GREG WENZEL REMEMBERED II

 Gregg Wenzel was an assistant public defender in Dade County. After 9/11 he joined the CIA and enlisted in the clandestine services, finishing first in his class. 

Gregg was killed in the line of duty in Africa while working for the CIA hunting Bin Laden. He became the 81st star on the CIA wall honoring agents who are killed in the line of duty. For many years the star for Gregg was anonymous until his identity was able to be revealed. In his honor a post office bears his name in his hometown. 

The latest edition of the Florida Bar New has a front-page story on Gregg  here. 

It would be nice if the PDs and the Judicial Administration got together and created a memorial in the courthouse to remember one of our own who was and always will be a true hero and patriot. 

If you have any other questions about Gregg and his life and service, reach out to Brian Tannebaum, who as a good friend has attended all the ceremonies for Gregg at CIA with Gregg's family, and has kept the memory of his friend alive. The FACDL gives out a Gregg Wenzel award chiefly because Brian lobbied to have the award named in his honor.  

Here is a prior post we did on the naming of the post office for Gregg. 

We live in a dangerous world. On D Day we remembered the sacrifice of those men 78 years ago. And while each and every solider in WWII was and is a hero, the need for heroes didn't end with their victory in WWII. Gregg Wenzel picked up the torch they passed and lost his life into the service of his country. He is every bit the hero of any of those men and he deserved to be remembered long beyond the time the rest of us pass from this earth. 

THE 81ST STAR

An ex-CIA operations officer wrote this piece in the NY Times regarding the affront she and other officers felt when our president stood in front of the wall of stars at the CIA honoring those who gave their life for this country. 

The 81st star belongs to Gregg Wenzel, clandestine officer, and former Dade County Assistant Public Defender. We've written about Mr. Wenzel here and here. 

From the NY Times:

When the 81st star was carved into the wall in 2003, the fallen patriot’s name was not added to the accompanying Book of Honor. At the time, his C.I.A. affiliation was classified, as it remained for nearly six more years. I will never forget seeing his family at the ceremony, knowing they could not tell their loved ones the truth about his death. He died with nobody knowing who he was or what he did for our country. But I believe that is how he would have wanted it, because, as the former C.I.A. director Leon E. Panetta said when finally revealing my friend’s name in 2009, “He lived for a purpose greater than himself.”

Gregg Wenzel left his law career to serve his country after Sept. 11, 2001. He died at 33 years old, in Ethiopia, while working tirelessly in pursuit of information needed to help protect this country. I don’t know if he was a liberal or a conservative; I don’t know whom he voted for. I know only that he was dedicated, loyal, adventurous and a jokester. And he welcomed me as a sister when we met overseas, knowing nothing more than that I was a colleague and shared his sense of mission.

Make no mistake about one thing in our day and age: character counts. Character is what you do and how you act when no one is looking. Gregg Wenzel had character, honor, integrity. He believed and lived and died for the credo Duty; Honor; County. 

There are just some people who have not earned the right to even stand before the 81st star, the 80 stars before the 81st, and those that have come and will sadly come in the future. 

See you in court. 

GREGG WENZEL HONORED

(This is an email from Gregg's very good friend Brian Tannebaum who never asks for credit for his tireless efforts in helping keep Gregg's memory alive.) 

On May 18, 2015 the United States Post Office in Monroe, New York was named after our fallen colleague Gregg David Wenzel. For those that didn’t know Gregg, he was born and raised in Monroe, New York, was a 1994 graduate of the University of Miami Law School, a former assistant public defender, former Florida Bar Counsel, and former CIA Agent, where he was killed in the line of duty on July 9, 2003 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the age of 33.

Gregg was a unique individual, and anyone that had the chance to know him, has a great story about him, and will probably tell you there was no one like him

It took his family 6 years to have his identity uncovered, and his name is now in the book that sits below the wall at the CIA where stars represent the fallen agents. Gregg’s star is number 81.

It took his family another 6 years to have Congress pass a bill naming the post office in Gregg’s hometown after him. President Obama signed the bill in December of 2014.

The ceremony had a full honor guard, and all the local first responders were there, Many retired veterans attended, Gregg’s parents and three sisters were there, and there was a large crowd of family and friends.

Prior to the ceremony, there was a story about it on the local news, and the T.V. and print media were in attendance.

Gregg’s congressman spoke, as well as a local Rabbi, several New York State Assemblymen, the Mayor of Monroe, several representatives from the Postal Service, and of course, very moving statements from Gregg’s parents Mitch and Gladys. As May 18 was also the day of the annual memorial service at the CIA in Langley, Virginia (where Gregg’s parents attend each year) the Director of the CIA sent a message which was read at the ceremony. The ceremony ended with the playing of Taps.

It was mentioned at the ceremony that of over 1500 post offices named after people since 1967, this was the first named after a fallen CIA Agent.

Another interesting note that moved the crowd - the number 18 represents “Chai” in the Jewish religion, or “good luck.” Gregg’s birthday is November 18, the ceremony was on the 18^th, and his star number backwards (81) is 18.

OFFICER GREGG WENZEL POST OFFICE

Please see the invitation below.




Who was Gregg Wenzel? 

A hero. A former Dade Public Defender who volunteered to become a member of the CIA Clandestine service who was killed in the line of duty. 
His exploits have been written about on the blog before. 

As you go about your day, drink your coffee, curse the fact that you can't get good cell phone service, wait for a judge or a client, and generally grumble, remember that there are heroes who died so you can live your comfortable life. Gregg Wenzel was one of those heroes. 

See You In Court. 

AND THEN A HERO COMES ALONG

For those of you new(er) to the REGJB, you might not know that Gregg Wenzel, a former Assistant Public Defender, resigned in the wake of 9/11 and joined the CIA Clandestine Services, where he lost his life overseas, on assignment, in a dangerous part of the world, protecting our freedoms. 

In Miami, Gregg Wenzel's memory has been kept alive by his good friend, Brian Tannebaum, who has attended the yearly memorial service at the CIA with Gregg's family, where there is a star in the lobby reflecting Gregg's "last measure of devotion."

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863. 


Brian Tannebaum alerted us to  the Press release from Senator Gillibrand's office in which both houses of congress have passed a law renaming a post office in Gregg's home town in his honor. The Bill await's signature of the President. 

“Called to serve his country following the horrific events of September 11th, Mr. Wenzel paid the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect the freedoms we all know and cherish,” said Senator Schumer. “He is an incredible local hero and a true American. Naming the Monroe Post Office after him would be a truly fitting tribute to his courage, and allow his legacy to live on in an enduring way. I am honored to be able to announce that the bill to rename the post office has now cleared Congress, and I am confident that it will receive a signature from the President upon arriving on his desk.”

“Officer Gregg David Wenzel will forever be remembered by the Monroe community as a true hero,” said Senator Gillibrand. “He bravely answered the call to duty on behalf of our nation and put his life on the line to protect our freedoms. Naming the Monroe Post Office after Officer Wenzel will honor his life and commemorate his legacy. I am pleased this legislation has passed Congress and look forward to the President signing it into law.”

“Gregg Wenzel represents an entire generation who bravely served their country by answering the call to service following the attacks of September 11th. Serving on the frontlines of our intelligence operation, he ultimately sacrificed his life in defense of our freedoms. Our country owes a debt of gratitude to Gregg and his family, and for generations to come his hometown will be reminded of his service and sacrifice. Although no one can ever fully repay his family for their tragic loss, I hope this bill will come as some small comfort and as a tribute to his memory,” said Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney.

A HERO

We talk a lot about heroes, almost always in the wrong context.

A Hero is defined as:
A man admired for his achievements and noble qualities; one who shows great courage.

People who hit balls or throw touchdowns are not heroes. They're athletes. 

The members of our armed forces are heroes.  The Firemen and police officers who ran into the World Trade Centers on 9/11 are heroes. 

And so is  a young Assistant Dade Public Defender who left his comfortable life and safe job at the Public Defenders Office and joined the CIA and was trained as an agent. His name is Gregg Wenzel and he was killed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,  on July 9, 2003, ten years ago next week.

Gregg Wenzel was 33 years old when he died. 

When you go to the CIA there is a Memorial Wall. The wall currently has 103 stars.  Each star represents the identity of a CIA agent killed in the line of duty. 77 of the 103 Stars have a name associated with the star in the book or honor next to the wall. The rest of the stars have no name next to the star, indicating that the agent still cannot be identified for security reasons. 
On June 1, 2009, the CIA placed Gregg's name next to a star. 

Brian Tannebaum is having a get together at his office at 5:30 PM on July 9th to honor his friend Gregg Wenzel. You should try to attend, even if you didn't know Gregg Wenzel. The information is below. 

And in our humble opinion, you should do one more thing in remembering and honoring Gregg Wenzel. Enjoy your life. Stop complaining about not finding a parking space close to court. Stop complaining about waiting in line to get into the building. Stop complaining about the 1001 thing that bother all of us every day. Because those small problems that make up a part of our life, are problems Gregg Wenzel will never have. Gregg Wenzel died doing a job that allows us to live these simple, safe lives. Lives that allow us to complain about nonsense that really doesn't matter. So honor Gregg Wenzel, and enjoy your life a lot more, and that will, in some small measure, make his death not in vain. 






And in our humble opinion, maybe the Dade Public Defenders could do something to honor the hero who left their office and died for his country. The Miami Chapter of the FACDL already gives out an award in honor of Gregg Wenzel. But since Gregg was a PD and damn proud of it, maybe it's time the PD office shows that it's damn proud of one of their own. 
A hero. 
Gregg Wenzel. 

FARCDL

FA R CDL- The Florida Association of RUDE Criminal Defense Attorneys- (see below- this is a busy Sunday post...)

First: Our Presidential Candidate roundup:

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee will not run for President in 2012.

Current head of the IMF and current possible candidate for President of France, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, was arrested in an Air France Plane (first class) at JFK airport minutes before takeoff and is being investigated for the attempted sexual battery of a NYC Chambermaid.

DSK has priors of sort- a sordid affair with a fetching IMF economist a few years before. NY Times coverage here.

We received this email about events at the Saturday night FACDL Banquet and we re-reprint it here in full:

Rumpole I am outraged! Please print this.

At the FACDL Banquet tonight we honored former Assistant Public Defender Gregg Wenzel. The Miami Chapter of the FACDL unanimously agreed to re-name its award to an outstanding young attorney "The Gregg Wenzel Award."

Gregg was an Assistant Public Defender. He left the office and some of us thought he was joining the Peace Corps. In actuality he was a member of the first clandestine training class that graduated from The Farm- the CIA training facility after 9/11. Greg was posted overseas and killed in Ethiopia.

In 2009 Gregg was identified as a CIA officer and his name is among 90 stars on the wall at CIA headquarters. Many of those stars remain nameless as some agents can never be identified.

Thanks to the untiring efforts of his friend Brian Tannebaum, Gregg is not forgotten here in Miami. On Saturday night Gregg's father flew in from New York to attend the banquet and the presentation of the first award named in honor of his fallen son.

Mr. Wenzel was invited to speak about his son. I cannot even adequately explain to you the level or rudeness in that room Saturday night. Judges and defense attorneys loudly chatted and laughed at their tables. As Mr. Wenzel struggled to be heard some Judges and attorneys walked about gesticulating and speaking and laughing to the point where the room was a large roar of voices and sounds.

No respect was given to Gregg and no respect was given to his father who flew a long way at his own expense just to attend our Saturday night banquet.

I was embarrassed to be a member of the FACDL Miami chapter and I will probably resign over this incident.

There wasn't a Judge in that room that would have tolerated a tenth of the level of noise they were making in their own precious courtroom during any day of the week. But for Gregg Wenzel- a true American hero- and his grieving father- NO RESPECT WAS GIVEN. SHAME ON ALL OF YOU.

Thank you Rumpole for giving me my say. Nothing can undo the truly disgusting display of ignorance and rudeness Saturday night, but maybe some of those lunkheads will read this and realize I am speaking about them.

Rumpole says: Your email says it all. Sad.

For some strange reason the link we post to the CIA press release about Gregg Wenzel does not work. But if you google "CIA Gregg Wenzel" the first hit will be the press release about the ceremony honoring him. Please do it.

GREGG WENZEL

For those of you who remember Gregg Wenzel, he was a Dade Public Defender in the mid-1990's. The title of the post links to a CIA press release confirming that Gregg Wenzel died in the service of his country as a field agent for the CIA in Ethiopia in 2003. 

From the press release detailing the ceremony at the CIA on Monday:

“During months of rigorous training, Gregg stood out as a leader, for his talent and for his intellect, but also for his great sense of humor and a great penchant for fun,” Director Panetta said. “He helped unite the class and kept its spirits high in the toughest moments.”

Overseas, Wenzel gathered intelligence on a wide range of national security priorities. In Director Panetta’s words: “At age 33, a promising young officer—a leader and friend to so many—was taken from us. We find some measure of solace in knowing that Gregg achieved what he set out to do: He lived for a purpose greater than himself. Like his star on this Wall, that lesson remains with us always.”

This story comes to us courtesy of Brian Tannebaum, who was Gregg's friend,  and has always worked to keep Gregg's memory alive.  True friend that he is, Brian went to the CIA ceremony honoring Gregg. Very nice. 

ASA David Ranck reports to us that he has been fired for his arrest on charges of battery on a pizza delivery woman. If Mr. Ranck was not in the middle of a contentious federal lawsuit with the State Attorneys Office, this story would not smell as bad as it does. 

GREGG WENZEL

Today marks 5 years since the death of Gregg Wenzel. Gregg started as an assistant public defender in '94 and then went to The Florida Bar as Bar Counsel.

He then was hired by the Foreign Service and based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he was killed by a drunk driver, who was tried in absentia, convicted and sentenced to one year in jail. He remains a fugitive.

Gregg was an avid swimmer, often showing up to the PD's office after a 6am swim in the ugliest gym clothes you can imagine, walking by all the other "suits" down the hall and changing at 8:50into one of the half a dozen suits he kept in his office. (His office door was always required to be closed when David Weed was coming by for various reasons).

There are many Gregg stories, his filing of demands for speedy trial in every single case when he was transferred to the jail division, his daily use of the "necessity" defense in DWLS trials (bringing about the joke that the east wing of DCJ was going to be renamed the "Gregg Wenzel necessity defense wing."),and the blowing up of his briefcase in the hallway of Jackson Towers by Metro Dade Bomb Squad because his beeper was vibrating and no one could determine whose briefcase it was or what was inside. (Gregg was in trial and unreachable as his pager was... in the briefcase). In true Gregg fashion, he was not apologetic about the commotion he caused, he was absolutely furious that his piece of crap briefcase was destroyed.

Gregg was also a ten-time marathon runner and finisher, and three-time Ironman finisher.

He lived life to the fullest, on his tombstone is the Abraham Lincoln quote "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."

Visit his memorial website at HERE
and keep him in your thoughts today.
Brian Tannebaum

Rumpole says: Very well said Brian. You are a good friend.

Captain: I took down your post when I saw this, and we'll put it up tomorrow, OK? Thanks.