[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.