U.S. Customsrontline and Border Protection H Fall/Winter 2008 Agro-Terrorism A Dangerous Threat Raising public awareness on border fencing –Page 22 Taking care of business Office of International Trade Second Anniversary –Page 33 Veronica Ledezma. CBP Field Operations Agriculture Specialist FALL/WINTER 2008 Lights, Camera… CONTENTS H ON THE COVER Photo by: James Tourtellotte and Plenty of Action For much of last year, television crews from ABC have tried to be a fly on the wall, 10 Agro-defense in the Spotlight observing and recording what goes on within When a microscopic pest can enter through U.S. the major components of the Department of borders and devastate America’s agricultural Homeland Security. Their work has culminated resources, the pressure is on for CBP’s highly Photo by: ©ABC/RONTOM in a reality series to be aired 13 Tuesdays this trained agriculture specialists. winter and spring. “They’re ordinary men and women working against an epic landscape,” said series producer Arnold Shapiro (Scared Straight, H FEATURES Rescue 911). “They have a job that is dangerous, difficult and always unpredictable. What viewers will see is powerful, dramatic, amazing and emotional, with 16 Breaking the Mold unexpected moments of humor.” It has taken new thinking, an aggressive campaign and a very fast sponsorship to promote the job of Previews of the upcoming show can be Border Patrol agent, attracting more than 200,000 seen at http://abc.go.com/primetime/ new applicants. homelandsecurity/. 20 Safety First 16 30 As imported goods flood into the U.S., CBP joins a federal effort to make sure these products are not harmful or bogus. 26 From Barriers to Understanding CBP works to assure that good fences make good neighbors along the southwest border. 20 34 30 Unrivaled Deputy Commissioner Jayson P. Ahern wants all U.S. citizens to know that no agency has a greater responsibility for protecting the homeland than CBP. 34 Q & A with Michael Kostelnik The leader of CBP’s air and marine assets discusses 26 what it takes to build an organization today that will succeed well into the future. H DEPARTMENTS 2 Frontline Images 45 In Partnership 6 Around the Agency 48 To The Trade 34 In Focus 51 Great Work 39 Agriculture Actions 54 CBP History Travel Tips New ABC primetime series airs in January 2009 42 F R O N T L I N E I MAGES COMMISSIONER’S MESSAGE A Community Unites to Safeguard Our Agricultural Resources F a l l/W i n t e r 2 0 0 8 CBP Protects America from all dangers present at our borders. While the S E C R E T A R Y O F H O M E L A N D S E C URITY Michael Chertoff news is full of troubling scenarios involving terrorism and smuggling, far COMMISSIONER O F U . S . C U S T O M S less attention has been paid to threats to a crucial element of the American economy and way of AND BORDER PROTE C TION W. Ralph Basham life: our agricultural resources. A S S I S T A N T C O M M I S S I O N E R In many ways this is understandable, because the threats to agriculture literally can be O F F I C E O F P U B LI C A ff AIRS Jeffrey C. Robertson microscopic. But as the agro-defense story in this issue points out, the potential damage caused by E DITOR pests bringing disease to our shores can be devastating. Laurel Smith I am pleased to report to you that the last two years especially have seen great progress in M A N A G I N G E DITOR Dannielle Blumenthal, Ph.D. CBP’s capacity to protect U.S. agriculture. I believe we now are working smarter as we’ve been able S TA ff W R I T E R S to forge more cooperative relationships with federal and state partners. Like so much of CBP’s Elysa Cross Linda Kane homeland security mission, protection of agriculture resources requires being on constant alert and C ONTRI B UTING W R I T E R having the capacity to continually learn. Eric Blum The key resource for improving our relations with federal and state agriculture stakeholders P RODU C TION MANAGER Tracie Parker is the Agriculture Quarantine Inspection Partnership Council, a group made up of leaders in P H OTOGRA ph ERS agriculture protection from around the country. Its purpose is relatively simple: assure greater Gerald L. Nino James R. Tourtellotte communication between agriculture stakeholders, provide a forum to promote innovation as well as DESIGN process and policy improvements, and monitor and support progress on action plans to safeguard Richard Rabil Diana Flores U.S. agriculture. The Secretary of Homeland Security has determined From my perspective, this partnership in a very short time has proved to be invaluable. Like that publication of this periodical is necessary in the all homeland security efforts, agriculture protection is a team sport. CBP’s officers and agriculture transaction by CBP of public business as required. specialists cannot succeed without the support of industry experts. The launching of the Partnership Address letters and contributions to: M AIL: Managing Editor, Frontline, Council has invigorated our efforts. U.S. Customs and Border Protection 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Room 3.4A, So while other aspects of CBP may get a few more headlines, I have a huge amount of Washington, DC 20229 E - M AIL: [email protected] admiration for the concerted efforts being made to safeguard one of America’s unique resources. FAX: 202.344.1393 My deep appreciation goes to dedicated men and women who serve as CBP agriculture specialists CBP Web site address: www.cbp.gov and provide an invaluable contribution to America’s way of life. Distribution: Do you want to add or delete your name from the distribution list? Have you changed your address? —W. Ralph Basham, Commissioner Please call 202.344.1310 or fax changes to 202.344.1787. H 2 H C OMMISSIONER ' S MESSAGE H CBP Field Operations agriculture specialist at the Port of Philadelphia inspecting wood packing material for harmful foreign exotic pests and the presence of bark. F R O N T L I N E I MAGES F R O N T L I N E I MAGES H The Border Patrol intercepts tons of drugs each year, some of it in not very convenient locations. H Cars are often sent to Secondary at Land Border crossings for inspection. CBP Field Operations Officer takes a closer look at the inside of a vehicle for illegal contraband. AROUND T H E A G E N C Y POMP AND A PAUSE TO CIrcuMSTANCE OffICE of FIELD OPERATIONS BRAND ON REMEMBER DIsplAY AT CHANGE of coMMAND philosopher once said, “No man can answer for his valor n a summer day marked or courage, till he has been by near-perfect weather, in danger.” This spring, CBP CBP Field Operations—the Ahonored those who have passed this test of division of the agency that courage. On May 13, leaders and employees Ooversees the CBP officers stationed at gathered together in a Valor Memorial America’s ports of entry—conducted its ceremony to remember the men and women first-ever formal change-of-command of CBP and its legacy agencies who have ceremony. The ceremony was held given their lives while working to protect in El Paso, Texas, to welcome Ana B. the United States and its citizens. This past Hinojosa, the new area director. For year, the names of four Border Patrol agents Field Ops, as the office is called, the and three Air and Marine interdiction ceremony was a small but deeply agents were added to this memorial, which H Ana B. Hinojosa, the new OFO area director meaningful milestone in the young stands in the lobby of CBP headquarters agency’s history. in Washington, D.C. “This has been a THE LONG GOODBYE Since its inception in March 2003, to meet those goals. As Assistant devastating year of loss for CBP,” says CBP OPERATION JUMP START WINDS TO A CLOSE CBP has developed and implemented Commissioner for Field Operations Deputy Commissioner Jayson Ahern. “The standards, policies and symbols to Thomas Winkowski explains, “This very fact that we once held this annual advance the internal and external event is part of the larger Field ceremony in our lobby, but this year had recognition of the agency and to Operations branding initiative, which to bring it to the larger amphitheater, tells n officer in a military uniform frontline border security activities. The time last year. demonstrate the strides the agency has is designed to provide a visually us how tragic a year it has been. Seven of stands alone in a field, holding president also announced plans to hire There have been several noteworthy made as the guardians of the nation’s recognizable distinction to our fellow our best and most promising young people a pair of binoculars, watching 6,000 new Border Patrol Agents over examples of the cooperation between borders. The change-of-command CBP employees and to the public.” died last year and we are all diminished to make sure that no one is two years, increasing their number from the agencies. California National Guard ceremony is the latest addition designed by their loss.” Acrossing the U.S. border illegally. This 12,000 to 18,000, to gradually replace the members based out of San Diego became has been a familiar sight over the past National Guard members.