Photo By Jennifer Scales | FLETC Firearms Instructor, Chalene Chang (left), issues equipment to a new student at...... read more read more
[The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) salutes Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM) through a series of articles recognizing FLETC staff of Asian and Pacific Island descent. The AAPIHM national campaign theme for May 2021 is "Advancing Leaders Through Purpose-Driven Service." FLETC reflects on the national history which includes generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who helped shape this nation.]
Finding herself in what is normally deemed a male dominated career path, Chalene Chang is comfortable and knowledgeable as a Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) firearms instructor.
Chang is detailed to the FLETC Firearms Division at the Glynco campus from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Academy, where she holds the position there as a Deportation Officer/Course Developer/Instructor.
Away from the deportation aspect in ICE and focusing on weapons at FLETC, Chang provides training and instruction to attending students who may arrive with no experience, basic experience or advance knowledge in weapon usage. “I teach them about pistols, shotguns and longarms care, safety, liability and use of force,” Chang said.
“Agencies may already have in place their methodologies for how weapons techniques are to be instructed,” Chang continued. “It’s my job to teach students the way their respective Participating Organizations (PO) wants the techniques taught.” With the various classes, Chang stays abreast of PO weaponry through operating procedures and in-service trainings.
Chang’s law enforcement career began in 1984 in the U.S. Army as a military police officer. She held various positions with local and tribal agencies before she started her tour as a federal law enforcement officer with the legacy Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in 1996.
Chang was assigned to the INS office in Anchorage, Alaska when the agency was reorganized under the Department of Homeland Security in 2003.
Her first tour as an instructor at FLETC occurred from February of 2006 until January 2010. She then transferred to the Charleston, West Virginia Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Charleston, West Virginia and there became its first Supervisory Detention and Deportation Officer.
While in West Virginia, Chang got the opportunity to return to FLETC on an extended detail. When complete, she was asked if she would be interested in returning the ICE Academy on a more permanent basis, and she answered in the affirmative. Chang returned to FLETC again in 2017.
Her grandfather, Dai Ming Chang, and grandmother, Lin Hee Chang immigrated from China. Honolulu is the birthplace of her father, Clifford Chang.
Though she is a native of Clark Fork, Idaho, Chang attended Westmont High School in Campbell, Calif., and returned to her native state to receive her college degree from the University of Idaho-Moscow campus.
Big game hunting takes up the spare time for Chang. “In this area, the hunting limits me to deer and wild hog, but when I am back home, I also add moose and elk to the list,” Chang said.
For Chang, she indicates the calling into law enforcement came at a young age to her as she looked up to one of her favorite uncles. “Uncle McKibbon worked with law enforcement in San Francisco and I recall the stories he would share about his work,” Change said. “Plus, the influence of watching old television westerns had its impact on my decision also.”
Chang has felt the sting of growing up biracial. But thanks to her family values, she has been able to pursue her success based on the content of her character, which she notes is something everyone should adhere to.
“Having the quality, drive, ambition…that’s what a person should continue to strive toward for success,” Chang said. “This is exactly what I have found here at FLETC. I have enjoyed every moment with my students and fellow staff, and I hope that I have been an inspiration to them in some manner.”
| Date Taken: | 05.26.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 05.26.2021 08:15 |
| Story ID: | 397423 |
| Location: | GLYNCO, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 135 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Chalene Chang - FLETC Spotlight for Asian-American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, by Jennifer Scales, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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