W. Ralph Basham
Encyclopedia
William Ralph Basham, Jr. (born November 17, 1943) is the former Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
. He had held the role until February 28, 2009. He previously served as the 21st director of the United States Secret Service
on January 27, 2003. A 28-year veteran of the United States Secret Service
, Basham has also served as Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and Chief of Staff of the Transportation Security Administration
.
Upon leaving government service in April 2009, Basham founded Command Consulting Group
, a Washington DC USA based international advisory firm which provides security advisory services to government clients and business development assistance to companies with security related products or services.
, Basham received a bachelor's degree
from Southeastern University in Washington, D.C. He is married to the former Judith O'Bryan and has three children, Paige, Craig, and Billy, and twelve grandchildren.
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
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.
(FLETC). The center, located in Glynco, Georgia
and Artesia, New Mexico
, provides training for nearly all of the nation's federal law enforcement officers, including Secret Service recruits. The FLETC also serves the state, local and federal law enforcement communities with training programs tailored to their specific needs.
(TSA). Among his responsibilities at TSA, Basham oversaw the hiring of federal security directors for the nation's 429 major airports.
.
Bush
nominated Basham as Commissioner of CBP on January 30, 2006. Basham was confirmed by the United States Senate
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
through its ports of entry.
(GTX), an intelligence-driven supply-chain data-mining effort that was one of three components of CBP's Secure Freight Initiative.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. regulations, including trade, customs and immigration. CBP is the...
. He had held the role until February 28, 2009. He previously served as the 21st director of the United States Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
on January 27, 2003. A 28-year veteran of the United States Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
, Basham has also served as Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and Chief of Staff of the Transportation Security Administration
Transportation Security Administration
The Transportation Security Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that exercises authority over the safety and security of the traveling public in the United States....
.
Upon leaving government service in April 2009, Basham founded Command Consulting Group
Command Consulting Group
Command Consulting Group, "CCG", is an international security and intelligence consulting firm, founded in 2009, headquartered in Washington, D.C., USA. CCG provides advisory services for governments, corporations, and high net worth private individuals....
, a Washington DC USA based international advisory firm which provides security advisory services to government clients and business development assistance to companies with security related products or services.
Education
A native of Owensboro, KentuckyOwensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro is the fourth largest city by population in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the county seat of Daviess County. It is located on U.S. Route 60 about southeast of Evansville, Indiana, and is the principal city of the Owensboro, Kentucky, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's...
, Basham received a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Southeastern University in Washington, D.C. He is married to the former Judith O'Bryan and has three children, Paige, Craig, and Billy, and twelve grandchildren.
Career with the Secret Service
Basham's career with the United States Secret ServiceUnited States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
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, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
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.
Position at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
In January 1998, Basham was appointed Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training CenterFederal Law Enforcement Training Center
The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center serves as an interagency law enforcement training organization for 90 United States government federal law enforcement agencies.-Location:...
(FLETC). The center, located in Glynco, Georgia
Glynco, Georgia
Glynco is an area in Glynn County, Georgia located on the northwestern edge of Brunswick, GA. Glynco is a contraction of the words "Glynn County".In 1942 the Naval Air Station Glynco was established on the area now known as Glynco...
and Artesia, New Mexico
Artesia, New Mexico
Artesia is a city in Eddy County, New Mexico, United States, centered at the intersection of U.S. Route 82 and 285; the two highways serve as the city's Main Street and First Street, respectively...
, provides training for nearly all of the nation's federal law enforcement officers, including Secret Service recruits. The FLETC also serves the state, local and federal law enforcement communities with training programs tailored to their specific needs.
Position at Transportation Security Administration
In January 2002, Basham was named Chief of Staff for the Transportation Security AdministrationTransportation Security Administration
The Transportation Security Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that exercises authority over the safety and security of the traveling public in the United States....
(TSA). 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 the director, following the retirement of Brian L. StaffordBrian L. Stafford
Brian L. Stafford was the 20th Director of the United States Secret Service. Preceded by Lewis C. Merletti, he was sworn in on March 4, 1999 by the then Secretary of the Treasury, Robert E. Rubin. He was succeeded by W. Ralph Basham.-Education:...
.
Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
PresidentPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
nominated Basham as Commissioner of CBP on January 30, 2006. Basham was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in May 2006. CBP is responsible for border security and trade, including the United States Border Patrol
United States Border Patrol
The United States Border Patrol is a federal law enforcement agency within U.S. Customs and Border Protection , a component of the Department of Homeland Security . It is an agency in the Department of Homeland Security that enforces laws and regulations for the admission of foreign-born persons to...
and inspecting persons and items entering the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
through its ports of entry.
Global Trade Exchange
Basham was a lead proponent of the Global Trade ExchangeGlobal Trade Exchange
The Global Trade Exchange is, or was, a controversial Homeland Security intelligence project, related to maritime-ports data-mining, being one of three pillers of the Safe Ports Act-related Secure Freight Initiatives. The Global Trade Exchange has a mysterious history dating from conception in...
(GTX), an intelligence-driven supply-chain data-mining effort that was one of three components of CBP's Secure Freight Initiative.