Real Criminal Minds FBI Headquarters May Be Torn Down

J. Edgar Hoover Building, FBI's Hulking Headquarters, May Be Torn Down
Huffington Post
By PETE YOST
12/09/12

WASHINGTON -- Just six blocks from the White House, the FBI's hulking headquarters overlooking Pennsylvania Avenue has long been the government building everyone loves to hate. The verdict: It's an ugly, crumbling concrete behemoth, an architectural mishap – all 2.4 million square feet of it.

But in this time of tight budgets, massive deficits and the "fiscal cliff," the 38-year-old FBI headquarters building has one big thing in its favor.

It sits atop very valuable real estate, an entire city block on America's Main Street, midway between the U.S. Capitol and the White House. Just how valuable? The General Services Administration intends to find out.

This past week, the agency that oversees all federal buildings issued an invitation to developers: How would you like to build a new headquarters for the FBI in a different location? In exchange, we'll consider throwing in the J. Edgar Hoover building and the underlying land as part of the transaction.

"We're testing the marketplace," the GSA's acting administrator, Dan Tangherlini, said in an interview. "We think we have very valuable property. How much is it worth?" Tangherlini wants to see if it could be traded for a property that better meets current needs.

The finish line is still a long way off. But in perhaps seven years, according to an estimate last year by the Government Accountability Office, the FBI could be in a new home at a fresh location in Washington or one of its surrounding counties.

The J. Edgar Hoover building may not be praised as architecture, but the current building has become part of American culture.
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Criminal Minds "The Fallen" stands tall

Criminal Minds "The Fallen" stands tall
by Chaplain Kathie
Wounded Times Blog
November 15, 2012

Yesterday I posted about how another Criminal Minds had Vietnam Veteran in story remembering all the other times they had a PTSD veteran as the "unsub" expecting more of the same.

Last night I did what I always do. Turned on Criminal Minds. I took a deep breath and saw Rossi at his desk on the phone with his publisher.

The Fallen

Pictured (L-R): Meshach Taylor (Harrison Scott) and Joe Mantegna (David Rossi). The BAU travels to Santa Monica when burned bodies of homeless people begin showing up by the famous pier.

Also, Rossi reconnects with his former Marine sergeant from Vietnam.

Rossi was trying to figure out who his new book would be dedicated to when they received the call about murders in Santa Monica. While the team figured out the victims were homeless people, they arrived at a shelter and Rossi spotted a homeless veteran and the patch on his arm. He followed him and soon discovered it was someone he cared about.

Sgt. Scott talked about all the times he had been married and how they failed. Talked about what happened after Rossi was wounded and Sgt. Scott was left feeling guilty about an award he knew someone else should have received.

Sgt. Scott didn't want help from Rossi even though Rossi had enough money to help him. At this point it was clear that Sgt. Scott was at a point in his life when he didn't believe he deserved help from anyone.

This episode addressed many important issues average citizens never hear about.

First, Rossi was a young kid when he was a Marine in Vietnam. He was changed by Sgt. Scott and then spent the rest of his life trying to save people because of what Scott did. It didn't matter how short of a time Rossi was in Vietnam because it stayed a part of his life.

Maybe now we know it could be part of the reason Rossi had been married so many times and this came out when Scott mentioned how all his marriages failed.

Both of these men were changed by their service in Vietnam and both men held the ability to risk their lives for someone else. Scott risked his life to save the life of a homeless woman. In the end Scott finally got the help he needed after making peace with the award he received when the real hero behind the action was honored and Rossi discovered that his life of tracking down criminals was directly tied to his service in Vietnam and the heroes he learned from.

Fabulous job!

Criminal Minds has Vietnam and Marines as subject

UPDATE Criminal Minds The Fallen stand tall

This is one of my favorite shows. I'll be watching tonight just like every Wednesday (not counting re-runs) but so far, I have been very disappointed when a veteran is the subject they search for. The only time I think they did a great job was in To Hell and Back. An Iraq veteran caused the team to search for homeless people being murdered and not the murderer.

Joe Mantegna has done a lot for veterans and there is not doubt in my mind he really cares about veterans, so I adore him anyway.

Joe Mantegna Thrilled About His ‘Criminal Minds’ Marine Storyline
by Paulette Cohn
November 13, 2012

It’s a special episode for David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) when the “Criminal Minds” Behavioral Analysis Unit travels to Santa Monica, Calif. on Wednesday, for a case in which the unsub is burning the bodies of homeless people and leaving them near the pier.

A clue leads Rossi to Skid Row, where he reconnects with his former Marine sergeant (guest star Meshach Taylor), who is down on his luck — and it is flashback time as “Criminal Minds” turns back the clock and takes us to when Rossi was a 19-year-old, very green Marine [Robert Dunne plays the young Rossi] stationed in Vietnam.

In this exclusive interview, Mantegna gives XfinityTV.com his insights into “The Fallen” episode, as well as shares his thoughts on an upcoming episode in which it appears as if “The Silencer” may have returned.

Is the fact that Rossi is an ex-Marine a new aspect of the role for you to play?

We have made reference to it. There was the episode with the Navy Seal, played by Max Martini, where he suffered this condition where he thought his own friends and family were the enemy. He actually comes into the BAU because he has expertise. I talked to him on the phone and I mentioned that I was a former Marine and made reference to boots on the ground. About four seasons ago, I was on the plane with Hotch (Thomas Gibson) and I told him how right out of the Marine Corps, I came into the FBI. For a long time, I have wanted to explore that avenue so the fact that we are finally able to do it, I am thrilled.
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