Command Consulting Group
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Security consulting |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Founder | W. Ralph Basham, Joe Hagin, Steve Atkiss, Thad Bingel |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. , United States |
Area served | Global |
Key people | W. Ralph Basham, Joe Hagin, Steve Atkiss, Thad Bingel |
| Products | Security and intelligence advisory services |
Command Group (CG), originally established as Command Consulting Group in 2009 and based in Washington, D.C., operates as a global security and intelligence advisory firm. CG provides consulting services to governmental bodies, corporate entities, and affluent individuals.
The organization’s team largely consists of seasoned professionals from law enforcement, homeland security, military, and intelligence sectors with hands-on experience in U.S. government operations. This includes political appointees who served under the Clinton, Obama, and both Bush administrations.
CG’s capabilities span a wide spectrum of security disciplines: Customs Oversight and Trade Facilitation, Aviation and Transportation Security, National Security and Intelligence Operations, Public Health and Medical Emergency Response, Maritime Security, Management of Major Events, Law Enforcement Training and Compliance Monitoring, VIP and Head of State Protection & Operations, Global Supply Chain and Port Security, Emergency Preparedness and Recovery Strategies, Continuity Planning, as well as Border Security.
History
Founded in 2009 by former senior U.S. government officials W. Ralph Basham, Joe Hagin, Steve Atkiss, and Thad Bingel, Command Group was created to leverage extensive operational expertise.
Basham notably directed four of the eight operational branches now incorporated within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security: the United States Secret Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Transportation Security Administration, and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
Members of Command Group have publicly criticized Boeing Corporation’s handling of the Secure Border Initiative Program (SBInet). They have also offered expert analysis on prominent security events such as the 2011 Tucson shooting and have advised on protection strategies for congressional members and high-net-worth clients.
Joint Venture
Command at Sea International (CASI), a joint enterprise formed by Command Group in September 2010 following retired Admiral D. Brian Peterman’s identification of security needs within the yacht sector, specializes in developing customized security solutions for yacht owners.
Clients
Due to confidentiality agreements, Command Group keeps its client roster private. The firm is acknowledged for delivering security consulting services to international governments—especially across Latin America and the Middle East—as well as to ultra-wealthy individuals, heads of state, and companies involved in security product development to support their business expansion.
Among publicly disclosed projects is a 2011 engagement with Haiti’s government to evaluate and enhance security protocols at Port-au-Prince International Airport, encompassing training programs and technology upgrades.
Another known client was SMobile Systems, a mobile cybersecurity company focused on device protection software that was acquired by Juniper Networks in 2010 for $74 million.
Principals
- Eduardo Aguirre – Former U.S. Ambassador to Spain
- Steve Atkiss – Ex-Chief of Staff at U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Special Assistant to the President for Operations
- W. Ralph Basham – Former Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection; 21st Director of the U.S. Secret Service; TSA Chief of Staff
- Thad Bingel – Former Chief of Staff and Assistant Commissioner for Congressional Affairs at U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Bruce Bowen – Ex-Deputy Director of U.S. Secret Service; Assistant Director at Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
- Michael A. Braun – Former Chief Operating Officer at U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
- Charlotte Bryan – Former National Manager for FAA’s Aviation Security Regulatory Program
- David W. Carey – Former Executive Director at CIA
- Colonel Ronald Colburn – Ex-National Deputy Chief of U.S. Border Patrol
- Dr. Robert G. Darling – Former White House Physician
- Alfonso Martinez-Fonts Jr. – Former DHS Assistant Secretary for Private Sector Office
- Joe Hagin – Former Deputy Chief of Staff to President George W. Bush
- William Houston – Former Director of Policy and Planning at U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Dr. Kathleen Kiernan – Former Assistant Director for Strategic Intelligence at ATF
- Phil Lago – Former official with CIA, NGA, and National Security Council
- William Lang – Ex-Associate Chief Medical Officer at DHS; Director of White House Medical Unit
- Jan Lesher – Former DHS Chief of Staff for Operations; Chief of Staff to Arizona Governor
- Dennis Lindsay – Former Director of Aviation Operations at U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Chester F. Lunner – Ex-Deputy Under Secretary for Intelligence & Analysis at DHS
- Edward J. Marinzel – Former Deputy Assistant Director for Protective Operations at U.S. Secret Service
- William Masters – Ex-Program Manager for Armored Vehicles at U.S. Secret Service
- Mo McGowan – Former Assistant Administrator for TSA Security Operations
- Peter McNall – Ex-Director of Air Operations for Unmanned Aerial Surveillance at DHS
- Charles E. McQueary – Former Director of Operational Test & Evaluation in Office of Secretary of Defense; Under Secretary for Science & Technology at DHS
- R. David Paulison – Ex-FEMA Administrator; Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director in Miami-Dade County
- D. Brian Peterman – Retired Commander Atlantic Area U.S. Coast Guard; former White House National Security Council staff member
- Michael Petrucelli – Former Acting USCIS Director; Senior Vice President at Export-Import Bank of the United States
- Mike Restovich – DHS Attaché at U.S. Embassy in London
- Mark Tillman – Former Commander of U.S. Presidential Airlift Group; Air Force One Chief Pilot
- Harold Douglas Wankel – Ex-Director Counter Narcotics Task Force at U.S. Embassy Kabul
- Jon Whittingham – Director of White House Communications Agency Security Program
- Paul D. Irving – Senior security consultant prior to appointment as Sergeant at Arms for the U.S. House of Representatives