CSC students get close look at Washington, D.C.

One of the highlights was a 30-minute visit with Sen. Chuck Hagel, whose candor surprised the Chadron State visitors. They also were amazed that he knew quite a bit about CSC, including the success by the football team and running back Danny Woodhead.

Watson said Hagel was openly critical of the Bush Administration’s handling of the war in Iraq and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who resigned this past week.

“Hagel was much like he is on the Sunday morning television shows,” Watson noted. “He says what he thinks. He said the U.S. military has not had enough manpower in Iraq this time, sending only about 150,000 troops there after George Bush the first sent nearly 500,000 when we chased the Iraqis out of Kuwait in 1990. He also said that 83 percent of the National Guard’s equipment is now in Iraq and it won’t be coming back.”

Asked by a member of the group if he is planning to run for president, Hagel replied that he would wait until after the elections this fall to decide.

A couple of times, Hagel asked the CSC students what they thought about certain topics.

One of the members of the CSC group, Meagan Legg of Rapid City, was an intern in Hagel’s office last summer, working primarily on legislative issues and helping handle the large volume of mail that the office receives.

The CSC group also visited with members of the staffs of Sen. Ben Nelson and Rep. Tom Osborne, neither of whom was present.

Nelson’s aides in judicial policy and homeland security spoke at length about immigration and securing the border with Mexico. Watson said the judiciary representative also gave the background on how Sen. Nelson helped form the “Gang of 15” in 2005 to prevent filibusters from clogging the senate’s agenda.

Osborne’s aides, who admitted they were looking for jobs since the congressman did not seek re-election but chose to run for governor of Nebraska, focused on agricultural and judiciary issues.

The CSC students, about half of whom plan to go to law school and the other half into criminal justice, got a special treat when they met with Chadron High graduate and former CSC student Rena Kim. She has been a deputy assistant general counsel for the Office of Homeland Security, but is moving to become a general counsel the Transportation and Safety Administration.

During the visit, Kim introduced the group to a colleague who spent five months in New Orleans following the Katrina hurricane disaster in August 2005. He said he put in from 12 to 16-hour days, seven days a week, helping handle the various legal issues. He saw up to 30 individuals with various complaints daily.

He also noted that the media coverage often was not fair. He said CNN showed a manikin floating in the floodwaters numerous times, but identified it as a body that no one had rescued.

“He told us that CNN knew it was a manikin, but never let the fact get in the way of a good story,” Watson said.

Also on the agenda was a visit to the Executive Police Research Foundation, which does research for the 150 largest police departments in the nation. Officials there pointed out that violent crime is up in the United States for the second year. They also said they are drafting policies to be considered on the use of “stun guns.”

The CSC group also met with two FBI agents who noted that their emphasis is no longer just on criminal investigation, but also includes developing international intelligence in an attempt to keep ahead of terrorism.

Other stops included the U.S. Supreme Court, which was not in session; guided tours of the Capitol and the White House; a visit to the Office of Justice Programs, which oversees federal leadership of criminal justice policies; the Bureau of Justice Studies and its focus on juvenile justice; and the Georgetown University Law Center, which is rated as the 12th best law school in the nation.

Students participating in the trip besides Legg were Seth Alberts, Palisade; Chad Cary, Chadron; Kassy Demicell, Gordon; Kimberlee Keleher, Colorado Springs; Erin Legerski, Rock Springs, Wyo.; Craig Lowe, North Platte; Angela Mobly, Gering; Trevor Scalise, Spencer; Jack Sides, Hot Springs; and Corey Wasserburger, Fort Worth, Texas.

--By Con Marshall, Director of Information

Photo information: Cutline:

The Chadron State students who visited Washington, D.C., in late October are shown outside the FBI headquarters. They are, from left, Trevor Scalise, Chad Cary, Corey Wasserburger, Jack Sides, Erin Legerski, Seth Alberts, Craig Lowe, Kassy Demicell, Kim Keleher, Meagan Legg and Angela Mobly.

One of the highlights was a 30-minute visit with Sen. Chuck Hagel, whose candor surprised the Chadron State visitors. They also were amazed that he knew quite a bit about CSC, including the success by the football team and running back Danny Woodhead.

Watson said Hagel was openly critical of the Bush Administration’s handling of the war in Iraq and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who resigned this past week.

“Hagel was much like he is on the Sunday morning television shows,” Watson noted. “He says what he thinks. He said the U.S. military has not had enough manpower in Iraq this time, sending only about 150,000 troops there after George Bush the first sent nearly 500,000 when we chased the Iraqis out of Kuwait in 1990. He also said that 83 percent of the National Guard’s equipment is now in Iraq and it won’t be coming back.”

Asked by a member of the group if he is planning to run for president, Hagel replied that he would wait until after the elections this fall to decide.

A couple of times, Hagel asked the CSC students what they thought about certain topics.

One of the members of the CSC group, Meagan Legg of Rapid City, was an intern in Hagel’s office last summer, working primarily on legislative issues and helping handle the large volume of mail that the office receives.

The CSC group also visited with members of the staffs of Sen. Ben Nelson and Rep. Tom Osborne, neither of whom was present.

Nelson’s aides in judicial policy and homeland security spoke at length about immigration and securing the border with Mexico. Watson said the judiciary representative also gave the background on how Sen. Nelson helped form the “Gang of 15” in 2005 to prevent filibusters from clogging the senate’s agenda.

Osborne’s aides, who admitted they were looking for jobs since the congressman did not seek re-election but chose to run for governor of Nebraska, focused on agricultural and judiciary issues.

The CSC students, about half of whom plan to go to law school and the other half into criminal justice, got a special treat when they met with Chadron High graduate and former CSC student Rena Kim. She has been a deputy assistant general counsel for the Office of Homeland Security, but is moving to become a general counsel the Transportation and Safety Administration.

During the visit, Kim introduced the group to a colleague who spent five months in New Orleans following the Katrina hurricane disaster in August 2005. He said he put in from 12 to 16-hour days, seven days a week, helping handle the various legal issues. He saw up to 30 individuals with various complaints daily.

He also noted that the media coverage often was not fair. He said CNN showed a manikin floating in the floodwaters numerous times, but identified it as a body that no one had rescued.

“He told us that CNN knew it was a manikin, but never let the fact get in the way of a good story,” Watson said.

Also on the agenda was a visit to the Executive Police Research Foundation, which does research for the 150 largest police departments in the nation. Officials there pointed out that violent crime is up in the United States for the second year. They also said they are drafting policies to be considered on the use of “stun guns.”

The CSC group also met with two FBI agents who noted that their emphasis is no longer just on criminal investigation, but also includes developing international intelligence in an attempt to keep ahead of terrorism.

Other stops included the U.S. Supreme Court, which was not in session; guided tours of the Capitol and the White House; a visit to the Office of Justice Programs, which oversees federal leadership of criminal justice policies; the Bureau of Justice Studies and its focus on juvenile justice; and the Georgetown University Law Center, which is rated as the 12th best law school in the nation.

Students participating in the trip besides Legg were Seth Alberts, Palisade; Chad Cary, Chadron; Kassy Demicell, Gordon; Kimberlee Keleher, Colorado Springs; Erin Legerski, Rock Springs, Wyo.; Craig Lowe, North Platte; Angela Mobly, Gering; Trevor Scalise, Spencer; Jack Sides, Hot Springs; and Corey Wasserburger, Fort Worth, Texas.

--By Con Marshall, Director of Information

Photo information: Cutline:

The Chadron State students who visited Washington, D.C., in late October are shown outside the FBI headquarters. They are, from left, Trevor Scalise, Chad Cary, Corey Wasserburger, Jack Sides, Erin Legerski, Seth Alberts, Craig Lowe, Kassy Demicell, Kim Keleher, Meagan Legg and Angela Mobly.