Avoiding Alphabet Soup

Say what you will, but if the government does one thing well, it’s acronyms. Here are two new ones for you: PMF and PHF. Rather than try to explain…

PHF Haroon stood up a DHS Attaché Office at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul; PMF Marianna analyzed the 5-year funding strategy for the Department’s HQ facilities consolidation project. PHF Zac led a team to ensure interoperable communications at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, while PMF Evan served as the scientific lead for a risk assessment study group.

They represent the Department to local, state and international governments, first responders and community organizations. They manage projects and people, draft key recommendations and reports, brief the Secretary on key initiatives. They possess graduate degrees from the nation’s top colleges and universities and will soon join the ranks of civil service at DHS, leading America’s effort to protect ourselves against all shared risks.

They are part of the Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) and Policy Honors Fellowship (PHF) – two programs designed to cultivate a next generation of homeland security professionals. Last week these young leaders met with senior DHS officials to discuss the Department’s future, and learned a thing or two about their bosses in the process.

“You all are leaders – you are the future of this Department,” Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute told the Fellows. She gave the Fellows some career advice, and discussed the five keys to running a successful organization:

• Vision
• A Plan
• A Well-Organized Department
• The Right People
• Leadership

Alice Hill, University of Virginia law school classmate and now senior counselor to the Secretary, said she wouldn’t have pegged her former study partner as a politician, but said Napolitano immediately distinguished herself by her raw intellect, photographic memory and excellent judgment.

During the two-hour discussion, Fellows also had the opportunity to hear from Under Secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate Rand Beers, and Law Enforcement Advisor to the Secretary Chuck Marino.

Jamie

Jamie Corbett is a Presidential Management Fellow in the Directorate for Science and Technology at the Department of Homeland Security.

On the 4th, Liberty for All

On Saturday, Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute participated in a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization ceremony for seven members of the military at the Statue of Liberty. She administered the Oath of Allegiance to the seven and thanked them for their service.

"The bright light of America will shine brighter on Saturday. These men and women have served their country with honor—and on Saturday, their country will honor them. Their service in defense of freedom sends the message that all can find their freedom here. Their naturalization continues our proud tradition of welcoming immigrants in the spirit of liberty. "

--Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute

The group was comprised of members of the Army, Navy, and Marines - all seven from New York. Just before the ceremony, the Deputy Secretary and the seven climbed the 354 steps to Lady Liberty's crown, among the first to do so since the 9/11 attacks.

Lady Liberty's crown was closed after 9/11, but Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar was on hand to officially reopen the monument to public traffic. About 240 people will be able to make the trek to the top each day. Can't get to Lady Liberty in person? Check out the National Park Service's virtual tour.

USCIS hosted naturalization ceremonies all over the world this past fourth, welcoming over 6,000 new United States citizens. DVIDS captured some great video from the ceremony in Baghdad, attended by Vice President Joe Biden and Iraq Commander Gen. Raymond Odierno. Check it out here!

We the People...United We Serve

Service is about community. It's about a commitment to taking some time each day, or each week, or each month to make the community around you - be it a neighborhood, or a church, or a school - better. Service in this context often, if not always, means education. Mentoring a child, teaching a senior citizen on how to use a computer, tutoring English as a second language...these are all great forms of service that use skills you might not even think about having.

There is a community of individuals in this country who share the dream of becoming a US citizen. Each who becomes a citizen takes an oath to "...support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America..." Service to this community can mean helping educate these aspiring Americans about the founding principles of our nation and the Constitution, so that they can fully understand the responsibility and reward of their decision to take the Oath of Allegiance.

Last night, Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute visited the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights in New York City and discussed the importance of the Constitution with a citizenship class. “We the people, is the core principle of the U.S. Constitution,” said Deputy Secretary Lute. She also shared her personal take on the importance of understanding where each of us impacts the history of this country, and what "We the people" means to each of us and the communities of which we are a part.

It's easier than you might think to take some time this summer and get involved. You can visit serve.gov to learn more.