Case Study: JTF-N

New Vision and Strategy
The DoD’s legal limitation to operations in the homeland places an organization like JTF-N in marginalized position. JTF-N, a military unit, is in a position to be subordinate to domestic agencies charged with securing the southwest border. Because DHS is the largest domestic security agency, restructuring JTF-N within the DHS, under JTF-W, would provide a military arm that could provide invaluable planning and intelligence expertise to the CN mission and the fight against TCOs. The border security effort in the U.S. lacks a comprehensive direction. The agencies along the border need to move beyond the current disjointed structure and employ a unity of effort.
JTF-W’s mission overlaps that of JTF-N, but also lacks

When JTF-N and DHS JTF-W merge into JIATF-SW, both organizations, more specifically JTF-N will have to modify their leadership approach and structure to ensure LEA agencies and other personnel do not feel as though they are under military control. JIATF-South has been heralded as the model JIATF and their example for the transition should be closely followed. The first necessary change is as simple as altering the JIATF commander’s title to “Director” vice “Commander,” but does not end there. JIATF South in Key West, Florida successfully utilizes Coast Guard Officers to fill the Director position; however, this specific construct will not work in the land domain along the southwest border. For JIATF-SW, the Director position should be filled by a DHS Senior Executive Service leader vice utilizing a General or Flag Officer from the military. With DoD in a supporting role, an active duty officer should lead the military directorate of JIATF-SW with key members of his staff appropriately interwoven amongst the interagency directorates to work directly with their counterparts to increase unity of effort. This would afford a more parallel leadership construct between DHS and DoD as the DoD entwines their capability and expertise into the

In order for JIATF-SW to be successful, the interagency environment must be reshaped so cooperation is maximized and competition among agencies is eliminated. Mission requirements and success criteria for the various JIATF-SW partners must be managed by a single director. This would provide the necessary authority for the director to cross agency lines and direct components to share information and resources to accomplish singular objectives thereby achieving unity of effort and