Remarks From the President - Tim Santel 

If ducks could cry, I am sure there would be a marsh somewhere in Louisiana filled with the tears of every pintail, mallard, and wood duck that passed through...

With the recent deaths of Jim Bartee and Joe Oliveros, I wonder what the birds are thinking right now as they struggle to find that wetland to rest and raise their young. The birds must be worried about this upcoming Fall when the winds begin to shift and the ice covers their favorite lake. That annual pilgrimage to the South just won't be the same for these flocks as they struggle to escape the barrage of gunfire, the ingestion of lead, the dangers of oil pits, the outbreak of avian cholera, etc. With the loss of Jim and Joe, times are gonna be a little tougher for the birds this Fall. These two men were true warriors for the waterfowl and they will certainly be missed by all.

A lot can be said for guys like James H. Bartee...He was a brilliant man from Texas who started his career working for the Refuges, including the Delta NWR in Louisiana. It was there that he cherished his lifelong loves - waterfowl, oak trees and his wife Bobbi... Jim served his country after being drafted in the Vietnam War and upon his return, he continued his call to duty by protecting wildlife as a federal agent. Jim worked tirelessly as a field agent and Senior Resident Agent, with stops in Louisiana, Oregon and Hawaii. 

A couple of years ago, Jim retired as Senior Resident Agent in Slidell, LA, a position he held for nearly 12 years. During his tenure in Cajun country, Jim fought hard to protect those ducks that called the bayou their Winter home. Up until his death, Jim continued his passion for the outdoors and kept busy by planting trees and studying wildlife. The Association made a donation in Jim's honor to the National Audubon Society Living Tribute Program.

When Joe Oliveros passed away on April 21st, the world lost a truly special person. Joe Oliveros epitomized the inherent qualities that we all should seek in our daily lives and his dedication and devotion to protecting wildlife set a standard that many of us strive to achieve. Joe had a passion for wildlife protection and he devoted over 29 years to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, working as a wildlife student trainee, refuge manager and special agent. Joe began his prominent career as a special agent in 1980, working waterfowl poachers throughout Louisiana until becoming the Senior Resident Agent in Colorado for a brief period. 

Joe's passion for the field brought him back to Monroe, LA, and he picked up where he left off, scooping bait and hauling away piles of illegally killed waterfowl. Joe made a difference and even the bad guys admired his tenacity. In 1994, Joe transferred to Florida and immediately made an impact by initiating a strong law enforcement presence throughout the State in order to protect the federally endangered manatee. Manatees became the focus of Joe's life during his last few years. In 1999, Joe Oliveros was presented with the coveted Guy Bradley Award for all of his dedication to wildlife protection.

Joe Oliveros became a household name throughout the United States when it came to migratory bird protection. His expertise and knowledge were often utilized to craft many of the laws, regulations, policies and procedures that we have in place today. Joe shared his expertise and insight as an instructor at FLETC for our new agents and he enjoyed the countless hours it took to put the migratory bird training program together. I felt honored when Joe requested my participation on his teaching team at FLETC and I have vivid memories during those years I helped him teach in Georgia.

Ask any agent about some of the best training they had during SABS, and I bet they'd share a brief story that involved the migratory bird training program that Joe put together. Those memories are really a tribute to the impact that this man has had in most of our careers. So much can be said about Joe and his upbeat personality. Even while fighting his battle with cancer, Joe continued to stay positive and he worked tirelessly for the wildlife up to his last days. Physically weak and unable to drive, his wife Susan took Joe to the office where he still worked on cases, prepared for court, coordinated task forces, and provided great advice. His dedication to his job should be inspirational to all of us.

When heroes pass in our world, often times they are memorialized by tributes, statues, retirement of uniforms, and the like. It seemed only fitting that the same recognition be given to one of our heroes, Joe Oliveros. On May 3, 2001, I sent a letter to Marshall P. Jones, Acting Director of the USFWS, asking that consideration be made to name a National Wildlife Refuge in Joe's honor. 

Although the FWOA appears to have widespread support for this request, it is unclear at this time if and when this honor can be bestowed upon Joe. Stealing a page from Joe's play book, the Association will work tirelessly to see that this request happens, no matter what obstacles lie before us. In addition, the Association will also be working to create the Joe Oliveros Award to be presented to a new agent prior to graduating from the academy who displays those same inherent qualities that Agent Oliveros possessed. It is anticipated that the classmates will vote for the winner of this award.

The importance of a fraternal organization like the Federal Wildlife Officers Association seems more obvious than ever during these difficult times. Losing friends like Jim and Joe can be tough and keeping the memories vivid in our minds helps with the healing process. Last Summer, my own family had the privilege of meeting Joe Oliveros in Florida and the kids referred to Joe as the man who protected the manatees. The innocence of a child is precious. 

Last week, while kneeling and saying bedtime prayers with my 6 year old daughter Shelby, I asked who she wanted to pray for. With a little thought, she whispered, "Joe, the man that took care of the manatees". Then a lump formed in my throat when Shelby further explained, "I guess Jesus wanted Joe in heaven to take care of the manatees that died and went there. I am sure Joe is an angel and he has manatees in heaven".

As I leaned over and kissed my daughter goodnight, I thought about Joe and others like him and I felt a sense of pride knowing that the job we do, really is important to our future generations.

Sig Sauer P-239 Raffle!

The FWOA purchased a one-of-a-kind commemorative Sig Sauer .357 caliber model P-239 handgun that is laser engraved with the FWOA name on the gun.

Only Charter Members and Retired Charter Members whose dues are current will be able to purchase chances to win the gun. Tickets are $20/each or $50/3 tickets. Tickets will be available at this year's In-Service.

Attention Retired Charter Members! You can purchase a chance(s) to win the Sig Sauer by sending a check directly to the FWOA mailing address. All checks must be received by July 14, 2001. The Drawing will be held July 15, 2001.

Winner will be responsible to find a FFL dealer in their area who can accept shipment of the gun.

Remarks From the Secretary/Treasurer - Jim Gale

FWOA Meetings in  June

During each In-Service week, the FWOA will be holding an Association meeting to discuss current activities. Important issues such as elections, NAWEOA, financial status, memberships, etc., will be discussed. 

If anyone has any topics that they know they want to discuss at our meeting, please let us know as soon as possible. Please show up to the meeting ready to voice your opinions and share your ideas. It is YOUR Association!

During the meetings, all members whose dues have been paid through 2001 will be eligible to win a wildlife art print. For each year paid beyond 2001, members will receive an additional chance. Five prints will be given away during each meeting. Members must be in good standing and in attendance to be eligible to win a print.

Please check the membership list at the meeting to make sure that all your information is correct. Overall we are doing pretty well in that we get no Newsletters returned! I know there have been some recent transfers, so take a second and check the list. Anytime your address or e-mail address changes or if you have questions about your membership status, you can contact me.

FWOA merchandise will also be available for purchase during the meetings. If a certain item or quantity of items is needed, please contact Mike Weaver prior to In-Service week.

Elections

At our meeting being held at this year's In-Service training, we will need nominations for the following positions: President, Vice-President, and Regional Directors in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, & 9. If you have considered running for any of these positions before, or feel that you have some time and energy you can donate to our Association, now is the time to step up to the plate.

In the weeks immediately following In-Service, you will be contacted and asked to vote for the President, Vice-President, and your specific Regional Director position. Please take the time to respond to the request.

Take a minute to add your e-mail address to the membership list that will be available at our meeting. The cost of postage, envelopes and paper add up rather quickly. If you get an e-mail message asking you to vote, it is important to take a minute and respond so that we know your ballot was received.

Membership Drive

Charter Members - At each week of this year's In-Service we will be holding a drawing for some nice wildlife art prints that were donated to the Association. Every member who has paid their dues through 2001 will receive one chance at the prizes. For each year paid beyond 2001, you will receive an additional chance. Don't worry, those members who have paid their dues ahead of time will get the appropriate number of chances! You must be present at the FWOA meeting to win!

Attention Retired Charter Members!  - We are holding a similar raffle for our retired members. Those Retired Charter Members who are paid up or paid in advance by Saturday, June 30, 2001, will have the appropriate number of chances put in the hat for a handful of nice art prints. In order to qualify, your dues must already be paid up through 2001 or you must pay before June 30!  

Amnesty Period - During this year's In-Service only, any member whose dues have been expired for three or more years, may renew their membership through June 2002 for only $50.00.

We encourage any "old" members that have been considering rejoining FWOA to do so now! In order to qualify for this amnesty period, you must have previously been a Charter Member. If you want to take advantage of this deal, contact Tim, Chris or Jim directly before or at In-Service.

Donations

Unfortunately, we have had the need to make several donations to folks since our last Newsletter.

FWOA made a contribution to the National Audubon Society's Living Tribute Program in the name of James Bartee. Just before print, we received a nice thank you note to all our members from Jim's wife Roberta.

We sent a donation to Susan Oliveros, wife of Joe Oliveros, along with a note from President Santel, expressing the thoughts and condolences of all our members.

Kansas Conservation Officer Brian Hanzlick, his wife Shelly, and their two small boys lost their house in Hoisington, KS to an F4 tornado. FWOA sent a card and donation to the Hanzlick family on your behalf. See Region 6 Story

Company Store News

The Company Store will be at In-Service at NCTC.

We have some new items to offer this year including a new badge pin (if they come in) that sells for $2.00 so you can buy one for all of your friends and AUSAs.

We will also have all of the current items including tee shirts, coffee mugs, travel mugs, pens, koozies, patches, and, of course, ball caps. We should have an ample supply of everything so bring your checkbooks. 

We are also working on setting up a store web site for those more expensive items like jackets and golf shirts. Mt. Top Marketing and our former colleague Mike Lukkino (who works for them now) are in the process of putting together a link to them for our web site where you can view the items and order directly. The FWOA will receive a percentage of the sales.

Anyone needing special order items can contact SA Mike Weaver by telephone or through the store link on the web page.

FWOA Commemorative Print

There will be a framed sample of the FWOA commemorative Print available for viewing at this year's In-Service. We will also have order forms and a list of the remaining print numbers available.

Hope to see you all at NCTC!