Swearing-in Ceremony as the Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security and Director, Office of Foreign Missions

Left to right: Ambassador Richard J. Griffin, his wife Mary Jean, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

In attendance were Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Nicholson, Director of the Secret Service Ralph Basham, and Under Secretary for Management-Designate Henrietta Holsman Fore.

(As prepared for delivery. )

Secretary Rice, Secretary Nicholson, Director Basham, Under Secretary for Management-Designate Fore, State Department colleagues, family, friends, and other distinguished guests, thank you for the honor of your presence here today.

Madam Secretary, thank you for your courage, creativity, and commitment as you lead this Department during these most challenging times. Your presence here today serves to honor me and my family, but most importantly, the men and women of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. Thank you for the trust and confidence you demonstrated in me by recommending me to President Bush for this position.

Secretary Nicholson, I know first hand of your extremely busy schedule and your passionate pursuit of excellence on behalf of our nation's veterans. Thank you so much for being here today.

Ralph Basham, Director of the Secret Service, and Deputy Director Barbara Riggs have been friends and colleagues for nearly a quarter of a century. Thanks for being with us today. I look forward to continuing the longstanding cooperation and partnership which Diplomatic Security and the Secret Service have maintained over the years.

Over the course of the past 34 years, I have enjoyed a number of successes, but clearly, the best day of my life was April 8, 1972, when I married my wife Mary Jean. She is loving, caring, and has always been there for me. We have been blessed with three wonderful children who fortunately favor their mother!

President Kennedy once said, "Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future." I am extremely proud that my future will be marked as a member of the DS family, a courageous group of public servants dedicated to providing world-class law enforcement and security services at home and abroad. The courageous men and women in Diplomatic Security are on the front lines in the global struggle against the enemies of freedom. Our mission takes us to some of the most politically volatile and dangerous places in the world.

Despite the danger, despite the risk, we will remain steadfast in our commitment of service to our country, and in the words of President Bush, "We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail."

Thanks again to all of you for sharing in this special day.