VERO BEACH — On Friday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m., Colonel Mike Pheneger, U.S. Army (Ret.) will address the topic “Revisiting the Patriot Act – What Every American Should Know.”
This free event will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Vero Beach, 1590 27th Ave., co-sponsored by the church’s Social Justice Committee and the Florida American Civil Liberties Union. No tickets or reservations are needed.
Col. Pheneger spent 30 years on active duty as a U.S. Army Intelligence Officer, retiring in 1993. He had overseas assignments in Germany, Vietnam, Korea, Panama and the Middle East.
As Director of Intelligence for USSOCOM, Col. Pheneger campaigned to end duplicative intelligence production, to expand our focus on neglected third-world and low-intensity conflict situations that were more likely to require the deployment of U.S. forces.
He holds an M.P.A. from Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, a B.S. from Bowling Green State University, and is a graduate of the Command & Staff Course, U.S. Naval War College, and the U.S. Army War College.
After military retirement, he developed training programs for adult professionals for the University of South Florida’s Professional and Workforce Development Division. He teaches courses on the Bill of Rights, The Constitution, Terrorism and Geo-Politics for learning-in- retirement programs in Tampa and Sarasota.
Col. Pheneger is President of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida. He previously served on the ACLU’s National Board and National Executive Committee. He speaks frequently on issues involving civil liberties and national security and the ethical and constitutional aspects of intelligence collection and operations.
He has spoken widely on the USA Patriot Act, torture, Guantanamo, and warrantless wiretapping, and has submitted declarations in federal court proceedings supporting the ACLU’s requests for documents under the Freedom of Information Act.
A December panel discussion on “Judicial Activism and the Supreme Court,” celebrating the 222nd Anniversary of the Bill of Rights, was also co-sponsored by the Treasure Coast ACLU chapter and UUFVB’s Social Justice Committee.
The UU Fellowship, offering a liberal religion on the Treasure Coast, has easy parking and is handicap accessible. For more information about the event, call (772) 778-5880, or contact T. A. Wyner, Chair, Treasure Coast Chapter ACLU (Indian River, Okeechobee, Martin and St. Lucie Counties), at tawyner@aceweb.com or (772) 465-5658.