1. Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATFS)
Counter Threat Finance (CTF) Cell
LCDR Frank Clark
L T Craig Dziewiatkowski
LT Donny Northrup Dz
Group Intro: We selected the Organization – Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATFS) headquartered in Key West, FL. And specifically their Counter Threat Finance (CTF) Cell. Some of you already know our efforts from previous classes since Frank, Steve Miller, and I are working with the JIATFS CTF Cell on our MBA Project. Donny was gracious enough to join us in our efforts on this one.
- One thing to mention is that we did see links to the FBI Case Study in class. Specifically in regard to how the CTF Cell exploits and explores, but we will touch on that more later.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY//REL TO USA, LBN, NGA

2. Agenda JIATFS Players/Stakeholders JIATFS CTF Cell Mission
Organizational Structure
Strategic Issue
Activity Map
SWOT
Exploitation/Exploration
Lessons Learned
Dz-
Here is a quick layout of our agenda:
First: Donny will briefly describe what JIATFS & the CTF Cell do along with their Missions
Second: Frank will quickly describe the organizational structure of JIATFS and the CTF Cell
Next: I’ll explain the Strategic Issue that the JIATFS CTF Cell is facing, Donny will present an Activity Map, & Frank with conduct a SWOT analysis.
I’ll follow-up with Exploitation & Exploration recommendations.
And finally we’ll close up with our lessons learned.

3. JIATFS Players/Stakeholders
Donny
-Mission: “JIATF South conducts interagency and international Detection & Monitoring of suspect air and maritime drug activity in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the eastern Pacific. Their goal is to facilitate the interdiction of illicit trafficking and other narco-terrorist threats in support of national and partner nation security….”
-Integrated Team of Stakeholders: Talk to the players and their involvement.

4. Organizational Structure
Command Group
Director, RADM, USCG
Deputy Director, RDML, USN
Vice Director, SES, CBP
Chief of Staff, Col, USAF
Command Master Chief, USCG
J1J8 – DOR
GS-12
J2 – Intel
CAPT, USN
J3 – Operations
Col, USMC
J4 – Logistics
GS-15
J5 – Plans & Policy
COL, USA
J6 – C5I
GS-15
J7 – Innovation & Technology
GS-15
J9 – International Affairs
GS-15
Frank
Organizational Structure of JIATFS: “The JIATF–South team design evolved along with its operational concept… JIATF–South uses functional departmentalization to organize its personnel based on the similarity of tasks they perform (intelligence, operations, etc.). As intelligence began to drive operations, JIATF–South redistributed its internal assets to better support intelligence fusion and its Intelligence Directorate grew as a result.”
FBI Case link: Intel drives Ops…
“In 2003, the Operations and Intelligence watch floors were merged & greater physical collocation when they merged its Intelligence and Operations Directorates by knocking down the wall that separated their offices and eliminated individual cubicles in favor of more open spaces.”
- The CTF Cell reports to the J2 as depicted on the org chart. The CTF Cell Chief is currently Tammy Bowers. Her cell consists of six additional members who are all GG-13s with the exception of one E-5 from the Army National Guard.
CTF Cell
CTF Cell Organization
1 x CTF Cell Chief (GG-14)
6 x CTF Cell Members
5 x GG-13s
1 x E-5 Army National Guard

5. Strategic Issue
Current Strategy: Enable Law Enforcement (LE) and facilitate targeting of illicit trafficking
Issue: JIATFS CTF Cell’s strategy and day-to-day activities are reactionary and do not address an evolving threat
Defense Civilian Intelligence Performance System (DCIPS): Individual performance measurement system with incentives
Lack of long-term focus = Loss of relevance
Dz-
As I mentioned, we are working with the JIATFS CTF Cell on our MBA Project and we have paid a visit to Key West to interview each team member, we have remained in contact with them for follow-up, and had the CTF Cell Chief visit NPS and give a brief to our Terrorist Financing Class (DA4601) last quarter (March 2015).
Current JIATFS CTF Cell Strategy is to enable law enforcement and facilitate targeting of illicit trafficking (by building cases and providing intel analysis) that leads to arrests/indictments, or that leads to bulk cash/illicit good/asset tracking and seizures.
We believe the key strategic issue with the JIATFS CTF Cell is that their strategy is and day-to-day activities are reactionary and do not address an evolving threat. As Donny will explain next in the Activity Map, the CTF Cell does their day job well and answers requests for information (RFIs) from numerous customers. They open and work multiple cases and build intel analysis products.
The CTF Cell does have an individual performance measurement system through the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). This system consists of 6 performance elements and 3 objectives which team members are graded on. However, this grading criteria focuses on current activity and does not incentivize forward looking performance.
And as we’ve seen in case studies throughout this course, a lack of long-term focus leads to a loss of relevance. And in DoD, a loss of relevance means a loss of funding…

6. Activity Map OCDETF JWICS CIA Human INT Request for Info SIGINT FBI
State Assets (Border/Customs)
Mil Assets (Ships/Planes)
Embassy Teams
Panama Express
OCDETF
JWICS
Law Enforcement
Organic SIGINT
CIA
US Mil Services
Human INT
Request for Info
Interagency Relationships
SIGINT Centers
Country Participants
SIGINT
JIATF-S
Analysts
FBI
DEA
Intel Fusion
Bulk Cash Monitoring
Donny
-Activity Map: Everything flows from the JIATF-S Analysis team and their ability to enable law enforcement to make arrests. From that there are 5 key areas in which they operate which are highlighted in green. They leverage interagency relationships which includes US and Foreign agencies. It also is driven by those agencies assets and connections. Human Intelligence is gathered from multiple connections including the Panama Express and the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force. These could both also be considered interagency relations. Requests for Info from Law Enforcement helps to drive JIATF-S’s focus and also feeds from a myriad of sources. Signals Intel is driven by JIATF-S and their ability to leverage those resources they have which monitor signals/communications. Intel Fusion is the ability to piece all of the info together, create a common operating picture and feed that to LE.
Enable LE & Facilitate Targeting
Sea Traffic Monitoring
Additional RFI
Rumors

7. Activity Map Enable LE & Facilitate Targeting OCDETF JWICS CIA
State Assets (Border/Customs)
Mil Assets (Ships/Planes)
Embassy Teams
Panama Express
OCDETF
JWICS
Law Enforcement
Organic SIGINT
CIA
US Mil Services
Human INT
Request for Info
Interagency Relationships
SIGINT Centers
Country Participants
SIGINT
JIATF-S
Analysts
FBI
DEA
Intel Fusion
Bulk Cash Monitoring
Donny
-Activity Map: Everything flows from the JIATF-S Analysis team and their ability to enable law enforcement to make arrests. From that there are 5 key areas in which they operate which are highlighted in green. They leverage interagency relationships which includes US and Foreign agencies. It also is driven by those agencies assets and connections. Human Intelligence is gathered from multiple connections including the Panama Express and the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force. These could both also be considered interagency relations. Requests for Info from Law Enforcement helps to drive JIATF-S’s focus and also feeds from a myriad of sources. Signals Intel is driven by JIATF-S and their ability to leverage those resources they have which monitor signals/communications. Intel Fusion is the ability to piece all of the info together, create a common operating picture and feed that to LE.
Enable LE & Facilitate Targeting
Sea Traffic Monitoring
Additional RFI
Rumors

8. SWOT
Frank
Strengths
Reputation: The JIATF South CTF Cell is sough out by other agencies in the DOD and Federal Government for their analytical skills. Organizations that typically do not trust “outsiders” reach out to the JIATFS South CTF Cell for their competency and discretion.
Experience/knowledge: Then CTF Cell members bring a wealth of background knowledge and experience with them. Examples-one member worked in commercial banking for approximately 20 years and another worked at NSA.
Networks: The CTF Cell has developed an extensive interagency network, leveraging information from HSI, ICE, CBP, the FBI and DEA just to name a few.
Intrinsic motivation: The analysts love their jobs. The all take great personal pleasure in seeing their analysis result in decisive actions such as seizures, arrests, and convictions.
Weaknesses
Number of analysts: The CTF cell has only seven members. At least one cell member is typically always TAD/TDY. The CTF Cell Chief specifically identified the need for more analysts.
Extrinsic motivators: There are few extrinsic motivators for the cell members. They cannot be promoted in their current billets and bonuses are typically not funded or given to upper level management.
Number of Spanish speakers: Currently, only two of the cell’s members are Spanish speakers. The cell members often participate in TAD/TDYs in order to enhance Partner Nation CTF capabilities and not being fluent in Spanish diminishes training value.
TAD/TDY reluctance: Most of the CTF cell members do not like TAD/TDYs and try to avoid them, posing a challenge when it comes to PN training opportunities.
Opportunities
Growing DOD focus on CTF: DOD has embraced CTF as a non-kinetic method of addressing threats.
PN interest: Several countries in the JIATFS JOA are open to training opportunities in order increase their effectiveness in countering transnational organized crime.
Increases in Financial Action Task Force (FATF) membership: FATF is an inter-governmental organization comprised of 34 nations that develops policy for anti-money laundering efforts and combatting the financing of terrorism. Membership is voluntary. As more countries join FATF, banking and reporting standards will improve, possibly improving the flow of information to the CTF cell.
Interagency cooperation/coordination: The opportunity exists to grow the CTF cells’ interagency network, thus providing more sources to develop the intel cycle.
Threats
The DOD operates in a fiscally constrained environment. As an example, the CTF cell’s budget for FY15 was reduced by approx. $200,000.
Public/political opinion: Some of the citizens/politicians in the countries comprising the JIATFS JOA favor legalization of all narcotics which may complicate the CTF cells ability to develop intel. Additionally, US ONDCP policy has recently tending to favor programs aimed at demand reduction vice supply reduction.
Alternate forms of currency: The CTF cell currently specializes in tracking paper currency. Alternate forms of currency such as Bitcoin represent an unknown for the JIATFS CTF cell.
Cyber analysts: The role of cyber analysts may likely grow in importance if/when alternate forms of currency such as Bitcoin become more widely utilized.

9. Exploitation/Exploration Exploitative Business
Alignment of:
Exploitative Business
Exploratory Business
Strategic intent
Enable LE & facilitate targeting of illicit activity
Identify adversary alternative financing methods
Critical tasks
Answer RFIs, Provide solid intel analysis/fusion
Highlight adversary networks, expand relationships
Competencies
Intel analysis to support tactical level ops
Knowledge expansion
Structure
Departmentalized, but flat
Loose
Controls, rewards
Performance objectives (Quantity & Quality)
Knowledge growth
Culture
Customer-oriented, collaborative/team effort
Knowledge sharing, application of knowledge
Leadership role
Firm CTF Cell Chief oversight
Open-minded CTF Cell Chief encouraging exploration Dz
When we read the FBI case, we had a supplemental Harvard Business Review titled The Ambidextrous Organization. In this review, O’Reilly & Tushman explaining organizations “must constantly look back, but also must gaze to the future.” This is the heart of the issue with the JIATFS CTF Cell. They do their day job well, but are failing to focus on what lies ahead in the CTF world.
Here is how we believe the JIATF CTF Cell should innovate using, “The Scope of the Ambidextrous Organization”:
Exploitative Business:
Enable LE & facilitate targeting by answering the RFIs & providing solid intel analysis/fusion supporting tactical-level ops.
Very departmentalized but flat organization that should be controlled by performance measures that are properly measured via quantity and quality.
Culture will remain customer-oriented and continue to have a collaborative/team effort that has a firm CTF Cell Chief oversight.
Exploratory Business:
Identify adversary alternative financing methods by highlighting adversary networks and expanding relationships with partner nations, interagencies, and international organizations (Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS), etc.).
Focus on knowledge expansion in order to be ahead of the adversary financing techniques (e.g. understand vulnerabilities of BITCOIN, cutting edge of corruption, etc.) and in a loose organization that rewards knowledge growth.
Culture will need to adapt to support knowledge sharing and allow for application of new knowledge that has a open-minded CTF Cell Chief.
ISSUES: Weaknesses/Threats from SWOT are very real and restrictive -> Budget cuts, limited number of analysts, and heavy workload will limit the JIATFS CTF from expanding into an exploratory business. Basically, the Cell is “too caught up in today to be looking at tomorrow…”

10. Lessons Learned
JIATFS CTF Cell is a real organization & CTF is still a new concept -> “Follow the Money”
Cost of 9/11: $400K-$500K
Cost of London Transportation System Attack (2005): $14K
Cost of Suicide Bombing Vest: as low as $1,200 (JIEDDO)
Abu Sayyaf killed 15May15: Oversaw ISIL’s illicit oil & gas Ops
Strategy should be forward looking
Continue to show added value
All
Why is this organization/topic interesting? JIATFS CTF Cell is a real organization for our MBA Project. The CTF concept is relatively new since 9/11 and current operations show us just how important understanding adversary financing operations are. Think about the low costs of terrorist operations and how much damage they inflict. How much are we willing to spend on CTF? Based on current operations ,the U.S. is willing to put U.S. service members lives on the line to gather even more intel about ISIS’s operations and financing methods as seen by taking out Abu Sayyaf on 15May15.
What did you learn? Strategy and day-to-day activities need to be forward looking. Just because an organization is good at what they do today doesn’t mean they’ll be in business tomorrow. JIATF CTF Cell needs to continue to show added value. If arrests/indictments/bulk cash seized decrease, where else are they adding value?