NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

10/19/2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES -Special Agent Patrick S. Turner of the FBI is the recipient of the 2006 President's Distinguished Service Award at Northwestern State University. He will be honored during NSU's Homecoming activities on Oct. 27-28.

Turner, a 1986 graduate of Northwestern, has been with the FBI since 1997. He has been assigned to the Miami, El Paso and Indianapolis Divisions of the FBI. From January 2004 until October 2005, Turner was the supervisor for the Indianapolis Joint Terrorism Task Force. In March, he was deployed to Iraq in support of the FBI's counterterrorism mission. After deployment, he returned to Indianapolis and is working violent crime cases and is a member of the FBI Indianapolis SWAT team.

"I am happy to have the opportunity to honor Agent Turner for the work he does on behalf of this country," said Northwestern President Dr. Randall J. Webb. "He has spent his career in law enforcement and in service to this country. During that time, he has brought great distinction to his family and Northwestern. Agent Turner is an example to our students of what can be accomplished through hard work and dedication."

Turner said his nine years with the FBI have been enjoyable.

"I am really happy doing the job I have," said Turner. "It gives me a lot of job satisfaction. We have the opportunity to work a case to completion and put a bad guy in jail. We get to help bring some satisfaction to someone who has been a victim of crime."

Turner earned both an athletic and honors scholarship to NSU, playing four years on the Demon football team. He was part of the 1984 Gulf Star Conference championship team and earned the squad's high academic award in 1985 and 1986.

"Without a doubt, the time I spent playing football has helped me in my career," said Turner. "I learned how to be disciplined by getting up each morning and going to breakfast and managing my time. I also learned to deal with people from different backgrounds and how to handle stressful situations. When I was in the Army in a ditch covered with mud, I thought this isn't as bad as dealing with a heat index of 115 on the artificial turf during two a day practices in August."

After graduating from NSU, Turner spent three years as a state trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol. In 1990, he became a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, flying CH-47 Chinook helicopters.

"I was surprised to learn that I received this award," said Turner, who wrote about some of his experiences in Iraq for www.nsudemons.com. "I feel as if I am only a small part of what I have been involved with in Iraq and with the Bureau. I am very honored."

Turner's wife Elena is also an FBI agent. They have two daughters, Shae, 6, and Sophie, 2.

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