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This digital document is an article from The Forensic Examiner, published by American College of Forensic Examiners on June 22, 2005. The length of the article is 491 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: An invitation to expand your career through the Certified Medical Investigator, CMI, certification review course.
Author: Michael Karagiozis
Publication: The Forensic Examiner (Refereed)
Date: June 22, 2005
Publisher: American College of Forensic Examiners
Volume: 14Issue: 2Page: 20(1)

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From 1964 to 1994, Buck Revell directed or participated in virtually every major FBI investigation -- including the JFK assassination, Watergate, the Iran hostage crisis, and Gulf War antiterrorist operations. As the former Associate Deputy Director in charge of investigations, the Bureau's number-two career post, he sealed his reputation as a legendary maverick in federal law enforcement. Now, in a landmark autobiography, Revell candidly reveals the brilliance and deep-rooted flaws behind thirty years of FBI investigations.

Known early on for his street-smart, proactive, and hard-hitting style inside J. Edgar Hoover's Bureau, Revell hunted down Mafia hit men, Ku Klux Klan-type terrorist groups, and Eastern Bloc spies. Quickly rising in a system that was often its own worst enemy, he discloses why, after Hoover's death in 1972, he and other reform-minded agents moved to modernize the FBI both tactically and technologically -- and how he developed investigative strategies, innovated specific surveillance methods, and championed special FBI units, such as Special Events Management and Hostage Rescue.

As skilled at advising heads of state as collaring criminals, Revell was often summoned to the White House Situation Room. As the senior FBI representative to the National Security Council, he emerged as one of our leading authorities on terrorism and national security issues. He recounts how he persuaded Congress to enact Federal laws regarding fugitive apprehension abroad, and how he directed all international operations -- including tracking the kidnappers and killers of hostages in Beirut, international mafias weapons smuggling, and French and Japanese industrial espionage. He also demonstrates why it is vital for the FBI to become a global nerve center for the world's law enforcement agencies.

On the home front, Buck Revell continues to advise the National Security Council, the Pentagon, and the Justice Departments on matters of organized crime, drug enforcement, white-collar crime and terrorism. In A G-Man's Journal, he proposes drastic reforms for improving the current system of law enforcement and justice, and bluntly analyzes what went wrong at incidents like the Branch Davidian tragedy in Waco, and the World Trade Center and Oklahoma City bombings.

A riveting chronicle of an extraordinary career amid history-shaping events, A G-Man's Journal lays bare the varied criminal threats facing America today, and sets the crimefighting agenda for the next century.Amazon.com Review
A true insider's peek into the Federal Bureau ofInvestigation's Washington halls of power, A G-Man's Journalestablishes its pull-no-punches tone with a bang and a snap as Oliver"Buck" Revell recounts his personal interview with infamous FBIDirector J. Edgar Hoover on the first day Revell was assigned toheadquarters: "You know," he quotes Hoover, "the president (Kennedy)was the one who ordered the investigation of Martin Luther King."

Revell, who served more than 30 years with the FBI, reached thesecond-highest position available in the bureau, that of assistantdirector. His differences of opinion with various FBI directors afterHoover make great reading, though his criticisms of current directorLouis Freeh are surprising given the general applause Freeh hasreceived from policymakers and pressmen. Among certain elements,Revell has a reputation as a member of Reagan's "shadow government,"responsible for rogue policy decisions outside the scope of thepresident's constitutional powers. Many conspiracy buffs suggest heplayed a less-than-honorable role in both the Iran-Contra affair andthe tragic bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in1988. While not directly addressing the notoriety surrounding him,Revell manages to make clear that he believed throughout his careerthat he was doing exactly what he should have as a representative ofthe FBI, performing his duties with honor. --Tjames Madison ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Revell's A G-Man's Journal
The nice thing about freedom of speech is that it helps one to learn the truth.I recommend this book for a well written viewpoint and a non-abusive style from the former Assistant Director of the FBI (with the help of Dwight Williams).Presumably his "nemesis" underClinton, Director Freeh, has a book written by himself somewhere, and itwill only be fair to compare the versions of the two books.In fact, Ithink that an outstanding Management Course could be made by assigningRevell's book, Freeh's book (or future book - I don't know if it exists),and Bonanno's book giving one of the more enlightened Mafia viewpoints (seemy review of the latter).Revell appears to have been an outstandingmanager from this book, and some readers may not understand why.Revellhas a military type discipline viewpoint with an exceptional respect forjustice and fairness rather than firing senior employees arbitrarily orbecause of political orders or downsizing attempts.It's the type ofdiscipline that Field Marshall Montgomery had (see my review of his book),and to some extent General Eisenhower.Whether he violated law forpatriotic reasons I do not know, and whether he is right about Freeh'smotivations - that, only comparisons between sources of evidence canreveal.His strong opinion that J. Edgar Hoover was not a homosexual isquite interesting, since Great Britain has found for example that freedomof speech without respect for the public can lead to very erroneousconclusions, innuendoes, etc.As for Bonanno, his idea that the Mafiashould not sell dope is quite an honorable proposal (it seems to me).

Exciting Information With Revealing Insight
It is an informative novel which gives exciting insight into one of the most famous law enforcement agencies of America. Not only learning about the cases that Oliver Revell worked on, but knowing how others in the FBI,including J. Edgar Hoover, thought and said is purely fascinating. This isa must read to anyone interested in the FBI, law enforcement, or federalgovernment agencies.

Interesting read, a bit cluttered
Revell, in this co-authored book, believes in the philosophy "never say in 350 pages what you can say in 570."
The events are apparently purely chronological, and almost stream-of-consciousness. There's a lot of jumping from subject to subject, with little transition orunifying theme.While the book has a bibliography and index, it's lackinga glossary, which would be helpful for those of us who don't use acronymslike OSG, JSOC, CSG, and CISPES on a daily basis.
The book would beless cluttered if there wasn't a compulsion to include every incident inwhich Revell wished to claim credit, or rebut an allegation of misconductagainst him.For instance, the liner notes claim that Revell"participated in ... the JFK assassination [investigation]."Itturns out Revell wasn't even in the FBI at the time;he was a Marine whowas liaison to FBI agents who were interviewing Marines who had knownOswald during Oswald'sMarine service.
It is an interesting account ofagent Revell's career, and FBI history and lore, mainly from within the FBIbureaucracy looking down, and contains some almost-hidden nuggets ofinsight on personalities and events you probably won't find elsewhere.
Read _No Heroes_ by Danny O. Coulson for a street agent perspective on manyof the same events.

For the Record
I'd like to set the record straight about the rebooking of Chris Revell's flight and the speculation that his Father "saved his life" and not others.Chris Revell's flight plans were changed at least two weeksprior to Thanksgivingthat year in early or mid-November.Chris had moreleave-time than he had first thought and asked me to get him a directflight from Frankfurt to Washington D.C. so he could spend more time athome.We had been apart since the beginning of August and I can assure youit wasn't anticipated terrorism that was motivating him to return early. My In-Laws were in Australia at the time and my Father-in-Law was in no wayinvolved in our decision to change Chris' flight.Sorry, but the situationjust wasn't as sinister as some would like it to be.

A great look into & a good overview of the inside of the FBI
I know and work with Buck Revells' brother Dennis and Dennis told me that it was a good read. I knew that if Buck had his brothers integrity and analytical thinking process, that this indeed would be a good read. I wasnot disappointed. This book gives an excellent insight into the FBI, whichgiven the number of times Buck & Sharon Revell moved stands for ForeverBeing Inconvenienced. Good facts about the cases involved but not too muchgiven away. It is a good "guys read", fast paced with detail itnever gets boring. I enjoyed this and can whole-heartedly recommend it toall. ... Read more

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Uses the perspective of a police detective's eleven-year-old mystery-loving neighbor to present the training, activities, and investigative techniques of crime detectives. Includes a timeline, glossary, and fun facts about the field. ... Read more

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For courses in Criminal Evidence, Criminal Investigation, and Administration of Justice in 2 and 4 year colleges.Addressed specifically to the needs of police officers and criminal investigators, this text provides a functional analysis of evidence in criminal courts. It explores evidence in action in America's courtrooms -- focusing on how it does, or does not, get there. ... Read more