Release #09.056
August 5, 2009

United First Officer Scott Graham Receives ALPA’s Presidential Citation
Ashburn, Va., Pilot Recognized for Exceptional Leadership in Enhancing Aviation Security

WASHINGTON—The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) will recognize United Airlines First Officer Scott Graham with its 2008 Presidential Citation for his outstanding efforts to advance aviation security. The award will be presented today during ALPA’s 55th Air Safety Forum in Washington, D.C.

For almost a decade, F/O Graham has worked tirelessly to make air transportation more secure throughout the United States and Canada, especially in the areas of flight-deck security.
“F/O Graham has been involved in almost every ALPA aviation security initiative since 9/11,” said Capt. John Prater, ALPA’s president. “Thanks in part to his work, passengers, crews, and cargo are better protected today against terrorist threats.”

F/O Graham currently serves as the security chairman for the United Airlines Master Executive Council (MEC) and heads a key working group that is creating secondary barrier standards in Washington, D.C. As vice chairman of the UAL MEC’s Security Committee, he represented United pilots in his airline’s efforts to develop countermeasures to shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles, and he was instrumental in UAL’s successful joint working group that created new procedures for secondary cockpit barriers and flight-deck access training.

F/O Graham also served as the United MEC’s and later ALPA’s liaison for federal flight deck officers (FFDOs) and law enforcement officers (LEOs) and helped to create the first model for FFDO professional standards for any ALPA pilot group.

“United pilots have been at the forefront throughout the years in helping establish airline safety standards and measures that benefit fellow pilots, our passengers, and the aviation industry in general,” said Capt. Steve Wallach, chairman of the United Master Executive Council of ALPA. “F/O Graham’s dedication and work toward promoting safety carries on a long-standing tradition among pilots at United Airlines.”

“I speak for all of ALPA’s members when I commend F/O Graham for his extraordinary dedication and service to all of those who depend on a secure air transportation system,” concluded Prater.

Founded in 1931, ALPA nearly 54,000 pilots at 36 airlines in the United States and Canada. Visit www.alpa.org for more information.

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Contact: Linda Shotwell or Rusty Ayers, 703/481-4440 or media@alpa.org