US Ambassador Presents Prestigious Award to Security Expert

Dec. 10, 2008 - PRLog -- BANGKOK, THAILAND, and OLYMPIA,WA — U.S. Ambassador to Thailand, Eric G. John, presented the prestigious U.S. State Departments Franklin Award to Alfred Johnson of Olympia, Washington in recognition of his ongoing work to assist the joint efforts of the U.S. and Thailand in Improvised Explosive Device (IED) safety and awareness.  Johnson developed and leads a pioneering expert exchange program with Royal Thai Police, military, and private organizations addressing safety, awareness and management of security threats including explosive hazards.
Johnson leads a team of American and British IED and EOD experts with recent and relevant experience from Iraq and Afghanistan. He was selected from more than 100 applicants because of the immediate lifesaving impact of his work, his unique ability to bond with and get Thais from multiple agencies and backgrounds to learn and work together, and his untiring dedication.
Dave Turner, Chief, Force Protection Detachment in Thailand explains, “Al Johnson and his team members are the most professional organization I have seen in Thailand, creating in one week, bonds with the Thai EOD personnel that some have never been able to forge during a 3-year tour. Al Johnson has made several donations to the Thai's and is a major factor in our success.  His teams seem to be able to overcome any obstacle and are now seen by the host nation as "brothers of the (EOD) badge", to the point where they are requested by the Thai's on a "by name" basis for further counter-IED engagement.”

Today security threats have changed to a far more decentralized, violent, and lethal paradigm. Targeted and in-depth awareness of the threats and how to operate safely in this new environment is critical. Thailand currently encounters more IEDs in its three southern provinces than Afghanistan.  Johnson’s programs addresses search, detection, reaction, and response to IEDs for all of Thailand’s first responders, military, and police.  The program has been delivered to the Thais by Johnson, first as a member of the Washington State National Guard’s unique Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team and then later as RISC Management’s subject matter expert in counter IED and security search.  The first Thai program was implemented in March 2007, followed by programs for Thai airport security in October 2007, and RSO Laos in October 2007. These programs featured security search methods successfully applied in Iraq and laid the foundation for the continuing exchange program between US and Thai first responders.

Programs in the US have included American first responders from the US Northwest including the Tacoma Police Department, WMD CST Teams, and Homeland Security Region 5. The joint sessions have created a mutual understanding and respect between the groups with significant long term results. As a direct result of the programs, US first responders have donated five bomb suits and five pallets of personal protective materials to their Thai counterparts.
Johnson explains the benefits for the Thai and American first responders:  “These programs support the Thais in developing life saving response protocols to IED and incidents. In addition, the American first responder community can learn the capabilities of modern terrorism and how best to prepare, prevent, mitigate and respond to it from their Thai counterparts.”
The exchange program is not only a success, but the role model for other Embassy programs worldwide. He credits his ability to bring not only the US and Thais together, but Thais themselves to his background in the Northwest.  “Growing up in a unique community here in the Pacific Northwest allowed me to look at different cultures and see how they operate on a social level with each other and how they interact with other communities.  In the Army EOD Field, I learned how to conduct training for critical life saving effectiveness and efficiency.  By bringing both of these together into a system, it allows us to adapt critical information regarding a very lethal problem and begin to deliver it to groups with different organizational structures and personnel with different backgrounds effectively.”
RISC Management will offer the next session of its exchange programs for U.S. Agencies, to be held in Thailand, at the end of January 2009. For more information on this and other programs, law enforcement officials should contact RISC Management.
Note: Photographs of the award ceremony and Thai programs are available

About RISC Management
Based in Lacey, WA, RISC Management offers unique threat prevention, detection, and mitigation training and equipment packages to government and approved civilian organizations.  As former military Improvised Explosive Device Defeat and Counter Insurgency advisors, RISC trainers are experts in the field of IED materials, networks, and effective prevention and interdiction strategies.  RISC provides training from instructors with recent experience in today’s threat paradigm, who bring real life experiences and professionalism to their lessons.
For more information about RISC Management please visit www.riscmgmt.com

About Al Johnson
Mr. Johnson is the Operations Manager for RISC Management out of Lacey, Washington and trains American First Responders on IED Awareness, Security Search, Explosive Hazard Mitigation, and terrorist tactics and strategies using IEDs.  He is also commander of Washington State’s 319th EOD, where he spent a year in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. In 2007, Mr. Johnson was selected to represent the U.S. on the first non-medical mission to the People’s Democratic Republic of Laos since 1975.  

About the Franklin Award
The Benjamin Franklin Award recognizes that all sectors of American society actively contribute to advancing America’s ideals around the globe through public diplomacy. This award recognizes the outstanding international leadership and contributions made by U.S. citizens and organizations. Announced by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in January 2007, the Benjamin Franklin Award for Public Diplomacy is the most prestigious honor that the Department of State can bestow on U.S. citizens and non-governmental organizations. Benjamin Franklin Awards are presented in four categories: individuals, corporations, academic institutions, and not-for-profit organizations (i.e., foundations, associations, labor unions).
"Few individuals displayed the true character of America to the world better than Benjamin Franklin. In the same spirit of Franklin, this award will recognize the broad spectrum of businesses and foundations and non-governmental organizations and private citizens for their outstanding contributions to America's public diplomacy and we hope to highlight the exceptional and to inspire others.”  --Secretary Rice
For more information see:  http://www.state.gov/r/partnerships/award/
Contacts:
In Thailand:
Dave Turner, Chief, FPD Thailand
Embassy Attaché for Force Protection
Email:   Dturner@san.osd.mil; David.Turner1@us.army.mil;
TurnerDL2@state.gov
SIPRNET: TurnerDL@state.sgov.gov
Cell: +66-819-232-805
Office: +66-2287-1036 ext. 149
In Washington State
Ms. Banjaree Potjanasit (Ms. Moss)
Phone:  360-878-5001
RISC Management
4405 7th AVE SE Suite 205
Lacey, WA 98503
Toll free:  877-USA-RISC [877-872-7472]
Fax:  888-715-4841
Email:  moss@riscmgmt.com