Arnold J. Haiman

Arnie was born in the Bronx, New York in 1946 to Hattie and Philip Haiman. He attended James Monroe High School, where he met the love of his life, Regina Acompore. He died on December 24, 2019, after a year-long battle with ALS. He is survived by his wife of 50 years Regina, their son David (Marta), their daughter Deborah, their three grandchildren, Inti, Judah, and Millie, and his brother Mark (Cheryl).

After graduating from NYU Law School, Arnie joined the Coast Guard. He served six years as a lawyer and a Special Agent in the Coast Guard Investigative Service. He transferred into the Navy JAG Corps where his duties included service as a circuit-riding judge overseas. Awards included Meritorious Service Commendation Medals.

He retired in 1990 and went to work as a Senior Executive at the U.S. Agency for International Development. He regularly visited attorneys he had assigned to trouble spots such as Afghanistan and Iraq and served as an aid worker during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He continued to receive recognition, including a Presidential Rank Award, for the quality of his work and his willingness to take on the most difficult assignments.

During his Navy career, Arnie earned an LL.M in Criminal Law (Highest Academic Honors) and after retiring from USAID, became a Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional. He worked as an Ethics Consultant and an Executive Coach. He was a popular instructor at George Washington University and the Federal Executive Institute — known for his energy, ready wit, and mentorship. He was flattered and always available when former students sought him out for advice. After some success in seeing his op-ed opinions published, he tried his hand at fiction. He wrote several mysteries, a military adventure novel, and a police story.

His volunteer activities included working at Fisher House and tutoring in the Alexandria City and Fairfax County schools. He was a member of Temple B’Nai Shalom.

Notwithstanding busy and challenging career assignments, the central focus of his life was his family. His happiest days were the many family holidays and vacations where he would regale the kids with made-up funny adventure stories. He was an avid pickleball player in later years and enjoyed the competition and the new friends he made on the court.

Donations in his memory may be sent to the ALS Association.

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