Other distinguished guests attending were: Under Secretary Charles McQueary, Science and Technology; Commandant of the United States Coast Guard Rear Admiral David Kunkle; Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning Stewart Verdery from Border and Transportation Security; and Deputy Administrator Carol DiBattiste, Transportation Security Administration. Attending from the Department of Homeland Security were Inspector General Richard Skinner, General Counsel Joe Whitley, Chief Financial Officer Andrew Maner, Chief Information Officer Steven Cooper, and Director of International Affairs Cresencio Arcos. Also in attendance were Colleen Kelley, President of the National Treasury Employees Union and T. J. Bonner, President of the National Border Patrol Union.

Photo Credit: Gerald L. Nino

Commissioner Bonner presents the Integrity Award to CBP Officer Elmer Martinez.

Commissioner Robert C. Bonner opened his remarks by saying, “At the last Commissioner’s Awards Ceremony, we were an agency in transition, but today, I’m pleased to say that we are a united agency. We are all Customs and Border Protection—united by our priority mission to protect our homeland.” That mission is directly reflected in this year’s ceremony theme—“Securing Our Borders, Protecting Our Nation.”

"The noblest service comes through nameless hands. And the best servant does his work unseen." -Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes

Commissioner Bonner added, “We, at CBP, are counted among those nameless, unseen hands that make a difference in the lives of thousands of Americans every day.”

“During my three years as Commissioner, as I've traveled around the country—and around the world—I've had the pleasure of personally meeting with our employees. And, I must tell you that I am constantly impressed with the level of your professionalism, the depth of your commitment, and the breadth of your expertise.”

A moment of silence
Commissioner Bonner asked for a moment of silence in remembrance of those employees listed on the CBP Valor Memorial and for the three fallen Border Patrol Agents—Travis Attaway, Jeremy Wilson, and George DeBates.

On September 19, 2004, Border Patrol Agents Travis W. Attaway and Jeremy M. Wilson, died together in a boating accident on the Rio Grande River near Los Indios, Tex.

Agent Attaway, 31 years old, was a native of Eagle Pass, Tex., and had been a Border Patrol agent for seven years.

Jeremy Wilson, 29 years old, was the third-generation of a Border Patrol family from Ferndale, Wash. Agent Wilson was also with the Border Patrol for seven years.

On December 19, 2004, Border Patrol Agent George DeBates died in a single vehicle accident while patrolling the border area near Ajo, Ariz. Agent DeBates was from Wisconsin and was assigned to both the Casa Grande and Nogales Border Patrol Stations. He was 32 years old and had been a Border Patrol agent for four years.

The Anti-Terrorism Award
This year, the Anti-Terrorism Award underwent a name change. It is now the Dean-Melendez Anti-Terrorism Award in honor of CBP Officers Dean and Melendez-Perez for their vigilance and exemplary service to the Nation, which saved hundreds, if not thousands of lives.

In December 1999, at Port Angeles, Wash., U.S. Customs Officer Diana Dean became suspicious of the behavior of the driver of an automobile that had just come off of the ferry from Canada. Her questions led to a search of Ahmed Ressam’s automobile trunk, which was packed with explosives. His plan was to blow up the Los Angeles International Airport. Ressam was an al Qaeda terrorist who became known as the Millennium Bomber.

On August 4, 2001, a little over a month before 9/11, Immigration Inspector Jose Melendez-Perez, now a CBP Officer at the Orlando, Fla. Airport, asked questions in secondary of Mohammed Al-Qahtani, a Saudi Arabian national who had a genuine Saudi passport and valid B-2 U.S. Visa.

Al-Qahtani's answers were evasive and inconsistent. Officer Melendez concluded that this passenger likely had ulterior motives for entering the U.S., and after conferring with his supervisor, he denied Al-Qahtani entry.

Al-Qahtani also turned out to be an al Qaeda-trained terrorist. U.S. troops in Afghanistan captured Al-Qahtani while he was fighting along side the Taliban.

Meritorious Service Award for Valor
On March 14, 2004, Border Patrol Agent Ryan G. Massey entered the “swift flooding” Blanco Creek to rescue a woman and three young girls who were desperately clinging to a tree. Agent Massey calmed and comforted the subjects. Then attaching a rescue rope to the tree while other BORSTAR team members secured the other end of the rope on dry ground, made four separate trips through the dangerous floodwaters, successfully ferrying all four subjects to safety.

Newton Azrak Award
Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar joined Commissioner Bonner to present the Newton Azrack Award. This award is named in tribute for Theodore Newton, Jr., and George Azrak, two Border Patrol inspectors who were kidnapped and murdered by drug traffickers in 1967 while they were working at a California highway checkpoint.

This award recognizes employees who clearly demonstrate unusual courage or bravery in the line of duty—or who perform a heroic act during an emergency situation.

This year the Newton-Azrak Award was presented posthumously to Agent James P. Epling. Commissioner Bonner and Chief Aguilar presented the award to Epling’s widow Monica.

On December 16, 2003, while trying to apprehend illegal aliens near Andrade, Calif., Agent Epling entered the swift, cold waters of the Colorado River and rescued an alien from drowning. Once that person was safely on shore, Agent Epling reentered the river to help rescue four other aliens. He drowned in his heroic attempt to save another's life.

“Mrs. Epling, you can be very proud of both the way your husband lived his life—and the way he died—in service to others, to CBP, and to his country,” said Commissioner Bonner. “Agent Epling leaves a powerful legacy of dedication and sacrifice for all Border Patrol agents.

Please accept this award for Jim's courage and bravery—and please accept my heartfelt condolences on behalf of CBP.”

Photo Credit: Gerald L. Nino

CBP Officer Ty. A. Jacob receives the Integrity Award from Commissioner Bonner.

Integrity Award
CBP Officers Ty Jacob and Elmer Martinez were this year’s Integrity Award recipients.

Officer Jacob was approached by an old acquaintance who told him he could earn $5,000 each week smuggling undocumented aliens into the country. He pretended to accept the bribe and ultimately two co-conspirators and an illegal alien were arrested, and an automobile and a motorcycle were seized.

While Officer Martinez was conducting primary roving enforcement, he noticed an automobile about to be released by the CBP officer manning a primary lane. Officer Martinez realized that only the driver showed a valid U.S. passport and that the three passengers presented no identification at all. Under more intensive questioning, the driver admitted that the three passengers were illegal aliens and that the CBP officer in primary was involved in the smuggling attempt.

The awards ceremony ended with a short video showing CBP employees all across the country doing their duty to ensure that we are “Securing Our Borders, Protecting Our Nation.” EC

Congratulations to these 2004 Commissioner's Awards Recipients Exceptional Service Richard H. Worthingham Kevin A. Huck The Burlington Human Resources Office Denise Barrett Pauline A. Bergeron Susan U. Clark June DeGraaf Veronica L. Gilmore Lisa McEvoy Lisa M. Pidgeon Alyson Randa Lesley E. Smail Kent Smith, Jr. Unsung Hero Kathleen Blandeburgo Camille A. Little EEO/Diversity Judith D. Trabue Special Recognition Scott S. Vrooman Charles F. Ciraco Patrick B. McNamara ENFORCE/IDENT Tommy J. Smith Douglas DeBond CBP Ambassador Stacey C. Day George F. St. Clair Robert Richards Sam Snyder Kristin L. Dubelier Joseph A. Lanzante Eric Shoberg Steven L. Basha W. Alexander Daman Michele L. Kenney Michelle KiteM Michael Philyaw Daryl Reed Jason K. Rissman The Media Relations Team: Andy F. Adame Bill Anthony Erlinda Byrd Sue Challis Gloria I. Chavez Roger Maier Cherise Miles Barry Morrissey Mario Villarreal Supervisor of the Year Isabel Mullens Innovation Ray E. Shrauder Yea H. Browning The Van Strap Team Matthew C. Bunning Bryant Van Buskirk Edward J. Morones The Electronic Binding Rulings Program Team Dominic Frasca Jeffrey Konzet Jerry Kuperstein Richard Laman Margaret MacDonald Thomas J. Russo Robert B. Swierupski Excellence in Mission Support The Software Development Division Andrea Appell Charles A. Bennett Anthony Jackson Jessie W. Plater Kim G. Santos The Anti-Terrorism Training Team Robert V. Gonzalez Jill M. Ippel Carolyn D. Keelor Frank S. Longoria Luz N. Maldonado Robert A. Mueller Deborah A. Swan Tamra Thompson Royce G. Walters Chuck Westerfield The Dean-Melendez Awards Eric J. BishopJoseph Brausen IV Anthony E. Jackson Kari Urban Adam Vance Tim Sturdevant James Bailey Michael Bonner Thomas Harrington Daniel R. Ouellette John G. Gutierrez Luis G. Rocha Joseph A. Lanzante Phil Landfried Edward Moriarty Leonard M. Hall The LSS Radiation/WMD Hotline Team Eugent Jose Bondoc Stephen C. Cassata Stephane A. Coy Arlene Fausterman Laura W. Goldstein Tabbie E. Matsumoto Renee Stevens John L. Sullivan Vincent S. Zdanowica The Terrorism Awareness and Detection for Passport Control Team Keith Cozine George Pasiakos Suzanne Shepherd The NTC Watch Commanders Hugh Austin Roderick Blanchard Timothy S. GoyerDenis M. Grenier Febe Hernandez Troy Miller Cynthia O. Rodriguez Tim Sarnecki Joseph C. Weller William D. Wisman The Hong Kong Container Security Initiative Team Patrick Lewis Chollathip BentonGabriel Flores Alex Ho Thomas J. Howe Da Shun Li Leo Lin Mark Steele Gilberto Torres Khamfonh Xaymountry Best Practices/Unification The Frontline Officer Implementation Team Kelly Burkitt Burke Fleming Sabreen F. Friday Jeffrey Fuller Kevin C. Harriger Judith K. Hatter Norline Jenkins-DePeiza Kathleen Dailey McKevitt Melanie Meyn Denise Oliveri The Agriculture Inspection Program Basil William Liakakos Jose Mendiola Jr. The Laredo Learning Center Rudolph I. Bowles Robert Cerna Fred Cobo III Mucia Dovalina Juan P. Guerra Jr Carlos Limón Alfredo N. Martinez Jr. Adriana M. Mendez Jessie Saldivar Richard Sparks Professionalism Andrew J. Regan Jack Jancsy Law Enforcement Officer Ezequiel Lopez Jr. Jeffrey R. Stevens Top Blue Eagle Luis Machado Jr. Top Unit Citation The Operation “SEA STOP” Team Alex Andrade Marta M. Blanco Armin D. Cate Chris Ciccione Colin W. Jackson Zachary L. Mann Dadre McCreary Chester W. Olejasz Robert N. Rutherford Thomas Stefanello The Search, Trauma, and Rescue Unit (BORSTAR) Team Antonio Flores John D. Furtak Christopher A. Gomez Brian P. Kelly Abram K. Laue Bo Mendoza Richard A. Ramirez Jr. John L. Redd Ronald Neil Rose Richard Woodard Top Humanitarian Miguel Lopez Meritorious Service Award for Valor Ryan G. Massey The Newton Azrak Award James P. Epling Integrity Ty Jacob Elmer Martinez