Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) Presents “Honor Graduate of the Year” Award to Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent

The FLETC presented its “Honor Graduate of the Year” Award for 2005 to Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent Victoria M. Anzaldua.  This award is presented annually to the FLETC basic training honor graduate having the highest academic average.

Special Agent Anzaldua graduated from FLETC’s Criminal Investigator Training Program on January 4, 2005, achieving a 98.84 percent academic average, besting some 3,734 other eligible basic training graduates during 2005.  Anzaldua also excelled at firearms qualification and physical fitness. At a luncheon in her honor at the FLETC’s headquarters facility, she was recognized for her accomplishments.

Guest speaker for the event was Mr. Joe Morton, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security and Director, Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Department of State.  “Victoria, very few people receive this award.   It is reserved for a very elite group of men and women.  Your excellent academic and physical achievements have put you in a special league…. You have indeed made us proud.” Morton stated.

Past recipients of the FLETC Honor Graduate of the Year Award have included officers and agents with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, National Park Service, U.S. Capitol Police, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, General Services Administration, Department of State, U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Coast Guard.

FLETC Director Connie Patrick said, “Special Agent Anzaldua has superior qualifications for this job, and her dedication to her chosen career demonstrates the caliber of people we need as our nation is engaged in the war on terror.  DSS is fortunate to have applicants of this nature to perform their critical mission in making this a safer country.”

Special Agent Anzaldua earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from the University of Michigan and a Masters of Strategic Intelligence degree from the American Military University.  The Michigan native also worked as a Federal Air Marshal, an Arizona Highway Patrol Officer, an Arizona Air Rescue Officer/Paramedic, and served in the Arizona Army National Guard in several different capacities.  In her position with DSS she has served details in Jerusalem, Israel; Beijing, China; and Afghanistan.  She will deploy to Baghdad, Iraq in the near future.

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