WEBVTT

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If for 9/11.

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Like most Americans, it's a day
I'll never forget.

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Saw on the news,
the first plane that hit the tower

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And I could see the twin Towers
smoke coming out of one of the towers.

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I realized something was really wrong.

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when the second plane hit.

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We were in the office in the meeting,

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and then all of a sudden,
next thing you know, doors opened up.

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Secret Service came in,

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the vice president came in, and then we went to
work.

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Getting out of my building

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after being locked down for 8 hours
and watching the Pentagon burn.

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Of course the Pentagon was tragically hit

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in proximity to many of the offices
that I was affiliated with.

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After about two days,
I called the office at the Pentagon

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and said, “This is Lieutenant Colonel
Ken Clarke just checking in.”

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And the person on the phone
said, “Colonel Clarke, we thought

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you were dead.”

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Creating the department was key

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to responding
to the terrorist attacks of 911,

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to bringing all these diverse agencies
together under one roof

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so they could focus on the mission
of Homeland Security.

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The 22 agencies that all came together as part
of the Department of Homeland Security.

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It was very important
to improve the synchronization.

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Governor Ridge, at the time,
he knew it was a challenge,

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but he said we can do it
because we needed to protect the homeland.

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And the mission of the department was to
prevent another terrorist attack like 9/11.

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So it was a lot of challenges
trying to figure out how you're going

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get everybody under one hat,
one location to do the job.

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Many of the departments that came
had their own autonomy and to get them

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to be part of the department,
to be part of the same team.

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The fact that you had 22 different
departments and agency elements

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that had to come together.

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To get everyone
operating on the same page, understanding

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that we're now focused

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on a different mission set.

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Because we all had the same drive,

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because we all had the same love
for the nation and love for the public.

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We felt like we needed to come together.

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We protect the American

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people and enhance the nation's
economic prosperity by safeguarding U.S.

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borders.

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We serve as the research

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and development arm of DHS.

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We lead the national effort

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to understand, manage and reduce
risk to our cyber

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and physical infrastructure.

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We integrate intelligence

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into operations across DHS components
and to our partners,

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to identify, mitigate
and respond to threats.

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We lead efforts and coordinate
with domestic and international partners

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to safeguard the U.S.

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against commercial, chemical,
biological, radiological

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or nuclear IED enhancements
and health security threats.

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We protect the nation's
transportation systems to ensure

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freedom of movement
for people and commerce.

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We enforce the nation's laws at sea,

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protecting the marine environment
and the nation's vast

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coastline and ports.

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We provide enterprise
situational awareness, a common

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operating picture, information
sharing and decision support

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on threats, incidents and events
impacting the homeland.

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The federal law enforcement training
centers, through strategic partnerships,

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prepares as a federal law enforcement
community to safeguard

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America's
people, property and institutions.

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We preserve national security
and public safety

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through criminal investigations
and enforcing immigration laws.

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We help people before,

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during and after disasters.

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We ensure the safety

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and security of the nation's
highest elected leaders

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and protect the financial and critical
infrastructure of the United States.

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We uphold America's
promise as a nation of welcome

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and possibility
with fairness, integrity and respect

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for all we serve.

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And I remember telling my daughter,
if I don't get up in the plane

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on the anniversary on 9/11
and go where I need to go to do work

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for the department,
then we're letting them win.

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I missed holidays
and snow days with my family,

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but it's okay
because someone has to make the sacrifice

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and I'm glad that I had the circumstances
to be able to make that sacrifice.

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Moving from place to place
because of different assignments and roles

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and responsibilities
has taken its toll on my family.

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But all in all,
they know it's for the greater good.

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And they've been there to support me
and has continued to support me.

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Everyday

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DHS does something to make

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you and America safer.

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We've been moving really quickly
these last 20 years.

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We've accomplished a lot.

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We've merged so many agencies together
under one mission and one banner.

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Our mission will be to conduct scientific
research in the Arctic to understand

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how it's changing and how it affects
the rest of the world, really.

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I believe wholeheartedly in the role

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that DHS plays in national security.

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It's an amazing organization.

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You won't find too many people

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that don't feel the passion
to actually be part of homeland security.

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We are a team.

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There's no “I” in the work at DHS.

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It's everybody
showing up to do their function

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so that everybody's
function can be the best it can be.

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But if you ask me, would I do it again?

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In a heartbeat!

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With honor and integrity,

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we will safeguard the American people

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our homeland, and our values.

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We are DHS!