Ted Palsson

After graduating from Franklin Ted joined the U.S. Air Force and completed Basic Training, Law Enforcement Technical School (Police Academy) and Combat Training School in Texas before getting assigned to McChord AFB here in Washington. Ted was the first person from McChord to attend a S.W.A.T. school. He was one stripe short of the schools minimum rank, but his squadron saught and received a waiver which allowed Ted to attend the school anyway. Ted then attended an advanced SWAT training course given by the FBI and was also a SWAT Team Leader, worked as a Desk Sergeant and Command Post RTO (that's like a Desk Sergeant) on an Air Force Combat Team, and spent his 23rd birthday attending the Military Police Investigator School at Ft. McClellan, Alabama. After more than 5 years at McChord, Ted was reassigned to Izmir, Turkey where he eventually became the NCOIC of Investigations as an E-5 in an E-7 designated position. He enjoyed long trips to remote outposts to conduct investigations and also visiting the ancient city of Ephesus and the House of Mary just a few kilometers away. Ted's last duty assignment was at Fairchild AFB in Washington where he was a Patrol Supervisor, worked on stakeouts and was called upon to perform investigations of high profile accidents.

During his time in the Air Force, Ted competed as an Expert Marksman on a Rifle Pistol Team and was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal as well as several other recognitions.

After the Air Force Ted went to college on the G.I. Bill and then began to work in the IT field working his way up to Network Administrator and eventually Section Manager of Network Operations, Key Services Corp., for Alaska, California, Oregon and Washington.

In 2004 Ted donated 700 hours of work to develop a paperless patient tracking system for the Naguru Teen Information and Health Centre in Kampala, Uganda which has allowed the centre to treat thousands more children per year.

When he turned to contracting he visited all 96 QFC stores to upgrade their network servers for the Y2K fix. Ted's most recent contract work has included Starbucks and T-Mobile. Ted also works as a consultant, application developer, and web site designer.

2016 marks Ted's 31st year as a Seafair Volunteer and is the Branch Director of Security, managing the Security in the Pits and the Start/Finish Tower during the annual Unlimited Hydroplane Races.

Ted was awarded the Seafair Volunteer of the Year Award in 2013 and a Seafair Extra Mile Award in 2015.

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Little Known Facts about Ted Palsson

2nd oldest of 6 in a mixed-race family.

His sister, Caprice Hollins, Psy, D, is a member of the Franklin High School Class of 1983.

His older brother Michael is a member of the Franklin High School Class of 1975.

All four of his children graduated from Franklin.

Both of his sisters Caprice and Suzanne have sons over 6'2" tall.

Sister Kelly passed away in the fall of 1974 at the start of Ted's junior year at Franklin. She would have been a sophomore at Franklin that year.

Best mile at Franklin was 4:47 as a member of the 1975 Metro Championship Track Team.

Lettered in Cross-Country, Swimming and Track and had his picture on the Wall of Fame in the main hallway.

Has visited 29 states in the U.S. along with Japan, South Korea, Germany, Spain, Greece, Ireland and England and was stationed for a year in Izmir, Turkey.

Was an E-5 working in a position designated for E-7 while assigned as the NCOIC (Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge) of Investigations in Izmir, Turkey.

Was nicknamed "Quincy" after the television show because he was the first Security Police Investigator to use chemicals to find fingerprints at crime scenes and volunteered to go to autopsies.

Has 4 children and 3 grandchildren.

Is the grandson of an immegrant from Iceland on his father's side but can also trace his family back to 1639 when his 9th Great Grandfather sailed from England and helped found the town of Guilford, CT. His 5th Great Grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War. 

A 3rd Great Grandfather served from December 1862 to June 1865 as a Corporal in the Civil War.

A Great Grandfather on his mother's side fought in the Spanish-American War.

His maternal Grandfather served in the Navy during World War II. 

His father served in the Navy in the 1950's which is why Ted and his brother Michael were born in San Diego.

His paternal grandfather sailed up and down the Yukon River in Alaska, and between Anchorage and Barrow Alaska trading with the Alaskan Native Eskimos. 

A maternal Great Grandfather served in the Merchant Marines in the Pacific during World War II as did a paternal Grand Uncle.

Blood related to people of color including Alaskan Yupik Eskimos, African Americans, Hispanics, and Chinese.

His Paternal Grandfather worked on the Space Needle during its construction. 

A Paternal Grand Uncle was called upon to asses the stability of the base of the Space Needle after the big earthquake of 1965.

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