Joint Interagency Task Force West Holds Change of Command

Photo By JIATF West | HONOLULU - Joint Interagency Task Force West held its 18th change of command ceremony bidding farewell to U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Donna L. Cottrell and welcoming Rear Adm. Robert P. Hayes, at Camp H. M. Smith, 12 April 2019.  

CAMP H.M. SMITH, HI, UNITED STATES

04.16.2019

Courtesy Story

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command         

CAMP H.M. SMITH - U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Robert P. Hayes relieved U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Donna L. Cottrell as Director Joint Interagency Task Force West (JIATF-W) at a change of command ceremony, April 12.

Cottrell, a native of Wellington, Ohio, served as the director from March 2017 to April 2019. She will assume command of U.S. Coast Guard District Nine, in Cleveland, Ohio.

During Cottrell’s tenure as director, JIATF-W analysts identified 181 suspect shipping events resulting in 16 successful joint law enforcement operations seizing approximately 4.1 metric tons of cocaine, 2.2 metric tons of methamphetamine, and 95.4 metric tons of precursor chemicals. Working with regional partners, she initiated a new cooperative effort with Pacific Five Eyes partners through exercise PACIFIC SNOW.

Under Cottrell’s watch, JIATF-W received the U.S. Interdiction Coordinator Award for its efforts in assisting law enforcement with the shutdown of the largest illicit dark web marketplace, Alpha Bay, and the arrest of the administrator and co-conspirators operating in Thailand.

Incoming director Rear Adm. Hayes, a native of Connecticut, has over 30 years of service. He most recently served as the U.S. Coast Guard’s Assistant Commandant for Intelligence, at the U.S. Coast Guard Intelligence Coordination Center in Washington D.C.

JIATF-W plans and conducts Department of Defense counterdrug activities in order to increase regional stability and disrupt transnational criminal organizations that threaten global interests in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility.

• Date Taken: 04.16.2019
• Date Posted: 04.16.2019 21:04
• Story ID: 318387
• Location: CAMP H.M. SMITH, HI, US