Twenty years ago I headed off to JMU for what turned out to be a wildly unsuccessful freshman year of college (academically speaking, anyway...). I eventually got on track and graduated from a small state school in Illinois with a Journalism degree.

I spent a few years in Chicago working in media relations before returning to Arlington in '02 to serve as the spokesman for the Police Department. After doing that for nearly five years, I decided that life would be much more interesting in a cruiser and went to the Academy. I've been patrolling the mean streets around Ballston Mall for almost a year now and love it, even the getting up at 4:30 in the morning part.

I met my wife Amanda a few years ago and we were married in October. We just bought a condo in South Arlington and will be moved in by May. All in all, life is good.

I'm looking forward to the reunion. Many thanks to the committee members for all their work.