Ambassador Richard J. Griffin Welcomes Graduates of DSS Basic Special Agent Class 89

Good afternoon, graduates, ladies and gentlemen, family and friends.

It's a pleasure to be here today as the men and women of Basic Special Agent Class 89 begin their careers in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security.

To the 25 graduates, I say congratulations.  You have successfully completed Special Agent training.  I know you worked long and hard to make it to this very important day.

As I was thinking about what to say to you today, a member of my staff told me to think of myself as being the body at an old-fashioned Irish wake:  that is, no one expects you to say too much, but they have to have you there to hold the party!

I also want to offer a warm welcome to all the family members and friends who have joined us here today.

We thank you for all you have done to shape the lives of the fine men and women who are now part of our team.

Parents, especially, please know that DS is an organization that cares deeply about your sons and daughters.

Today's graduates are an impressive group.  They come from a wide variety of professional backgrounds, including sales, marketing, the military, and law enforcement.

They speak Hebrew, Japanese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, French, German, and Spanish.

They hail from 17 states and two foreign countries (Belgium and Vietnam).  Their wide range of experience can only help DS become stronger.

Graduates, today you are joining an impressive team.

Diplomatic Security is an organization made up of more than 36,000 agents, engineers, couriers, security specialists, civil servants, and other professionals working at more than 250 Department of State facilities worldwide.

I'm sure that many of you have joined DS to answer the call for the best and the brightest to pursue a career in public service.  

Our mission is not an easy one.  The threats we face domestically and abroad are real and growing.

Make no mistake: There are powerful forces at work in the world today that are opposed to the United States and everything that we stand for as a nation and as a people. 

As a member of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, you will have an opportunity to make a tremendous difference in countering those forces.

Your role in protecting the people, facilities and information of the State Department will not only support the work of diplomacy, it also will help protect our homeland from terrorists, spies, and other criminals.

You will have the opportunity to investigate passport fraud and identity theft cases that are often linked to international crime and terrorism.

And you will provide protection in some of the world’s most politically volatile places.

After today's graduation, 15 of you will go to DS field offices across the country.

10 of you will immediately go to work supporting our efforts to protect foreign ministers and top officials attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York.   Every year, we protect these dignitaries in a massive effort involving hundreds of DS special agents, security engineers, technicians, and other DS employees.

But the U.N. General Assembly is just the beginning. DS agents around the world do what it takes every day to ensure that the representatives of the United States can conduct diplomacy safely and securely.

Wherever you are assigned to serve, you will confront challenging and, in many cases, life-threatening situations.

Others may very well live or die depending on your judgment, alertness, and — yes—your bravery. 

Though you will face difficulties and crises, you are well prepared. Your fine training, your skill, good judgment, resourcefulness, and American ingenuity will enable you to meet whatever challenges you encounter.

In a few moments, you will receive your badge and credentials.  Your badge, which will cover your heart, is a badge of honor; a badge of courage.  Carry it proudly.

During your career as a Diplomatic Security special agent, act with integrity and ingenuity, pride and humility, patience and persistence.

To paraphrase President John F. Kennedy, today the torch is passed to a new generation. Graduates, you represent the new generation of DS Agents.

As you take your oath, you are joining the ranks of one of the pre-eminent security and law enforcement organizations in the world. 

Your actions will shape the future – and the future reputation – of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security.

Always strive to do your best and to keep the flame burning brightly both at home and abroad.

In closing, let me wish you the best of luck.  You have received superb training and are extremely well prepared to face the many challenges that lie ahead.

While you will certainly be called upon to make sacrifices, they will be dwarfed by the rewards and satisfaction of a job well done.

Thank you, and may God bless each one of you.