By Capt Matt C. Hasson
PACOM Public Affairs
CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii - U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Upper half Steven Ratti relinquishes command of the Joint Interagency Task Force West today to U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Lower Half Christopher Tomney during a change of command ceremony that U.S. Navy Adm. Robert F. Willard, commander, U.S. Pacific Command, presided over at the Nimitz-MacArthur Pacific Command Center.
In his previous command, Tomney served as the commanding officer of the Coast Guard Intelligence Coordination Center, in Suitland, Md. The Intelligence Coordination Center serves as the Coast Guard's strategic intelligence analysis and production center presenting relevant, timely, and insightful maritime intelligence to ensure the information advantage goes to U.S. policy makers, operational commanders, and decision makers. Tomney had a direct impact on law enforcement activities and homeland security.
Ratti has been promoted and selected to assume the director of operations position within the United States Southern Command in Miami, Fla. Prior to directing JIATF West, Ratti served as the Chief of Staff of the 5th Coast Guard District and the Chief of Staff for the Coast Guard Atlantic Area in Portsmouth, Va.
During his tenure at JIATF West, Ratti led the task force in its support of law enforcement operations by leveraging unique military capabilities that include building the capability of partner nations through information centers, training courses, infrastructure development, as well as intelligence analysis.
Under his leadership and at the request of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, JIATF West supported valuable law enforcement training within the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to include counter-narcotics, maritime policing and customs units in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City. This training has not only helped to further develop Vietnamese capabilities to tackle drug-related transnational threats, but it has also served to build a foundation with the nation despite our historically sensitive relationship.
During November and December of 2009, JIAFT West had its capabilities tested. With support from the DEA, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, Ecuador, Philippines and Chinese law enforcement agencies, JIATF West tracked a vessel of interest across the Pacific Ocean with aircraft and surface vessels. Using JIATF West capabilities to coordinate multiple agencies, this operation would lead to the interdiction of several metric tons of cocaine and other illicit drugs. JIATF West intelligence products were pivotal in the identification and disruption of this transnational criminal network and kept an enormous amount of drugs from reaching the streets of the United States or our partner nations.
Mission: The Joint Interagency Task Force West combats drug-related transnational organized crime to reduce threats in the Asia-Pacific region in order to protect national security interests and promote regional stability.
| Date Taken: | 05.01.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 01.13.2011 18:55 |
| Story ID: | 63503 |
| Location: | CAMP H. M. SMITH, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 146 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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