Emmett - I am a secret service agent: my life spent protecting the President

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For the men and women of the United States military, Secret Service, and Central Intelligence Agency. And, for the young men and women who will one day serve our nation in these tremendous organizations.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

President Theodore Roosevelt

Secret Service agents are expendable when it comes to protecting the president of the United States. All Secret Service agents live with the knowledge their lives can be exchanged at any time for that of the president. That thought is always present in the back of an agents mind. In every Secret Service agents career, there are moments that bring this reality home. These times remind agents that their lives are not their own, but belong to the United States of America and the office of the presidency.

Many times during my career, I was reminded of this fact. On one occasion my assignment was to prepost in a room where President Bill Clinton was to meet with Syrian president Hafez al-Assad. To prepost is to be in the room before the president arrives in order to scout and prepare for anything. I was not there to cover and evacuate the president in an attack. My purpose was to neutralize any threat to the president of the United States (POTUS).

This meant I might have to kill the Syrian bodyguards if they drew their weapons. I suppose I should have been flattered to be chosen for this assignment. I realized that if I did have to shoot the Syrians, like them, I would in all likelihood be experiencing the last day of my life.

Before entering the room, I took a few seconds to think of my wife and family. I said a quick prayer to the effect that if called upon to kill the Syrians, I would do it quickly and accurately, and President Clinton would live even if I did not. As my prayer ended, I was filled with a calm rage. I decided that no matter what, I would do my job to the best of my abilities. True to my training as a marine, I would accomplish the mission at all costs. Suddenly it was game time.

My orders were to enter the conference room before the president. When presidents Clinton and Assad came in with their security details, I made eye contact with the Secret Service shift leader. In the exchange of looks I understood that the Secret Service controlled the room, not the Syrian bodyguards.

I slowly moved behind Assads men to gain the best firing position. I saw from the outlines through their tight-fitting jackets they carried Skorpion machine pistols. I understood the Skorpion well from terrorist weapons training. I knew how to fire one and what it was able to do. Since the Skorpion was a short-barreled .32-caliber, fully automatic weapon, it was not very accurate. This meant that in a small space, shots could go anywhere. This could endanger the presidents life. That could not be allowed.

As I stood behind the Syrians, I began playing the what if game, running battle scenarios. If the Syrians drew their Skorpions, my training taught me to shoot each threat twice with my Sig Sauer pistol. I was to fire until 1) there was no longer any danger; 2) I had no more ammunition; or 3) I was out of the game.

I moved to a better position, so President Clinton and Assad would not be in my line of fire in case I had to shoot. I did not want to accidentally hit the very person I was to protect. It would be terrible if a Secret Service bullet from my pistol struck either POTUS or Assad.

Thankfully the Syrians never drew their Skorpions and I did not have to kill them, nor they me. However, the incident was a cold reminder of what Secret Service agents are expected to do throughout their careers.

Who are the men and women that protect the president of the United States? Where does America find such people who are willing to face danger and to sacrifice themselves for the office of the presidency? How does the search for men and women determine which are worthy of trust and confidence?

WORTHY OF TRUST AND CONFIDENCE

Almost every organization has a motto. For the Boy Scouts it is Be Prepared. The Marine Corps motto is Semper Fidelis, or Always Faithful. Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity is the FBI motto. For the United States Secret Service, the motto is Worthy of Trust and Confidence.

All Secret Service agents carry a small wallet-like notebook known as the Commission Book. In the Commission Book are a badge, a photo ID, and a statement of the agents authority under federal law. The law states that agents can Carry Firearms, Make Arrests for Offenses Against the United States, and Provide Protection for the president of the United States. The Commission Book also states that the bearer is Worthy of Trust and Confidence. This means citizens of the United States of America can trust the Secret Service agent in all matters of national security.

Sometimes people think Secret Service agents are cold-blooded, steely-eyed bodyguards with large biceps and dark glasses. For the most part, agents are like everyone else. Agents are fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters. They are your neighbors, friends, relatives, coaches, PTA members, and fellow citizens.

Yet in other ways, they are very different. The main difference lies in what each is prepared to do. The men and women who are worthy of trust and confidence are willing to lay down their lives without hesitation for the office of the presidency. Their training ensures their ability and willingness to give their life without question. This primary mission of keeping the president alive at all costs sets the Secret Service apart from other government agencies.

My career was not unique. This book could be about any Secret Service agent who served on a presidential detail. Since 1902, thousands of agents have been worthy of trust and confidence and prepared to protect the president with their lives. This is my own story of working within arms length of the president of the United States.