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From June 11 through June 17, eleven Sheriff's Explorers competed in the 2006 Colorado LEEPAAC Conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Explorer Coordinator Deputy Dan Daniels, Rancho Santa Margarita Advisor Deputy Richard Oates and Rancho Santa Margarita Advisor C.S.T. Rachel Koeller supervised the Explorers. The sheriff's team competed against over 270 Explorers from throughout the United States. Orange County Sheriff's Explorer Post 449 had a very impressive showing, with two 2nd place metals, two 3rd place metals and two 4th place metals.

Jeremy Buraglia - 2nd in Report Writing, 2nd in High Risk Car Stop
Kurt Lazzara - 3rd in High Risk Car Stops
Nick Turtenwald - 3rd in Domestic Violence
Matthew Padilla - 4th in Domestic Violence
Nichole Garcia (Air Support Deputy Santos Garcia's Daughter) - 4th in High Risk Car Stops

Katie DeCoup-Crank did not receive a metal, but she tied for first with one other explorer for report writing with a perfect score. All 170 explorers had to write a report on the domestic violence call and out of 270 explorers, only Katie and one other explorer wrote a perfect report. Unfortunately, her teammates did not do as well, and only team scores are submitted for consideration.

Please join us in congratulating the following Explorers for an outstanding job!

• Jeremy Buraglia
• Kevin Daniels
• Carl Dossland
• Katie DeCoup-Crank
• Jose Garcia
• Mario Garcia
• Nichole Garcia
• Kurt Lazzara
• Sebastian Marin
• Matthew Padilla
• Nick Turtenwald

Jeremy Buraglia, who is an Explorer Lieutenant with the West Division (he is the Explorer in two middle pictures), is in the Army Reserves with the 113th Medical Unit. He is a Specialist and scheduled to be promoted to Sergeant in July. This was Jeremy's last competition and June 21, 2006 was his last explorer meeting. He is shipping out to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin on June 25th, for training. On September 15th, he will be shipping out to Kuwait, and on December 15th, he is scheduled to go to Iraq. Jeremy is 19 years old and has been an explorer since July of 2003. He was the top overall explorer at the 2003 Summer Academy (out of over 100 Explorers) and won the OCLEEAA Golden Explorer Award in 2005. He was also the recipient of the recruitment award at the 2005 Sheriff's Explorer Banquet. Jeremy is our Lead Explorer on the Explorer Color Guard and performed at the 2006 Explorer Banquet. After Jeremy finishes his tour with the Army, he plans on applying as a Deputy Sheriff Trainee with the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Jeremy has been one of our finest explorers and he will be missed.

Explorer Post 449 would like to thank the following sheriff's personnel for their assistance with the travel arrangements, funding, training and equipment needed for both competitions:

Assistant Sheriff Kim Markuson - Operations
Captain Dave Wilson - Community Services Division
Lieutenant Tom Slayton - Explorer Director - Community Services Division
Office Supervisor Karen Waters - Community Services Division
Office Specialist Cathy Paneque - Community Services Division
Accounting Assistant Kathy Hayes - Travel Desk - Financial/Administrative Services
Analyst Kathy Douglas - ASR'S/Grants - Financial/Administrative Services