United States Drug Enforcement Administration

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration commemorated the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks with a ceremony at DEA Headquarters honoring those killed that day and those who later died from 9/11-related illnesses. The ceremony also marked the opening of Never Forget: 25 Years After 9/11, a DEA Museum limited-run exhibit. 

“Never Forget” is DEA’s solemn promise to preserve the legacy of those lost in the line of duty and to honor the courage, service, and sacrifice demonstrated in the days, months, and years following the attacks. 

During the ceremony, DEA Administrator Terry Cole unveiled the names of two New York Drug Enforcement Task Force Officers newly added to the DEA’s 9/11 memorial:

• New York State Police Investigator Anthony B. Ashe, who died on November 4, 2024 

• New York City Police Department Detective James J. Motto, who died on January 12, 2025 

DEA dedicated the memorial in 2022 to honor members of the New York Drug Task Force who died from illnesses or diseases related to their work at Ground Zero.  The memorial bears the names of:

• New York State Police Senior Investigator Thomas G. Moran, Jr., who died on July 22, 2012

• New York City Police Department Detective Traci L. Tack-Czajkowski, who died on January 15, 2013

• New York State Police Investigator Paul R. Stuewer, who died on October 5, 2016

• New York City Police Department Detective Mark Mkwanazi, who died on February 16, 2017

• New York City Police Department Detective Thomas J. Barnitt, who died on June 11, 2018

• New York City Police Department Sergeant Robert P. Masci, who died on June 9, 2018

• New York City Police Department Detective Terence P. Mulvey, who died on December 1, 2021

DEA’s 9/11 memorial is a lasting tribute to the selfless service of the men and women who responded to the attacks and a reminder that, for many responders and their families, the sacrifice continued long after September 11, 2001.

“Twenty-five years later, the pain of September 11 remains, as does our profound gratitude for every person who answered the call to serve,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. “Today, as we add two more names to DEA’s memorial, we are reminded that the sacrifice of 9/11 did not end when the smoke cleared. We honor those we lost, stand with the families who carry their memory, and remember the courage of those who stepped forward when our nation needed them most. For DEA, ‘Never Forget’ is more than a promise. It is a responsibility we carry forward through our service to this country.”

Following the 9/11 attacks, DEA brought unique authorities and expertise to the nation’s response to terrorism, targeting the intersection of drug trafficking and terrorist financing. DEA subsequently established the Foreign-deployed Advisory Support Team (FAST) program, which deployed an elite team of DEA agents to work alongside U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and NATO forces in Afghanistan. 

Working with the DEA Kabul Country Office (KCO), FAST/KCO teams identified and targeted Afghanistan's top drug traffickers, disrupted the opium and heroin trade, and dismantled financial networks that helped fund and support the terrorist organizations connected to the 9/11 attacks. 

This history carries special significance for DEA’s current leadership team including Administrator Cole and several other senior DEA leaders who served with FAST/KCO during DEA’s mission in Afghanistan. Artifacts from this time are currently on display in the DEA Museum. 

Today’s ceremony also marked the official opening of Never Forget: 25 Years After 9/11. For the first time, the DEA Museum is displaying artifacts connected to all three attacks on September 11 – the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the crash site of United Flight 93 near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. 

The exhibit features powerful images, firsthand accounts, and rarely displayed artifacts, including rubble from the Pentagon, metal recovered from the World Trade Center, and objects from the Flight 93 crash site. It also includes accounts from retired DEA personnel who were at DEA Headquarters on September 11 and witnessed the attack on the Pentagon.

The exhibit chronicles DEA’s response to the attacks, including the agency’s assistance at the Pentagon and Ground Zero; Aviation Division missions transporting blood supplies and conducting flights over Ground Zero; and the service of more than 1,000 DEA Special Agents who volunteered for temporary assignments as Federal Air Marshals. 

Never Forget: 25 Years After 9/11 will remain on display through October 3, 2026.

The DEA Museum and Visitors Center is located at 700 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, Va., is free and open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For additional information, visit museum.dea.gov

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