July 17 - July 23Good morning! Welcome to another This Week in USBP History! *** NEWS FLASH *** On Friday, July 15, 2022, Border Patrol Agent (BORTAC) John N. Leslie was presented the Newton-Azrak Award for performing above the call of duty while facing grave danger. I have not yet received the details of his action but will populate the HonorFirst Newton-Azrak Award page when I do. Including him, there have been 185 recipients of the Newton-Azrak Award; 159 Border Patrol Agents and 26 INS employees. In context, there have only been about 50,000 people who have ever been a Border Patrol Agent or a Border Patrol Inspector. Today's blog is going to start with a two related questions.
Let's take a very brief walk through history... One of the earliest documents that defines the duties of the Border Patrol can be found in General Order 61 from 1926:
Based on that document, organizational success would have been anchored to the amount and efficiency in preventing and detecting the surreptitious entry of aliens into the United States. Skipping decades of evolving regulations and laws... Today, many people apply their personal definitions of the function and success of the USBP. Simply put, many have the concept that the Patrol's function and measure of success are the same. Something along the lines of, locking them up and kicking them out. Others may have a more refined and generalized concept, border security is national security. Further, others may focus on humanitarian roles that the workforce performs. So, what is the legal functions/duties of the USBP? That answer is found in federal law: 6 U.S. Code § 211 - Establishment of U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, and operational offices (3) Duties The U.S. Border Patrol shall-- (A) serve as the law enforcement office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection with primary responsibility for interdictingpersons attempting to illegally enter or exit the United States or goods being illegally imported into or exported from the United States at a place other than a designated port of entry; (B) deter and prevent the illegal entry of terrorists, terrorist weapons, persons, and contraband; and (C) carry out other duties and powers prescribed by the Commissioner. That's it. The USBP is to interdict, deter, prevent... And whatever the else the Commissioner wants. Building on that, I would say that the implied function of the USBP is to apprehend violators and process them according to higher level authority. Higher level authority may be law, regulation or policy. Or higher level authority may be a person with a title of Supervisor, Chief, Secretary or President. Organizational success should be anchored to the efficiency in which the Patrol performs its duties assigned by law and the Commissioner. I present the above for a perspective in defining success as it relates to shaping organizational culture and employee morale. Using the law as the bar to measure success, the Patrol is performing exemplary. These measures are static, regardless of the political winds... Interdict, deter, prevent... Border Patrol leaders must neither define success nor allow success to be defined on measures that are outside of the Patrol's control. Deportations/removals, prosecutions/sentences, detentions versus releases, etc, etc, etc, are all outside of the Patrol's control. If success is defined or allowed to be defined on those or similar measures, there will be a disconnect between employee expectation and reality which inevitably will harm organizational pride and employee morale. Now to this week's update!
We remember the Newton-Azrak Award action anniversaries for thirteen agents, one of which was given posthumously. Also, we remember six of our fallen on the anniversaries of their deaths. Among the anniversaries are Donald Kee and William F. Buckelew who fell due to the same incident in 1954. A sad fact is that the USBP has lost two Agents/Inspectors due to the same event nine times (18 fallen). Their names are listed below:
Daniel P. Cox and Edgardo Acosta-Feliciano both fell on July 31, 2021. However, their causes of death were not related. Thank you for reading and have a great week! Cliff PS -
Esprit de Corps The workplace climate resulting from a combination of organizational pride and employee morale.
Esprit de corps is reinforced through the shared goals, mission and values of the organization and its employees. The definition turns Esprit de Corps into a simple formula and defines parts that comprise organizational pride and employee morale. Esprit de Corps = Organizational Pride + Employee Morale Esprit de Corps is the key to a healthy organization and engaged employees. Honor First is foundational to the Border Patrol's organizational pride and integral to its Esprit de Corps. Documents/Events 1924
Newton-Azrak Award Action Anniversaries Follow this link to see examples of USBP employees Upholding Honor First.
2009 Robert W. Rosas Jr. - photo Border Patrol Agent San Diego Sector Posthumously Awarded On July 23, 2009, Border Patrol Agent Robert W. Rosas Jr. of the Campo Border Patrol Station was responding to suspicious activity in an area notorious for alien and drug smuggling when he was shot and killed by unidentified assailants. The murder occurred in a remote border area near Campo, California. A suspect was later identified, tried, and convicted of Agent Rosas’ murder. Steven Kartchner Senior Patrol Agent Spokane Sector Senior Patrol Agent Steven Kartchner was recognized for displaying true heroism in a harrowing emergency that nearly claimed two lives. On July 22, 2009, Agent Kartchner responded to an emergency dispatch call. A woman and a child who were rafting in the Kettle River near Danville, Washington were trapped in a pile of logs and debris by the riverbank. As Agent Kartchner made his way through the swift-moving water, he saw that the woman was pinned between two logs and was dangerously close to being pulled into the current and under the log jam. He first rescued the child. Then he returned to help the woman, lifted her from the tangled logs, and brought her to safety. 2011 Christopher J. Dlugokinski - photo, photo Border Patrol Agent Houlton Sector Michael Mielnicki - photo Border Patrol Agent Houlton Sector Gabriel Pratt Border Patrol Agent Houlton Sector Erich S. Rohr - photo Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Houlton Sector Abraham Reeder - photo Border Patrol Agent Houlton Sector Border Patrol Agent Christopher J. Dlugokinski, along with Border Patrol Agents Gabriel Pratt, Michael Mielnicki, Abraham Reeder and Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Erich S. Rohr, received the Newton-Azrak Award for the bravery they displayed during the Mahaney rescue efforts on July 19, 2011, in Jackman, Maine. The Mahaney family’s home was virtually destroyed by a truck carrying a full load of tree-length logs that flipped over on its side, crashing into the two-story residence in which the family of six slept. Agents disregarded their own safety as they courageously crawled and dug through the wreckage and rubble during the unsuccessful attempt to rescue Border Patrol Agent Mahaney’s 5-year-old son Liam. 2012 Eric C. Gough - photo Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Advanced Training Center Harpers Ferry, West Virginia On July 22, 2012, at approximately 7:00 p.m. in Herat, Afghanistan, an armed assailant, alleged to be an Afghan National Policeman, opened fire on government contractors and CBP personnel at the Herat Regional Training Center in Afghanistan. The assailant approached from a blind spot behind a vehicle and opened fire with an AK-47 assault rifle, killing two people immediately. As the assailant continued his attack, personnel attempted to take cover in a nearby bunker, and three additional people were shot, one fatally. Hearing the gunfire, Agent Eric Gough swiftly headed toward the location. As the assailant continued to fire, Agent Gough tactically approached and then stopped the threat by returning fire, which resulted in the death of the assailant. Upon stopping the threat, Agent Gough, also a Border Search Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) member, administered aid to the wounded. The combat medical care he provided to Border Management Task Force member Dana Hampton is credited with saving his life. Hampton was shot three times and was in critical condition, including a severe wound to the abdomen. Agent Gough stabilized Hampton’s injuries, assisted with transport, and remained with him until proper medical attention could be provided. In the course of the transport, Agent Gough had to overcome security obstacles caused by a lockdown of the compound and medical facility. Agent Gough’s perseverance and tenacity ensured that Dana Hampton was given proper medical care in a timely manner. U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker lauded Agent Gough’s heroic actions and acknowledged that his decisiveness saved numerous lives. Additional accolades were received from the Department of Defense’s U.S. Central Command, Customs and Border Protection, and the Department of Homeland Security. 2014 Steven H. Tinder Border Patrol Agent McAllen, Texas Justin L. Garza Border Patrol Agent McAllen, Texas Enrique A. Doster Jr. Border Patrol Agent McAllen, Texas On July 22, 2014, Border Patrol Agents Steven Tinder, Justin Garza, and Enrique Doster were conducting line watch operations in the McAllen Stations' area of responsibility. At approximately 4:40 p.m., sector radio communications reported shots fired and officers down in nearby La Joya, Texas. When the three agents arrived at the scene, they learned that the assailant had barricaded himself in a residence off of Leo Avenue. Multiple law enforcement officers and agents were taking cover in the "hot zone," and two police officers, who had been shot, had been extracted. From their position, the three agents observed a Hidalgo County Sheriff's deputy take cover behind his vehicle as the assailant fired multiple rounds in his direction. Immediately following the volley of shots, they saw the officer holding his rib cage as if in severe pain. They feared he had been shot, so they formulated an emergency evacuation plan and relayed their plan to other law enforcement agencies on the scene. Agent Doster then took position as the driver of the mobile evacuation vehicle. Agents Tinder and Garza placed themselves in the front and rear passenger side of the vehicle. While other law enforcement officers provided cover, the three Border Patrol agents placed their own lives in danger as Agent Doster drove them into the hot zone to extract the deputy. Agents Tinder and Garza exited the vehicle and assisted the deputy into the front passenger seat of the vehicle. Agent Garza re-entered the rear passenger side of the vehicle and Agent Tinder joined other law enforcement personnel in the hot zone to assist with providing cover. They transported the deputy to safety. He was treated at a local hospital for the cracked ribs he sustained when he dove for cover. 2016 Anthony Anderson Border Patrol Agent Laredo, Texas Remigio Guerra III Border Patrol Agent Laredo, Texas On July 22, 2016, at approximately 12:15 a.m., Border Patrol Agents Anderson and Guerra responded to a responded sensor activation in the Zachary Ranch located in a remote area of Webb County, Texas. Upon arriving to the area close to the Rio Grande river landing, Anderson and Guerra set up a listening post/observation post in an area that provided tactical advantage. After a short time, they heard what appeared to be people splashing in the river. Anderson and Guerra approached the river landing and observed four subjects in the river that were having trouble staying afloat. The agents immediately accessed the situation and determined immediate action was needed. Anderson entered the swift moving current and pulled the four subjects to the riverbank and handed them to Guerra, who helped get the four subjects onto dry land. Anderson and Guerra rescued the four subjects, preventing them from drowning. The Zachary Ranch is located approximately 15 miles south of Laredo, Texas, on U.S. Highway 83. In addition to the long highway travel to get to the Zachary Ranch, you need to enter the ranch and travel approximately 2 miles on unimproved ranch roads just to get to the river’s edge making it an extended period of time before any help or assistance can arrive. Anderson and Guerra have proven to be a valuable asset to the Laredo South Station and should be recognized and commended for their heroic actions. The actions Anderson and Guerra took on July 22, 2016, serves as a reminder to all of us that we are all here to do our jobs regardless of the threat knocking at our door on a daily basis. Anderson and Guerra relied on their training, morals, and dedication to duty to properly manage the situation as it quickly unfolded. Their rapid assessment of the situation, quick, accurate response, and selfless actions prevented four individuals from drowning. These heroic actions far too often go unnoticed. These selfless actions make these agents stand out from their peers and should serve as an example to others and be rewarded. USBP Fallen As of May 16, 2022, the U.S. Border Patrol has suffered 152* fallen. Titles:
The facts regarding each officer are presented without major editing of the "language of the day" found in the reports detailing the circumstances of each event. This is done to provide the reader an association with historical timeframes. Employees who died in the line of duty due to being exposed to deadly illnesses will not have the cause of death listed. *With the exception of two of the fallen immediately below, all names are listed (or in the process of being included) on the official Honor Roll of U.S. Border Patrol Fallen and inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. The U.S. Border Patrol should fix these discrepancies. HonorFirst.com honors both of the fallen.
1929
Ivan E. Scotten Date of Birth: June 17, 1903 Entered on Duty: October 29, 1928 Title: Patrol Inspector End of Watch: July 20, 1929 Historic photograph of the scene of the shooting. Details: Patrol Inspector Ivan E. Scotten was shot and killed in the early morning of July 20, 1929. Scotten and three other Patrol Inspectors were ambushed by approximately 15 to 20 smugglers while patrolling at the upper Los Pompos crossing on the Rio Grande River, near San Elizario, Texas. The smugglers, who had come off second best in a brush with Patrol Inspectors earlier in the night, saw the lights of the returning patrol car, crossed the river to the American side, and hid themselves in the brush at the side of the narrow road along an irrigation ditch that the road crossed. They opened fire on the patrol car from two sides at almost point blank range, killing Scotten before the other officers succeeded in driving them off. One of the smugglers fired a shot through Scotten's head while Scotten lay wounded in the road. Survivor benefits - As per this document, his mother receive $18.75 per month. Gravesite 1954 Donald Kee Date of Birth: July 29, 1912 Entered on Duty: July 31, 1944 Title: Patrol Inspector End of Watch: July 23, 1954 Details: Patrol Inspector Donald Kee's official station was Mission, Texas; however, at the time of his death, he was on official detail, assigned to the Special Mobile Task Force with headquarters at McAllen, Texas. This task force was engaged in a special program conducted by the Service to bring the "wetback" situation under control. On July 23, 1954, Patrol Inspector Kee was assigned to serve as observer during a flight wherein the aircraft worked in conjunction with ground units checking laborers on farms in the vicinity of Rio Grande City, Texas. The aircraft was piloted by William F. Buckelew. The joint operation had resulted in ten aliens being taken into custody by the ground teams. The patrol aircraft had just made a low pass over a cotton field near the Rio Grande River and was banking to return to the field when it was seen to spin and plunge into the river. The plane burst into flames, which hampered rescue operations by officers and bystanders in the area. Several persons were hospitalized suffering from burns sustained in the rescue efforts. Patrol Inspector Kee was killed instantly. A Justice of the Peace held an inquest upon arrival at the scene of the accident and pronounced Inspector Kee dead. Pilot Buckelew was still alive when removed from the plane but was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. Gravesite William F. Buckelew Date of Birth: December 21, 1918 Entered on Duty: December 28, 1944 Title: Airplane Pilot End of Watch: July 23, 1954 Details: Airplane pilot William F. Buckelew was stationed at Laredo, Texas; however, at the time of his death, he was on official detail, assigned to the Special Mobile Task Force with headquarters at McAllen, Texas. This task force was engaged in a special program conducted by the Service to bring the "wetback" situation under control. On July 23, 1954, Airplane Pilot Buckelew was assigned to serve as pilot during a flight wherein the aircraft worked in conjunction with ground units checking laborers on farms in the vicinity of Rio Grande City, Texas. Patrol Inspector Donald Kee was on the flight as an observer. The joint operation had resulted in ten aliens being taken into custody by the ground teams. The patrol aircraft had just made a low pass over a cotton field near the Rio Grande River and was banking to return to the field when it was seen to spin and plunge into the river. The plane burst into flames, which hampered rescue operations by officers and bystanders in the area. Several persons were hospitalized suffering from burns sustained in the rescue efforts. The crash occurred about 4:00 p.m., approximately two miles downstream from the Rio Grande City Bridge. Pilot Buckelew was still alive when he was removed from the plane but died 45 minutes later at the hospital. Gravesite James M. Kirchner Date of Birth: December 15, 1931 Entered on Duty: November 3, 1954 Title: Patrol Inspector (Trainee) End of Watch: November 15, 1954 Details: While waiting to attend a training session at the Border Patrol Academy that was scheduled to commence in December, Trainee Kirchner and other new appointees were assigned to work with older and more experienced officers in and around El Paso. On November 15, 1954, Trainee Kirchner was assigned to work the 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. with Inspector Dove. Trainee Kirchner saw three persons coming from the direction of Mexico. The persons were up in the hills and estimated to be about 1/2 mile away. Inspector Dove and Trainee Kirchner proceeded on foot, separating. Inspector Dove intercepted the suspects and determined that they were of Mexican extraction and citizens of the United States. Trainee Kirchner was observed near the top of the hill and instructed, through hand signals, to return. During the descent, Trainee Kirchner was out of the view of Inspector Dove. When Trainee Kirchner did not return in a reasonable time and did not respond to being called, Inspector Dove began searching for him. Trainee Kirchner was found slumped to the ground, face forward. After a hurried examination, Inspector Dove applied artificial respiration in an effort to revive Trainee Kirchner but was unsuccessful. Leaving one of the citizens with the body. Inspector Dove went to the McNutt Oil Refinery and called Border Patrol Headquarters. He then returned to the scene and waited until Trainee Kirchner's body was removed. Gravesite 2009 Robert W. Rosas, Jr. Date of Birth: June 19, 1979 Entered on Duty: May 22, 2006 Title: Border Patrol Agent End of Watch: July 23, 2009 Details: On July 23, 2009, Agent Rosas was shot and killed near Campo, California, after responding to suspicious activity in an area notorious for alien and drug smuggling. Agent Rosas exited his vehicle approximately 18 miles east of the Tecate Port of Entry, near the Shockey Truck Trail, a short distance from the border. Agents working nearby heard gunshots and tried to contact Agent Rosas. When he did not respond, his fellow Agents rushed to the area to locate him, and found his body on the ground near his vehicle. On November 20, 2009, a 17-year old Mexican National was convicted of murder of a federal officer committed in perpetration of a robbery and aiding and abetting a felony after entering a guilty plea in connect with Agent Rosas’ murder. According to the plea agreement, the convicted felon and co-conspirators illegally entered into the United States and lured Agent Rosas out of his vehicle for the purpose of robbing him. During the course of the robbery, Agent Rosas and the defendant struggled over a firearm and the defendant and one or more of the co-conspirators shot Agent Rosas multiple times. Agent Rosas died as a result of his wounds. Agent Rosas graduated with the 621st session of the Border Patrol Academy and was assigned to the Campo Border Patrol Station in the San Diego Sector. Gravesite 2012 James R. Dominguez Date of Birth April 5, 1971 Entered on Duty: May 7, 2000 Title: Border Patrol Agent End of Watch: July 19, 2012 Details: On July 19, 2012, Border Patrol Agent James R. Dominguez succumbed to injuries received when he was struck by a passing vehicle along Highway 90 near Cline, Texas. At the time of the accident, Agent Dominguez was on duty. Agent Dominguez, age 41, entered on duty with the U.S. Border Patrol on May 7, 2000, as a member of the 434th session of the Border Patrol Academy. Upon graduating from the Academy, he was assigned to the Uvalde Station in the Del Rio Sector. Agent Dominguez is survived by his wife and four children. Gravesite
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Clifford GillBlog author, retired U.S. Border Patrol Assistant Chief and, current U.S. Border Patrol employee advocate. Ray HarrisSite founder and owner, former Supervisory Border Patrol Agent and retired Immigration Special Agent. Joseph BancoU.S. Border Patrol historian and retired Deputy Chief Patrol Agent. Archives
November 2023
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