Chertoff assumes role of Service secretary for CG

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 18 -- Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff assumed responsibility of the Coast Guard from former Secretary Tom Ridge at Army Fort Lesley J. McNair today.

During the ceremony, Secretary Ridge passed Secretary Chertoff the Coast Guard's Service flag to indicate an official exchange of duties.

Upon accepting the flag, Secretary Chertoff said, "It is with a deep sense of honor, privilege and gratitude that I accept the responsibility to serve as the new Service Secretary of the United States Coast Guard ...

"I'm proud to join your ranks and consider it a high honor to be part of the important work that you do each and every day to secure and protect the United States of America ...

"Moving forward, my task, all of our task, will be to build upon the exceptional work of the first two years of this Department as we confront and manage the threats to the United States that exist today and that we must prepare to meet in the future. And we can do that in no small part because of the very fine cornerstone laid by this United States Coast Guard."

The new secretary concluded by saying, "The mission of homeland security has been, in the very broadest sense, part of the mission of the Coast Guard for 214 years. And that is something which gives me a great deal of comfort, and which I hope to communicate again and again to the American public so they understand how blessed they are in having the United States Coast Guard standing watch at our seas, at our ports, in our waterways, in the past and in the future years to come."

Story compiled by G-IPA-1 and photos by PA1 Barry Lane, G-IPA-1

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