Welcome to the Bureau of Land Management, and thank you for your decision to become a part of our organization. I trust that you have made that choice for the same reasons we all did.

     First, we believe in the notion of public service. We know that it takes personal commitment and hard work--by a lot of people--to preserve the things we value in America. We find satisfaction and fulfillment in deeds that make a difference, however modest, in the health of our society and in the lives of our fellow citizens.

     We believe in the mission of the BLM. We view the public lands as a priceless, sacred trust, to be preserved for future generations. We take our stewardship of that legacy very seriously.

     So we start with some common, and I think, noble ideals that bind us together, in some ways, like a family. And as you take your place among us, I ask that you keep that image ever present in your mind. Ours is an organization of people, richly diverse in our backgrounds, our skills and our life experiences. We thrive in a work environment that supports our human needs for encouragement, understanding, respect, and reward. It is up to each of us to nurture that kind of healthy and supportive environment.

     I ask that you remain sensitive also, to the human needs and expectations of the people outside the BLM whom we serve. They expect us, as public servants, to carry out the public's business, with efficiency, enthusiasm, and courtesy.

     Regardless of the job we occupy in the BLM -- whether we're fighting fires, gathering wild horses, monitoring vegetation and wildlife, meeting with customers or partners, or answering telephones in an office -- whatever we do during the course of each day, we help shape the public's perception of the Bureau of Land Management. So, we carry out our work each day determined that our actions and our attitudes will bring credit to ourselves and to the BLM.

     That is what we ask of you, as an employee of the Bureau of Land Management. In return, what I offer as Director, what I promise on behalf of management, is that we will remain committed to maintaining an organization that is worthy of the trust you've placed in us. What we owe you is an environment where you can take pride in your work, where you have the skills and the tools you need to succeed, where you have opportunities to advance in your career, and a chance to follow your dreams.