Los Alamos County Fire Chief Troy Hughes, right, with his friend, former Los Alamos National Laboratory Physical Security Division Leader Michael Wismer Friday at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. Wismer, who lives in Santa Fe flew out with his wife Lisa Wismer to join Hughes and his wife Jodi Hughes at a ceremony in which Hughes graduated with a Master of Arts Degree in Security Studies at the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security. During the 18-month online and in-residence program, Hughes collaborated with homeland security officials from across the nation on policy, strategy and organizational design challenges. He wrote a thesis titled, ‘Pre-Incident Planning for the Los Alamos National Laboratory’. ‘Lisa and I were thrilled and honored to attend the graduation of friend and one-time colleague Chief Troy Hughes from the Naval Post Graduate School’s Center for Homeland Security Studies,’ Michael Wismer said. ‘The program is a rigorous 18-month regimen focusing on the complex, interdisciplinary approach to defending our nation’s homeland. It is a monumental step for a fire chief to step up to the challenge of learning to be on the leading edge of our shared national security mission set. Los Alamos County and Los Alamos National Laboratory will benefit from Chief Hughes’ lifelong commitment to self and institutional improvement.’ Courtesy photo