Four Years After 9/11, Higher Pressure, Rewards

The litany of change that has rippled across government since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks can be cited by almost any federal employee.

The loss of lives at the Pentagon and World Trade Center. The mourning and sadness. The reaffirmation of teamwork, sacrifice and dedication.

The mega-merger creating the Department of Homeland Security. Federal screeners at airports. Tougher inspections at borders. A restructuring of the intelligence community. Transformation at the FBI. The list can go on and on.

Do nald G. Hands , chief steward for the American Federation of Government Employees at the Portsmouth (N.H.) Naval Shipyard, sums up 9/11 changes this way: "Wow!"

If there is one area of consensus on 9/11, it's that the horrific attacks renewed appreciation for public service and the contributions of federal employees.

"It was after September 11 that the public perception of public servants seemed to change -- a recognition that they were on the front line, as highlighted this past week by Katrina," said Colleen M. Kelley , president of the National Treasury Employees Union.

In addition, "the priority of the security function has been raised dramatically by 9/11," said Max Stier , president of the Partnership for Public Service.

Tourists find it harder to sightsee in Washington; the public finds it more difficult to get into and out of federal buildings.

At the National Academy of Public Administration, C. Morgan Kinghorn , the president, said he thinks 9/11 has made federal service more attractive to private-sector professionals who had not considered working in government. Hannah Sistare , a NAPA fellow, believes 9/11 created a more favorable climate for federal employees in Congress, which she said has supported new dental benefits and larger student loan repayments.

There's also a sense that 9/11 has added to the pressure of federal service because jobs are seen as more important and because, even though fighting terrorism may not be their primary duty, all feds feel the weight of homeland security more.

"It is such a continually changing environment that it has got to be stressful for people working in" defense, homeland security and intelligence agencies, Kinghorn said.

William L. Bransford , counsel at the Senior Executives Association, and Hands of AFGE believe federal employees are more focused on their work since 9/11. "Most federal employees take their jobs very seriously, and they work very hard. And you could say that about a lot of people before, but it is more so now than before," Bransford said.