Walk in or appointment...I am here in my office from 0700-1200 every Friday.

My name is Bert Ouderkirk. I was born in Hamilton, OH, however, I moved to
Michigan when I was very small (6 mos). I went to High School in Michigan
and also here in Arizona where I was recruited to play baseball. I joined the Marine Corps right out of high school.

I served 21 years in the Marine Corps as a Military Policeman, Drill
Instructor (turning over 1200 civilians into U.S. Marines, and my last 15
years as a Criminal Investigator/Polygraph Examiner). After 15 years in the
Marine Corps, mostly playing softball in my spare time, and, upon returning
from a tour in Southwest Asia, I realized that I needed to finish my education for my family. I applied for a program where I was allowed to go to school full time while on active duty and was accepted. I finished by undergraduate by obtaining a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Administration graduating (Magna Cum Laude).

Upon finishing my undergrad I was assigned to the Department of Defense
Polygraph Institute and completed my 4 months of training there. After 
completion of DODPI I was assigned as the polygraph examiner for the Marine
Corps bases on the west coast.  I also attended the FBI Hostage/Crisis Negotiator’s course and was assigned as the Lead Hostage Negotiator for Marine Corps Bases on the West Coast. 

Upon arriving at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, CA, I enrolled in the Master's
of Forensic Science Program at National University. I graduated with honors
and did my graduate thesis project on Bloodspatter Patterns at crimes scenes
and how you can tell what occurred by reading them.

At my thesis defense presentation I was asked to teach criminalistics and
advanced criminalistics for National University, and thus, began my teaching
career. I teach for several different universities, some online, some in the
classroom. I taught as an adjunct faculty for about 9 years but then life got in the way and I had to take a short break.   However, I have been teaching for over 27 years and I have taught on every level from Associates to Masters level
and thoroughly enjoy teaching.  I have taught in every platform from this one (Canvas), to virtual campus, to Angel, to Webct…nearly every one you can think of.   

In October 1998, I went to Japan to serve as the Far East polygraph examiner and Chief Investigator, where I spent a year running both counterintelligence and criminal polygraph exams.

After just a few months at the CID (Criminal Investigation Division office), I was reassigned as a Special Agent with the NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) as a polygraph examiner.  I conducted both criminal and counterintelligence exams for them as well.  I returned to the U.S. in Oct 99 and finished my career in the Marine Corps at CID, MCB, Camp Pendleton, where I retired in Dec 99.  

Upon retirement I went to work for a government
agency in Albuquerque, NM.   I
worked for them for 8 months and missed teaching and having to travel 500
miles to Phoenix every month to see my kids. I was missing too much of their lives.
Plus my agency would not let me teach. Government Agents were not allowed
to work second jobs so I resigned and moved back here to Phoenix. I am currently the Department Chair of Criminal Justice at one of the largest Community College in the U.S.   I completed my second Masters Degree in Organizational Management in Jan 04.

I met the love of my life here in Phoenix. We got married on Sept 29, 2002 and then spent a wonderful week in Hawaii. My kids love her and what better woman could you have than one who loves golf, and my favorite pastime in the whole world, softball. I am retired now but used to play on an over 50, 55, and then 60 Men’s Travel Tournament team consisting of mostly retired military personnel from all branches of the service and some first responders.  We won the Spring World Championships in Mar 2015 (then on an over 50 team).  We then won the TOC (Tournament of Champions), kind of like the World Series of Senior Softball), where all of the best teams play in Florida in Feb 2016!  Then won the Spring World Championships again in 2017 in Utah (then on an over 55 team).  We returned in Feb 2018 to play in the TOC  again but only finished 3rd that year..I just had a double knee replacement 5 years ago and feel like a new man!

We also have an adopted baby boy who was born on March 4, 2007, who just got his driver's learning permit in Nov 22.


My wife is a former all state softball player and was a coach at Arizona State University. 

Bert Ouderkirk/MFS/MAOM

MSGT USMC (Retired)

Bachelor's in Criminal Justice Administration (BSCJA)

Masters in Forensic Science (MFS)

Masters in Organizational Management (MAOM)