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Former CIA Officer and FBI Special Agent Tracy Walder gives keynote address
Dallas, TX (14 September, 2023)—ASIS International, the world’s largest association for security management professionals, celebrated Military and Law Enforcement Appreciation Day at Global Security Exchange (GSX) 2023 on Wednesday. As a thank you for their service, all law enforcement, military, and first responders received a free one-day pass to attend GSX.
In Wednesday’s general session, ASIS recognized the bicentennial of the Texas Rangers. The Rangers are America’s oldest state law enforcement agency and have been instrumental in not only combatting crime in Texas, but also in disaster response and recovery across the state.
During the general session, ASIS announced a tool that has been developed by the ASIS Professional Certification Board and the ASIS Military Liaison Community that will help Army veterans translate the skills they learned in the military to work in the private security sector. The tool will soon be expanded to serve other branches of the U.S. military, and later law enforcement as well.
The Law Enforcement Liaison Community is planning a celebration next spring recognizing the importance of the public-private partnerships between private security organizations and law enforcement agencies across the globe. The inaugural P3 Day will be celebrated on 25 April in 2024.
Wednesday’s featured keynote speaker Tracy Walder, whose career as a CIA Officer and FBI Special Agent gave her a front row seat to foreign intelligence offices, war zones, and black sites around the world. In her keynote, Walder identified what she sees as the three most urgent threats facing the United States: fragile states, China, and domestic terrorism.
Walder noted that part of the issue when dealing with fragile states is that citizens of those countries do not have their basic needs met, and as such are more susceptible to radicalization by terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda. When discussing the threat posed by China, Walder highlighted the pervasiveness of Chinese infiltration domestically, noting that every single FBI office currently has at least one case on Chinese counterintelligence open. With domestic terrorism, Walder expressed concern that the United States currently cannot charge people with domestic terrorism at the federal level and advocated for the passage of such a statute.
In the spirit of Military and Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, a number of Wednesday’s sessions focused on the process of transitioning from military and law enforcement into the private security sector.
In the morning session “Matching Supply and Demand—Be the Change They Need,” panelists from the ASIS Military Liaison Community and the ASIS Law Enforcement Liaison Community shared their expertise on understanding what kind of skills are in demand in the industry and how retired law enforcement and military can communicate their existing skillset and build new skills that will land them the positions they want.
On the Career HQ Stage, Eric Kready, CPP, and Lisa Young discussed the transition from military or law enforcement to civilian life, and how veterans and former law enforcement officers can create and enhance their personal brands to help create success in the private sector. The two shared examples of what a successful professional brand looks like from current leaders in the industry.
During “Beyond the Badge: Strategic Career Planning for Law Enforcement Professionals,” a panel of current and former law enforcement officers shared their experiences and advice for both those looking to advance their careers in public service, and those looking to start a second career in the private sector.
In addition to the sessions on military and law enforcement, education at day three of GSX also covered a variety of topics such as CISA, ransomware, safety in schools, retaining diverse talent, sex trafficking, navigating the current geopolitical environment, and large-scale crowd monitoring.
For more information on GSX, we invite you to visit the GSX Daily.
ASIS International has announced that Orlando, Florida will host GSX 2024 from 23-25 September. For more information, please visit gsx.org.
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About Global Security Exchange (GSX)
Global Security Exchange (GSX) is the world’s most comprehensive event for security professionals for more than 65 years. Meeting the needs of the global security community, ASIS designed an in-person and digital experience like none other in the security profession. ASIS International remains dedicated to expanding and enriching knowledge sharing, best practices, and peer-to-peer connections so security professionals across disciplines—and at all stages of their career—can get access to the information and resources they need to succeed. For information about GSX, please visit www.GSX.org.
About ASIS International
Founded in 1955, ASIS International is the world's largest membership organization for security management professionals. With hundreds of chapters across the globe, ASIS is recognized as the premier source for learning, networking, standards, and research. Through its board certifications, award-winning Security Management magazine, and Global Security Exchange—the most influential event in the profession—ASIS ensures its members and the security community have access to the intelligence and resources necessary to protect their people, property, and information assets. Learn more about the work we do at www.asisonline.org.
