Mayorkas, FLETC leaders honor 335 fallen graduates at annual memorial ceremony

Glynco, Ga. — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and leaders of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) gathered at a memorial ceremony to honor nine graduates added this year and the full 335 names inscribed on the FLETC Graduates Memorial.

Kai Monchi, deputy director of FLETC, opened the program and asked the audience to stand for the posting of colors by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Field Operations Academy Honor Guard. The national anthem was performed by Transportation Security Administration instructor Dinam Dunham, and Chaplain Leticia Young delivered an invocation asking for comfort for the families of the fallen.

"We remember them, and we honor them because they represent the very best of America," Mayorkas said in his keynote remarks, praising the dedication of federal law enforcement officers and offering sympathy to surviving families. "We trust that they will know what to do and that they will be willing, if necessary, to put their lives on the line to do it." The secretary's remarks framed the ceremony as both a public recognition of sacrifice and a reaffirmation of the responsibilities borne by federal law enforcement.

Director Benjamin C. Huffman, who Monchi introduced as FLETC's director, noted that nine names were etched onto the memorial this year and that the monument now lists 335 graduates who have died in the line of duty. Huffman thanked instructors, staff and the center's 127 partner organizations for their work training students across FLETC's four training sites, and he told attendees the ceremony was meant to keep the memory of those officers alive for their families and colleagues.

"As part of our promise to the families to never forget, their losses are a painful reminder of how difficult and dangerous the law enforcement profession is day in and day out," Huffman said.

Representatives from FLETC and partner agencies then read the honor roll aloud, reciting the names of officers and agents from a wide range of federal agencies and offices. The program included participants and family members from agencies such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Capitol Police and others.

The ceremony concluded with the retiring of the colors, a benediction delivered by Chaplain Young, and a memorial video honoring the nine graduates whose end of watch occurred in the past year and the broader list of fallen alumni. Organizers closed by thanking families, instructors and partner organizations for attending.

The FLETC Graduates Memorial recognizes trainees who graduated from FLETC basic training programs and later died in the line of duty. The center said the memorial has listed fallen graduates dating back to the establishment of FLETC in 1970.