Chapter 78 Officers for 2006:

President Ramon Rodriguez
Vice President Richard Simonian
Asst. Vice President Jim Duffy
Secretary Robert Foley
Asst. Secretary David Sullivan
Treasurer Terry Cagnolatti
Asst. Treasurer Brad Welker
Sgt-at-Arms Art Dolick

On August 3rd , 2006 Chapter 78 members Richard Simonian (vice president), Terry Cagnolatti(treasurer) and Jim Duffy (asst. vice president) attended the Farewell and Retirement dinner for G. Steve Simonian, Chief, Bureau of Investigations, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. This congratulatory function highlighted Chief Simonian's distinguished career following nearly forty years in law enforcement with five and one-half years as the Chief of the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Bureau of Investigations. He spent 31 years with the Montebello Police Department, nine of them as chief, served on the La Habra City Council and is currently in his third term as Mayor of La Habra. Chief Simonian made the California Law Enforcement Officer's Survivor's Memorial Fund the beneficiary of his retirement dinner. Master of Ceremonies was comedian performer Norm Crosby. Chief Simonian will be a business partner with 3i Group in Glendale , California.as he embarks on the next chapter in his life. Steve Cooley heads the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. He is a non-partisan official who is elected every four years. His office is one of the largest prosecuting agency's in the world with about 1,000 Deputy DA's and over 200 Investigators. Chapter 78 Treasurer Terry Cagnolatti currently serves as an Investigator in the Bureau of Investigations, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. Terry's career in law enforcement spans almost 30 years and he has served with the DA's Office almost 17 years.

On August 12, 2006 SFA member SGM (R) Don Pugsley was guest speaker at the chapter monthly meeting. He is a former Team Sergeant and member of A Co., 2 nd Bn., 19 th SFG. Don is the founder and owner of a great physical fitness program that he calls the “Urban Army Boot Camp”. He talked about the benefits of maintaining a fitness regimen especially for all of us “Old Timers” that want to get back that Q Course figure. Don was with “Project Delta” in Vietnam and is currently employed full-time as an RN at Verdugo Hills Hospital in California . In his other spare time he is an actor and will be in the movie “The Good German” as Gunter Bein “Nazi Assasin” in which he has a fight scene with actor George Clooney. The website for the fitness program is www.urbanarmybootcamp.com.

Chapter 78 member Jim Duffy (asst. vice president) traveled to China in September. His trip host was General (four star retired) Wan Su Jian, a veteran of forty years with the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The trip included travel in Beijing , the capital, Tai Yuan, the ancient city of Ping Yao , Jin Ci and Da Tong. A number of ancient and sacred sites such as Mian Shan, Wu Tai Shan, Tian Long Shan as well as a number of Buddhist and Taoist temples were truly highlights of the trip. General Wan is also a Taoist Qigong Master and a medical doctor recognized as one of the top ten doctors in China . He is the Director of the Beijing Red Cross Traditional Medical Exchange Institute where his students train in a variety of Chinese martial and healing arts with the goal of becoming practitioners and doctors of Chinese traditional medicine. At Tian Long mountain Jim met 102 year old Taoist Master Tang who was General Wan's teacher from the age of nine until he went into the PLA at fifteen. Other highlights were a visit to a grammar school that General Wan attended and an orphanage in a remote village where Doctor Wan and his staff provided their monthly medical treatment to the many orphans and village children with serious health problems. Jim received additional training in the Chinese arts of Qi Gong, Tai Ji and Ba Gua. Personal treatments Jim received included Ba Gua Qi Gong healing, acupuncture and Tuina bodywork and massage Jim has traveled to China about a dozen times.. In addition to other martial arts ratings Jim is a certified instructor in Tai Ji and Qi Gong.

Please review Chapter 78's expanded and newly updated website and sign our guestbook at www.specialforces78.com. Robert Foley (secretary) and Terry Cagnolatti (treasurer) have done a super job putting together a first class website.

(L-R) Terry Cagnolatti (treasurer and DA Investigator), Richard Simonian (vice president), retiring Chief G. Steve Simonian and Jim Duffy (asst. vice president)

(L-R) Jim Duffy (asst. vice president), Terry Cagnolatti(treasurer and DA Investigator), Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley and Richard Simonian(vice president)

SGM (R) Don Pugsley discussing his “Urban Army Boot Camp” fitness program

Jim Duffy (asst. vice president) at the Great Wall of China

Jim Duffy with General Wan Su Jian at the trip's closing ceremony

Jim Duffy and General Wan Su Jian with his students and staff at the trip's closing ceremony