A longtime DEA Delegate, “Gerry” Ahearn was appointed to the force on July 15, 1986. He was promoted to third grade in December of 1994, and second grade in December of 1999. He was promoted to first grade in April of 2007 and retired out of the 71 Squad on August 31, 2008. Gerard Ahearn passed away on October 24, 2016 from illnesses he contracted as a result of his work on the rescue and recovery from 9/11/2001.