William Ralph Basham, Jr. (born November 17, 1943) is an American law enforcement official who served as commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, director of the

United States Secret Service The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security charged with conducting criminal investigations and protecting U.S. political leaders, their families, and ...

, director of the

Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) serves as an interagency law enforcement training body for 105 United States government federal law enforcement agencies. The stated mission of FLETC is to "...train those who protect our home ...

, and chief of staff of the

Transportation Security Administration The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that has authority over the security of transportation systems within, and connecting to the United States. It was created ...

. Upon leaving government service in April 2009, Basham founded Command Consulting Group, a Washington, D.C.-based international advisory firm which provides security advisory services to government clients and works with companies with security related products and services to develop and market products to federal security agencies. In 2008, Basham was conferred the rank of Distinguished Executive by former U.S. President George W. Bush. In October 2013, Basham was awarded the Founder's Medal for Lifetime Achievement by the Border Patrol Foundation. Basham is a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.

Early life and education

A native of Owensboro, Kentucky, Basham received a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

from

Southeastern University Southeastern University is a private Christian university in Lakeland, Florida. It was established in 1935 in New Brockton, Alabama, as Southeastern Bible Institute, relocated to Lakeland in 1946, and became a liberal arts college in 1970. It i ...

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Career

Secret Service

Basham's career with the

began in 1970, when he was appointed a special agent in the Washington Field Office. He rose rapidly to the managerial level while serving in a variety of assignments reflecting the Service's diverse interests and responsibilities. Consistent with the dual missions of the Secret Service, Basham has served in supervisory positions in both protective and investigative assignments, serving as special agent in charge of the

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

Field Office, the Washington Field Office, and the Vice Presidential Protective Division. Basham also served as the deputy assistant director of the Office of Training and as assistant director of the Office of Administration, where he was responsible for the management of the agency's administrative division, including financial management, personnel, procurement and strategic planning.

Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers

In January 1998, Basham was appointed director of the

(FLETC) by President

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

. The centers, located in

Glynco, Georgia Glynco is an area in Glynn County, Georgia located on the northwestern edge of Brunswick, Georgia. Glynco is a portmanteau of the words "Glynn County". History In 1942 the Naval Air Station Glynco was established on the area now known as Glynco. ...

and Artesia, New Mexico, provide training for nearly all of the nation's federal law enforcement officers, including Secret Service agents. The FLETC also serves the state, local and federal law enforcement communities with training programs tailored to their specific needs.

Transportation Security Administration

In January 2002, Basham was recruited as one of the first employees and leaders of the

(TSA), a new agency within the Homeland Security created to secure America's aviation system following the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack. Among his responsibilities at TSA, Basham oversaw the hiring of federal security directors for the nation's 429 major airports.

Return to U.S. Secret Service

On January 27, 2003, Basham returned to the agency as director, following the retirement of Brian L. Stafford.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

nominated Basham as commissioner of CBP on January 30, 2006. Basham was confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

in May 2006. CBP is responsible for border security and trade, including the United States Border Patrol and inspecting persons and items entering the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

through its ports of entry.

Global Trade Exchange

Basham was a lead proponent of the

Global Trade Exchange The Global Trade Exchange (GTX) is, or was, a controversial Homeland Security intelligence project, related to maritime-ports data-mining, being one of three pillars of the Safe Ports Act-related Secure Freight Initiatives. The Global Trade Exch ...

(GTX), an intelligence-driven supply-chain data-mining effort that was one of three components of CBP's Secure Freight Initiative.

Personal life

He is married to the former Judith O'Bryan and has three children, Paige, Craig, and Billy, and twelve grandchildren.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Basham, W. Ralph Living people Southeastern University (Washington, D.C.) alumni United States Secret Service agents Politicians from Owensboro, Kentucky United States Department of Homeland Security officials Heads of United States federal agencies Directors of the United States Secret Service 1943 births