This morning, at all four of our airports, we took the time to observe two moments of silence; one at 0846 and the second at 0903, so that we could stop and remember the events of September 11, 2001.
It is always important to remember the past and to know your history. As a result of the terrible events of September 11, 2001, Congress enacted legislation, and President Bush signed into law, the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in November 2001. Part of that massive reorganization of government included the Aviation and Transportation Security Act which was the document that created our Transportation Security Administration and defined our mission.
We have all come together from many states, countries and backgrounds to join in one common mission: to detect, deter and disrupt any future acts of terrorism in the United States. The oath we all took at the beginning of our TSA careers, which states in part, "...To protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic...", can never be forgotten just as much as September 11 can never be forgotten. We are on the front line of that effort to protect and defend our nation every day against those people, foreign and domestic, who wish to threaten our lives and way of life.
As we proceed into the coming days, weeks and months ahead, please take the time to always remember why we are here and what brought us together, unified in a common mission. The work is difficult and demanding, requiring constant attention to detail and due diligence daily, but nothing worthwhile in life is easy. We are all privileged to live in this great nation, and that will always be worth protecting and defending.
Thank you all for your continued commitment to the TSA mission.
Respectfully,
Robert Duffy
Federal Security Director
LaGuardia International Airport
Long Island MacArthur Airport
Westchester County Airport
Stewart International Airport
