    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [May 1, 1991]
    [Pages 448-449]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Presentation Ceremony for the National Security Agency
    Worldwide Awards in Fort Meade, Maryland
    May 1, 1991

        The President. Thank you all very, very much. Thank you for
    this warm welcome. I can't understand you all being in such a good mood,
    being out here since 9:00 a.m. this morning. [Laughter] But you sure
    make me feel welcome. Hey, cut your complain-

    [[Page 449]]

    ing, will you? [Laughter]
        Admiral Studeman--and, please, you all be seated. Sorry about that.
    [Laughter] But let me salute Admiral Studeman, the other leaders of this
    great organization, and also Bill Webster, the DCI, and simply say to
    all the dedicated professionals here at NSA, it is my great pleasure to
    share with you this very special day.
        I also want to salute the Congressman from this district--you can't
    miss him over there--Congressman McMillen standing here, who is a
    wonderful supporter of your work, too. Tom, we're glad you're here.
        The admiral said this visit is a bit of a departure from the routine
    here at NSA. This isn't exactly the kind of place where you can pull off
    a surprise party. [Laughter] But I'm very pleased to be out here. In the
    past couple of months I've had the privilege of meeting, as they came
    home, with many members of Desert Storm--brave men and women who served
    over there, dedicating themselves to the cause of peace in the Persian
    Gulf.
        Today, I wanted especially to come here to express my appreciation
    to you, the thousands of men and women, civilian and military, of the
    United States SIGINT system. From the time we took action to the moment
    the fighting stopped, the world witnessed a display of courage and
    competence that made every American proud. But what America and the
    world saw in Desert Storm was just the tip of the iceberg. Our success
    in the Gulf could, quite literally, never have happened without the
    dedication that's on display right here through all the days and all the
    nights of Desert Storm.
        As our troops go home to friends and family, they do go home as
    heroes, and they've earned every parade and every pat on the back. They
    know and I know that they owe a debt to you. That's why I really wanted
    to come out here today--to salute you, the unsung heroes of Desert
    Storm.
        My association with NSA goes back many years. And over the years
    I've come to appreciate more and more the full value of SIGINT. As
    President and Commander in Chief, I can assure you, signals intelligence
    is a prime factor in the decisionmaking process by which we chart the
    course of this nation's foreign affairs.
        Desert Storm was a team effort on many fronts--military, diplomatic,
    economic. NSA and the service cryptologic elements gave us the critical
    intelligence we had to have to operate effectively on every front. The
    information all of you provided enabled me and my key advisers to have a
    sound understanding of Saddam Hussein's capabilities and solid
    information about the situation on the ground.
        It is the nature of your work to shun the spotlight. Where others
    step forward to the fanfare and public acclaim, your reward is simply
    quiet pride. And I am here today on behalf of the American people--the
    many millions who cannot know the contributions you make to their
    safety, security, and freedom every single day--to convey the thanks of
    a grateful nation.
        Once again, my most sincere thanks to each and every one of you for
    a job well done. And may God bless the United States of America. Thank
    you all very, very much.

                        Note: The President spoke at 10:25 a.m. outside the
                            NSA building. In his opening remarks, he
                            referred to Vice Adm. William O. Studeman,
                            Director of the National Security Agency;
                            William H. Webster, Director of Central
                            Intelligence; Representative C. Thomas McMillen;
                            and President Saddam Hussein of Iraq.