddam.  Mr. Bell is especially proud of the number of Texans involved in the military raid.  But suffering, confusion and anger is still very present in Iraq and we should not be ready to celebrate, for we have a long way to go.  We may want to pull out, but we need to stay to help stabilize.  Afghanistan is a prime example.  The immediate threat was diminished, but the poverty and extremist environment undermines their recovery.  We have to nation-build as we did in Europe after WWII to make American safe.  This puts the magnitude of our commitment in perspective and we need international support, beyond Britain.  As first responders, there is no point in debating the existence of weapons of mass destruction.  The increasing pressure of our presence alone is very serious.

 

The Port Security Caucus consists of 100 bipartisan Congressional members, who are tasked with funding security in our ports.  We must educate the public on the hazards and risks.  Only 3% of cargo is actually inspected nation-wide.  In Houston, 7.8 million tons are shipped to/from Iraq.  The estimated required budget is $1 billion for 2005 and $6 billion over the next 10 years.  Yet only $400 million has been allotted, far short of the need.  $9.7 billion has been slated for missile ballistic programs, yet the CIA strongly feels the ports are far more likely to be targeted than a missile attack in general.  We must be proactive rather than reactive.  Simulated terrorist incidents locked down the ports, not only causing lost revenue, but a great loss of life.  The recent Long Beach shut-down, which was not terrorist-related, coast $1 billion per day.  The Caucus is currently working on a report laying out recommendations.  The answers are complicated and expensive, but they must be decisive. 

 

So far, it has cost $160 billion to liberate Iraq, but we won’t commit the same money to our own Homeland Security, especially to the ports and even when the CIA predicts they are our greatest targets.  The 147th Air Wing at Ellington is now in jeopardy.  It will be a huge blow to Houston’s security to lose them.  Mr. Bell is doing everything in his power to support keeping them here.

 

Speaker:  Gene Tulich, Commander, US Coast Guard (Ret); Chairman of the Houston Military Affairs Committee

 

The Military Affairs Committee started in 1931 under the Chamber of Commerce.  It now falls under the Greater Houston Partnership.  The Ellington Field Task Force formed several years ago and has been quite active in the last ten weeks since the announcement of the removal of the 147th Air Wing.

 

More military bases are scheduled to close by February 2004 than ever before.  A base closure is assessed on its value and “jointness” (the ability to consolidate agencies for efficiency).  Ellington Field is at risk because there is a lack of community support, particularly by critical political leadership.  No elected officials from Houston or Harris County have attended the meetings.  Other cities, such as San Antonio and Ft. Worth, are represented as they have a lot to gain. Currently, we can have a F16 in the sky within 7-10 minutes.  It is a 30-35 minute response time from the other two cities.  It is the same distance from San Antonio to Houston as it is from Langley to Washington DC; and the Langley Air Wing was late to respond on 9/11.  You cannot respond to multiple threats with one or two “hot planes”.  We must remember that Houston is the #1 target in Texas.

 

Ellington Field may not have a huge economic impact on the area, but their protective capability is profound.  Several organizations, such as the Bay Area Houston Economic Commission and the Harris County Commissioners Court have passed resolutions in support of the Ellington Air Base.  Their goal is to inform, not panic, the public and to place an emphasis on security.  We need to upgrade the aircraft, as it is the oldest in inventory.  To meet the “jointness” requirement, it has been recommended to move the 75th Army Division from Old Spanish Trail to Ellington.  They were recently activated for the first time since WWII.  This would provide joint military presence at Ellington (Air National Guard, Marine, Army and Coast Guard).  The 75th Division is trained to provide simulation exercises, a critical training tool.  The Task Force also recommends having a FEMA EOC at Ellington Field.

 

Commander Tulich strongly encouraged the membership, as Security Professionals, to contact their legislature and elected officials to participate in BRAC meetings and hearings.

 

Our next Houston ASIS International meeting is January 28th, 2004.