Arkansas Off Duty Police Magazine

201 Franklin Street · Hot Springs, Arkansas 71913 · 501-282-0124 ·

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Back Home: Jeff Michau

Officer First Class Jeff Michau is a nine-and-a-half-year veteran of the Hot Springs Police Department and a 15-year veteran of the Arkansas National Guard.

Jeff was born in California in 1971 and moved to Arkansas in 1981. He graduated from Little Rock’s J.A. Fair High School in 1990. In 1995, Jeff earned his associate's degree in criminal justice from then Garland County Community College.

As a soldier in the Guard, Jeff holds the rank of staff sergeant, or e-6, and is a combat medic (designation 91W). He is assigned to company "C" 39th Support Battalion out of Lonoke, Ark.

Part of his military medic training allowed him to become certified nationwide as a nationally registered emergency medical technician. This cross training would allow an Army medic to assist with emergency medical care in the U.S. when dealing with civilians. This certification is very important especially in light of the recent tragedies of September 11, 2001, and Hurricane Katrina.

Jeff was notified that he would be sent to Iraq in June of 2002, and reported the following October 2003 to Camp Taji, a k a Camp Cooke, just south of Baghdad. His assignment stationed him at a forward operating base as NCOIC (noncommissioned officer in charge) of the brigade surgeon staff’s mass casualty unit. In other words, he was the boss of the triage area, leading 22 other soldiers in evaluating injuries of patients admitted to the base hospital.

Jeff continued to further his formal education while serving in Iraq by taking telecourses over the Internet through the university of Arkansas in Little Rock. He is currently enrolled at UALR and is working towards his 4-year criminal justice degree. Jeff spent a total of 11 months in Iraq and returned home in March 2005. He was proud to have served his country and to have been a part of helping the citizens of Iraq, but was relieved and happy to finally get back home with friends, family and the civilian police job, which he loves.

Jeff isn’t all work and no play, however. When asked what his hobbies include, he replied, "fixing up old houses." He does construction, plumbing, electrical, roofing and yard work on his off time. Jeff currently serves as landlord for three rental properties in Garland County. He also is in the process of restoring the house he lives in. It is 100 years old and needs a fair amount of updating, as you can imagine. What a hobby! I really had to pinch him hard to say that he enjoys riding his Seadoo. He forgot he had a Seadoo - he hasn’t ridden it in so long.

Jeff also loves to spend time with his wife of 11 years, Jennifer, and their 4-year-old daughter, Emily. Emily says her favorite part about having daddy back is they can go fishing again, which is her favorite thing to do.

Arkansas law enforcement agencies and police families around the state took a big hit when military units began activating members for duty in Afghanistan and Iraq. There are several Arkansas law enforcement officers serving in battle zones overseas.

This section is sponsored by the Thaddeus H. Carraway Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post #2278 Hot Springs. For years, Post 2278 members have been sending care packages containing cookies, hygiene items, gum, socks, sunscreen, etc., to troops serving overseas. Soldiers, sailors and airmen, in return, send back letters and pictures of themselves and their units at work and play. Please with your deployed police officer's name, police rank and department, military rank and unit/job description, picture and leave/return dates. We will start a prayer list for the VFW chaplain to work on. We could also get care packages sent.

Officers currently on active military duty:

Hot Springs Police Officer Jeff Michau

Staff Sergeant U.S. Army, Medic, Baghdad, Iraq.

Due back: April 2005

Arkansas State Trooper Scott Ellis (Camden)

U.S. Army, Iraq

Arkansas State Trooper Michael Gunnet (Warren)

U.S. Army, Iraq

Members of Thaddeus H. Carraway VFW Post 2278 Honor Guard pose prior to a recent funeral in Alpine, Arkansas. Pictured are, back row from left, Gordon Cheauteau, Frank Runyon, Doc Harger, Charlie Williams, Bud Crabtree, Frankie "Pud" Woolard, Bill Lloyd, Gerald Cummings, and Honor Guard Commander Lou Hollingsworth; front row from left, SN Douglas McGibbony (U.S. Navy), IT2 Eric Roy (U.S. Navy), and Chief Paul T. Maddox, Arkansas Off Duty Magazine.

The Hot Springs VFW Post #2278 Honor Guard has conducted more than 1,000 military funerals since its inception in the late 1980s. They are rapidly approaching number 1,500! Everyone on the VFW Honor Guard is former military and has been awarded a War Medal(s) by the United States Congress. Arkansas' Off Duty Editor in Chief, Chief Paul T. Maddox, was awarded the Kosovo Campaign Medal while serving as a Military Policeman, stationed in Greece. He is a Life Member of Post #2278 and serves as one of the Honor Guard's buglers, playing Taps at Military Funerals and Memorials conducted by the Honor Guard.

Arkansas Off Duty Magazine is a private publication and is not sanctioned by any government or law enforcement agency, department or official.