WASHINGTON: In a time-honored tradition, Arlington, Va., native and Annapolis, Md., resident Casey Durst formally assumed command Thursday of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Baltimore Field Office. She oversees CBP border security and trade and travel facilitation operations throughout the mid-Atlantic states. Durst previously served as the Area Port Director of St. Albans, Vt,, in command of 18 ports of entry throughout Vermont and New Hampshire. Durst took over for the departed Augustine Moore, who serves at CBP headquarters. “I am humbled and honored to join the men and women of the Customs and Border Protection Baltimore Field Office as we work relentlessly to secure our nation and our way of life,” Durst said during the ceremony. “We are the first line of defense against those persons attempting to enter the country to do us harm. We cannot afford a lapse in vigilance – our mission is too important and our responsibility too great. I commit to working with our law enforcement partners and the trade and travel community. Partnerships and collaboration are essential to accomplishing our common goals.”
CBP’s Executive Assistant Commissioner Todd Owen presided during the ceremony. “I admire all that Casey has achieved throughout her career, and I am confident that she will be a great leader for the Office of Field Operations Baltimore Field Office and a great partner for our security, our trade and our travel partners and stakeholders,” Owen said. “I am extremely proud of Casey and the men and women of CBP who serve their country with integrity and are ever vigilant as they protect our communities and our nation from those who desire to do us harm. These are not easy jobs. They can be dangerous, require long hours in tough working conditions, and often come with personal sacrifice, yet our employees persevere every day and keep our country safe and prosperous.” Owen presented Durst with the Baltimore Field Office guidon. The change of command ceremony is rooted in military history, dating back to at least the 18 century, and the presentation of the guidon symbolically represents the establishment of a new command authority.
Durst started her career in 1997 as a U.S. Customs Service inspector at Washington Dulles International Airport. Since then, Durst served in numerous leadership positions, including Acting Port Director at John. F. Kennedy International Airport; as Assistant Director for Trade operations for the El Paso, Texas, Field Office; and during several assignments at CBP Headquarters in Washington, D.C, including in operations, financial management, and in the Commissioner’s Situation Room. Durst has often played key roles in addressing agency staffing and hiring issues. She served on an Integrated Planning Team charged with developing a plan to hire 2,000 additional officers as required by the 2014 Omnibus Appropriations Act. A year later, she was selected to be a part of the National Frontline Hiring Team charged with resolving gaps and challenges to fill critical border security positions.
