Command Group, "CG", founded as Command Consulting Group, is an international security and intelligence consulting firm, founded in 2009, headquartered in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, United States. CG provides advisory services for governments, corporations, and high net worth individuals.
The firm is mostly made up of career
law enforcement
Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society. The term ...
,
homeland security
Homeland security is an American national security term for "the national effort to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards where American interests, aspirations, and ways of life can thrive" t ...
, military and intelligence officials with
U.S. government operational backgrounds, but also includes political appointees from the Clinton, Obama and both Bush administrations.
The firm's expertise lies in macro and micro security issues including: Customs Management and Trade Facilitation, Transportation and Aviation Security, National Security and Intelligence, Medical and Public Health Emergencies, Maritime Security, Safety and Dominance Awareness, Major Events Management, Law Enforcement Training and Integrity Monitoring, Head of State and VIP Security & Operations, Global Supply Chain and Port Security, Emergency Preparation, Response and Recovery, Continuity Planning, Border Security.
History
Command Group was founded in 2009 by
W. Ralph Basham,
Joe Hagin, Steve Atkiss and Thad Bingel, all former senior officials in the
U.S. government.
Basham served as the head of four of the eight operational components which makeup what is now the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including the United States Secret Service, US Customs and Border Protection, the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
Command Group principals have been outspoken critics of Boeing Corporation's handling of the Secure Border Initiative Program, SBInet. They have also commented on the
2011 Tucson shooting
On January 8, 2011, U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords and 18 others were shot during a constituent meeting held in a supermarket parking lot in Casas Adobes, Arizona, in the Tucson metropolitan area. Six people were killed, including fed ...
and how to keep members of Congress and high-net-worth individuals safe.
Joint Venture
Command at Sea International (CASI) is a joint venture of Command Group, created in September 2010 when retired Admiral
D. Brian Peterman recognized the market for yacht security. CASI develops customized plans to address the safety and security needs for yachts.
Clients
For confidentiality and operational security reasons, Command Group does not disclose a list of its clients. The firm is known for its security advisory work on behalf of international governments, particularly in
Latin America
Latin America or
* french: Amérique Latine, link=no
* ht, Amerik Latin, link=no
* pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived ...
and the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
, ultra rich private individuals and heads of state, and for the assistance it provides to companies with security related products and services in helping grow their business.
In rare public reporting on CG's activities, in February, 2011 Government Security News published a story about how CG had been hired by the Government of Haiti to evaluate security at the Port-au-Prince International Airport, provide training to its security forces and recommend improvements to the technology used for screening passengers, baggage and cargo.
CG's only other publicly known client was SMobile Systems, a cyber-security company which focused on provided security software for mobile devices. Smobile Systems was sold to Juniper Networks in the Summer of 2010 for $74 million.
"Mergers and Acquisitions Activity". Eagle Online
Principals
* Eduardo Aguirre- United States Ambassador to Spain
The incumbent ambassador is Julissa Reynoso Pantaleón, she was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris on January 7, 2022 and presented her credentials on February 2, 2022.
This is a list of United States ambassadors to Spain from 1779 to th ...
*Steve Atkiss- Chief of Staff at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Special Assistant to the President for Operations at the White House
* W. Ralph Basham- Former Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 21st director of the United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security, Department of Homeland Security charged with co ...
, Chief of Staff of the Transportation Security Administration
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that has authority over the security of transportation systems within, and connecting to the United States. It was created ...
, Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) serves as an interagency law enforcement training body for 105 United States government federal law enforcement agencies. The stated mission of FLETC is to "...train those who protect our hom ...
*Thad Bingel- Chief of Staff and Assistant Commissioner for Congressional Affairs at U.S. Customs and Border Protection
*Bruce Bowen- Deputy Director of the United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security, Department of Homeland Security charged with co ...
, assistant director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) serves as an interagency law enforcement training body for 105 United States government federal law enforcement agencies. The stated mission of FLETC is to "...train those who protect our hom ...
*Michael A. Braun- Chief of Operations at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA; ) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domestic en ...
*Charlotte Bryan- National Manager for FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...
's Aviation Security Regulatory Program
*David W. Carey- Executive Director of U.S. Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian intelligence agency, foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gat ...
*Colonel Ronald Colburn- National Deputy Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol within U.S. Customs and Border Protection
*Dr. Robert G. Darling- First board certified emergency medicine physician selected to serve the President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...
as White House Physician
The physician to the president is the formal and official title of the physician who is chosen by the president to be his personal physician.
Often, the physician to the president also serves as the director of the White House Medical Unit, a ...
* Alfonso Martinez-Fonts Jr.- Assistant Secretary for the Private Sector Office at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terr ...
* Joe Hagin- White House Deputy Chief of Staff
The White House deputy chief of staff is officially the top aide to the White House chief of staff, who is the senior aide to the president of the United States. The deputy chief of staff usually has an office in the West Wing and is responsible ...
for President George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
*William Houston- Director of Policy and Planning for U.S. Customs and Border Protection
*Dr. Kathleen Kiernan- Assistant Director for the Office of Strategic Intelligence and Information for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
*Phil Lago- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), and the National Security Council
A national security council (NSC) is usually an executive branch governmental body responsible for coordinating policy on national security issues and advising chief executives on matters related to national security. An NSC is often headed by a n ...
(NSC) at the White House
*William Lang- Associate Chief Medical Officer at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terr ...
(DHS), Director of the White House Medical Unit and Deputy Physician to the President, Director of Clinical Information Requirements for the U.S. Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secu ...
*Jan Lesher- Chief of Staff for Operations at the Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-te ...
under Secretary Janet Napolitano
Janet Ann Napolitano (; born November 29, 1957) is an American politician, lawyer, and university administrator who served as the 21st governor of Arizona from 2003 to 2009 and third United States secretary of homeland security from 2009 to 2 ...
, Chief of Staff to the Governor of Arizona
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
*Dennis Lindsay- Director of Aviation Operations, executive director of Air and Marine Operations at U.S. Customs and Border Protection
*Chester F. Lunner- Deputy Under Secretary for the Office of Intelligence and Analysis (OIA) at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
*Edward J. Marinzel- Deputy Assistant Director of the United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security, Department of Homeland Security charged with co ...
(USSS) Office of Protective Operations, Special Agent in Charge of the Presidential Protective Division
*William Masters- United States Secret Service Armored Vehicle Program Manager
*Mo McGowan- Assistant Administrator for the Office of Security Operations at (TSA)
*Peter McNall- Director of Air Operations for the Unmanned Aerial Surveillance program for U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-te ...
*Charles E. McQueary- Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) with the Office of the Secretary of Defense (SecDef) at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Under Secretary for Science & Technology in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-te ...
(DHS)
* R. David Paulison- Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Exe ...
, Administrator of the United States Fire Administration, Director of Preparedness at FEMA, Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director of Miami-Dade County
* D. Brian Peterman- Atlantic Area U.S. Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...
Commander, Commander of U.S. Coast Guard District Seven, Principal Federal Official (PFO) for Hurricane Ophelia, Director in the Defense Policy and Arms Control staff on the White House National Security Council
A national security council (NSC) is usually an executive branch governmental body responsible for coordinating policy on national security issues and advising chief executives on matters related to national security. An NSC is often headed by a n ...
during the Clinton Administration, Special Assistant to the President for Border and Transportation Security at the Homeland Security Council
The Homeland Security Council (HSC) is an entity within the Executive Office of the President of the United States tasked with advising the President on matters relevant to Homeland Security. The current Homeland Security Advisor is Elizabeth Sh ...
under George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
*Michael Petrucelli- Acting Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Senior Vice President for Operations and Chief of Staff of the Export-Import Bank of the United States
*Mike Restovich- U.S. Department of Homeland Security Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in London
*Mark Tillman- Commander of the United States Presidential Airlift Group (PAG) and Chief Pilot of Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control designated call sign for a United States Air Force aircraft carrying the president of the United States. In common parlance, the term is used to denote U.S. Air Force aircraft modified and used ...
*Harold Douglas Wankel- Director of the Counter Narcotics Task Force (CNTF) at the United States Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan,
*Jon Whittingham- Director of Security and Technical Surveillance Countermeasures Program Manager, White House Communications Agency
* Paul D. Irving- served as senior security consultant at the firm prior to becoming Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives
References
{{Reflist, 2
Consulting firms of the United States
Consulting firms established in 2009