This was my second draft notice. The first came from Richard Nixon in 1969 and took me to Southeast Asia. More than 30 years later came notice number two, this time from George W. Bush. The president called me to leave my post as Pennsylvania’s governor to serve in the White House Office of Homeland Security. I accepted the call to duty, knowing full well the challenge that awaited.
Some people had cautioned me not to take on the assignment. They warned it would be impossible to succeed. I never saw it that way.
On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists attacked our nation, a manifestation of evil. I wanted to join the effort to fight back. Led by President Bush, our nation responded to a nonpartisan call to protect our country from all future terrorist attacks. All options were on the table. During this remarkable time in our history, the blueprint for today’s Department of Homeland Security was forged.
