[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 125 (Tuesday, September 8, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


        HONORING THE RETIREMENT OF NCIS DIRECTOR THOMAS A. BETRO

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL H. MICHAUD

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 8, 2009

  Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Special 
Agent Thomas A. Betro, Director of the Naval Criminal Investigative 
Service, who announced his retirement from that organization in August 
2009 after nearly 27 years of highly distinguished service. In addition 
to his service to NCIS and the nation, Director Betro is among the 
notable graduates of Colby College, in Waterville, ME.
  Mr. Betro joined NCIS in 1982, and during his tenure he has served in 
a variety of organizational assignments and mission areas, both within 
the United States and overseas. As a Special Agent, Mr. Betro served 
overseas in both the Republic of the Philippines and in Iceland. 
Domestically he held leadership positions in Philadelphia, PA and 
Newport, RI. He served two separate tours as an NCIS Special Agent 
Afloat during deployments of the USS John F. Kennedy and USS 
Enterprise.
  As Deputy Assistant Director, DAD, for Counterintelligence, CI, 
investigations and operations, Mr. Betro oversaw the development and 
implementation of the NCIS response to the USS Cole bombing, which led 
to the significant increase of NCIS force protection support to Naval 
expeditionary forces. Further, he established new criteria for on-the-
ground NCIS port visit support, opened new NCIS offices to increase CI 
support to in-transit units, and greatly expanded counterterrorism, CT, 
operations for safeguarding naval equities.
  In April 2001, Mr. Betro was selected to serve as a Deputy to the 
National Counterintelligence Executive, NCIX. He later was appointed to 
the position of National Counterintelligence Executive (Acting) by the 
NCIX Board of Directors, on behalf of the President of the United 
States. Mr. Betro was promoted to the Senior Executive Service in March 
2002.
  Upon returning to NCIS in January 2003, Mr. Betro served as Executive 
Assistant Director, EAD, for CI until August 2003, when he was promoted 
to Deputy Director for Operations, DDO. During his time as DDO, NCIS 
established its Contingency Response Field Office, CRFO, located aboard 
the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, GA. CRFO 
trains NCIS personnel to be rapidly deployed globally in support of the 
NCIS core missions of criminal investigations, counterterrorism 
investigations and operations, counterintelligence investigations and 
operations, protective operations, and force protection/antiterrorism 
operations.
  On January 8, 2006 Mr. Betro was appointed Director of NCIS and at 
that time became the agency's third civilian director. Under Director 
Betro's leadership, NCIS has filled every validated Combatant Commander 
request for forces for Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Horn of Africa on a 
volunteer basis. Since 2002, there have been approximately 700 NCIS 
personnel that have deployed to the above mentioned locations as well 
as to Kuwait, Djibouti, Guantanamo Bay, and other sites.
  In February 2007, Director Betro established the NCIS Diversity 
Office, which is charged with developing and sustaining a model program 
that recognizes the critical role diversity plays in the NCIS global 
mission. Key functions that are aligned under the Diversity office at 
NCIS include the Equal Opportunity Program; Alternative Dispute 
Resolution; Diversity Research and Analysis; and Recruiting Outreach. 
Through his leadership in action, Director Betro has ensured that 
diversity awareness is now reflected in all core business functions at 
NCIS and that NCIS is a model for other agencies to follow.
  Mr. Betro has received numerous commendations and awards. He is a 
recipient of the Presidential Meritorious Executive Rank Award, as well 
as the Department of the Navy, DON, Distinguished Civilian Service 
Award and the U.S. Attorney's Award for Outstanding Leadership. He was 
recognized in 2008 with the Roger W. Jones Award for Executive 
Leadership and is a prior recipient of the DON Meritorious Civilian 
Service Award. While assigned to NCIX, he received the National 
Intelligence Certificate of Distinction and a Meritorious Unit 
Citation.
  In addition to his Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Colby 
College, Mr. Betro holds a Master of Arts degree from the Naval War 
College, where he earned the James Forrestal Award for ``Excellence in 
Strategy and Force Planning.''
  Though he is formally retiring from NCIS, Mr. Betro has accepted a 
position with an international security firm based in New York.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. 
Betro for his 27 years of outstanding public service and to wish him 
fair winds and following seas as he begins the next chapter of his 
life.

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