Force protection at the joint staff level - Brief Article

Military Police, March, 2002 by Jonathan H. Cofer

In light of the recent terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the entire combating-terrorism community has been put to the test. It gives added meaning to the frontline battle we face in our efforts to prevent, deter, mitigate, and respond to worldwide terrorism. Force protection is now a watchword for our nation--not just an obscure program managed by security or law enforcement professionals. In the words of our Commander in Chief "We will direct every resource at our command--every means of diplomacy, every tool of intelligence, every instrument of law enforcement, every financial influence, and every necessary weapon of war--to the disruption and to the defeat of the global terror network."

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Increased homeland defense threats to our critical infrastructure, and the challenges we face from anthrax, mean that we have a lot of work ahead. We must take a holistic, integrated approach. For example, we must be sensitive to hardening facilities adjacent to softer, vulnerable activities. The deployment of forces into a volatile region increases our exposure to the threat. We must all become force protection "eyes and ears"--remaining vigilant--reporting and acting to preempt the threat.

An important part of this strategy is the Joint Staff Deputy Directorate for Operations for Combating Terrorism (J-34). The J-34 is made up of 34 individuals from the four services who have a wide range of military backgrounds. My job, as the J-34 deputy director, is to assist the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in achieving DOD's force protection objectives. The J-34 is part of the Joint Staff Director for Operations (known as the J-3) and our mission is to--

* Support the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

* Assist the combatant commands and services in the execution of their antiterrorism responsibilities across the full spectrum of operations.

* Reduce the risk of the terrorist threat to DOD personnel, their families, facilities, and other DOD resources at home and abroad.

In response to the 25 June 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 U.S. airmen and seriously injured hundreds more, the Secretary of Defense commissioned the Downing task force to assess the facts and circumstances surrounding this tragedy. The resulting report prompted the Secretary of Defense to designate the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as his principle adviser and DOD's focal point for force protection matters. The report also led to organizational changes at the joint staff, service, and the combatant command levels. On 8 October 1996, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff directed the establishment of the J-34 and charged it with synchronizing the military's antiterrorism and force protection efforts. The services and the combatant commanders established similar staff elements to ensure that force protection is addressed in daily operations and considered during long-range planning and funding.

Since its creation, the J-34 has worked with each joint staff directorate, various intelligence agencies, the U.S. Department of State, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and each service and combatant command to focus their efforts and abilities on combating terrorism and ensuring the best possible force protection.

Our efforts have been increasingly tied to our law enforcement colleagues as we pursue a broader community effort. The J-34 recently launched an initiative to develop a domestic terrorism threat working group. This is an area that requires immediate attention. Information sharing between law enforcement and intelligence has historically faced almost insurmountable legal hurdles. In the aftermath of the 11 September attacks, these hurdles have begun to fall. As we continue to work toward a broader sharing of information and analysis, we are the first to admit that we do not have all the answers. This is why we welcome your involvement in this meaningful initiative.

We are very sensitive to the daily demands you face in the field and, as I stated, the Joint staff does not have a monopoly on good ideas. The J-34 has rededicated its efforts towards deterring, preventing, and mitigating the terrorist threat to all DOD units and installations. To that end, we solicit your lessons learned and ideas in this increasingly collaborative effort.

Today, few challenges loom as large as terrorism. The problems of terrorism and force protection are much more complex than they were 20 years ago. Although the problem of terrorism is not new, the results are much more devastating. Those out to harm us are no longer just political zealots with a few sticks of dynamite attacking U. S. targets on foreign soil. Modern terrorists are determined operatives who have well-funded access to very sophisticated information and technology. They can construct immensely destructive bombs, as seen in Oklahoma City and Saudi Arabia, as well as conduct synchronized operations such as those on 11 September. These actions are aimed at the foundation of freedom and liberty, upon which our way of life rests.