CITATION TO ACCOMPANY THE AWARD OF BRONZE STAR
TO MAJOR JEFFREY T. BORDIN, UNITED STATES ARMY
Citation:
Major Jeffrey T. Bordin, United States Army, distinguished himself by exceptionally meritorious service while deployed in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM and Overseas Contingency Operations as the Center for Army Lessons Learned Liaison Officer assigned to Afghanistan, from 11 August 2012 to 10 August 2013. Major Bordinās unwavering leadership, dedication, professional knowledge, commitment, field research in some of the most kinetic regions in Afghanistan, and resulting recommendations were instrumental in an 80% reduction in ISAF deaths caused by insider attacks from 1 November 2012 through 1 June 2013 compared to the previous two year period. In addition he co-authored two insider threat handbooks as well as a third ANSF advisor training handbook. Through his distinctive accomplishments, Major Bordin reflected great credit upon himself, the United States Army, and the Department of Defense.
References:
Previously rejected report is now key to US effort to curb insider killings in Afghanistan
Narrative
Major Jeffrey T. Bordin, United States Army, distinguished himself by exceptionally meritorious service while deployed in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM and Overseas Contingency Operations as the Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL) Liaison to the Commander, International Security Assistance Force (COMISAF), Advisory and Assistance Team (CAAT), Headquarters, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), Kabul, and to CJTF-101, RC-East, Afghanistan, from 11 August 2012 to 10 August 2013. During this period, Major Bordin, who is a research psychologist (71F), law enforcement professional and an Insider Threat (IT) subject matter expert, deployed for his fifth year in Afghanistan when ISAF was suffering from the highest level of IT attacks ever faced. He immersed himself in the IT situation by conducting extensive research on bases that had just suffered IT attacks and where tensions were extreme, interviewing 64 US and Afghan survivors, working with two IT victims just before they too were killed. He served on the Insider Threat Mitigation Team and on the Insider Threat Assessment Board, briefing general officers on his research. ISAF DCO, LTG Bradshaw, stated that Major Bordinās findings and recommendations for mitigating IT guided ISAFās new mitigation policies. By Nov. 2012, 40 of his Insider Threat recommendations had been implemented, helping lead to an 80% reduction of ISAF IT murders during the following 7 month period compared to the previous 2 years. He built on his past IT field studies, and continued to help identify relevant socio-cultural topics that impacted the ISAF campaign at the strategic, operational and tactical levels. During this field research he worked in some of the most kinetic regions in RC-East including forward Afghan bases such as OP Zerok, that were experiencing frequent attacks. At least 3 of those he interviewed were KIA within days, and in one case, within hours of his interaction with them. Major Bordin was sought out to brief and facilitate an ISAF CJ2 study of 2012 insider attacks. Through multiple sessions, he provided a comprehensive review of lethal IT case studies that have occurred since 2007, the most complete set of data in theater. He continued his efforts to combat IT attacks by co-authoring two new IT handbooks. His list of IT warning indicators in the handbooks have also been utilized by ISAF during in-country and pre-deployment training at Fort Benning and Fort Polk Combat Readiness Centers. He also assisted with the development of their program of instruction on IT as well as helped further develop the IT Situational Awareness Training program. He completed atmospherics research on bases that were under the process of being transferred to Afghans and assisted in identifying increased threats with base closures. He also facilitated the development of CAAT IT Principles that were distributed to ISAF troops. He wrote vignettes based on IT attacks that were used by the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. He served on the Joint Casualty Assessment Team, providing forensic field research on unit relations and on shooter motivations just hours after a major IT incident. Major Bordin also identified problems with an ISAF Joint Command (IJC) IT training product for Afghan security forces and made numerous edits that IJC fully endorsed and implemented. He also reviewed 20 CAAT reports on the post-ISAF mission, identified emerging issues that will impact transition, and made recommendations on how these issues should be mitigated. He co-authored and conducted field research for the āISAF Security Force Assistance Guideā and helped write and produce related training videos. He assisted information operations with field analyses. He led studies of the Anti-Taliban Movement (ATM), counter-IED operations, and on the Afghan Local Police (10 of who were murdered shortly before his planned interview). He also completed field research on Afghan Air, Army and Police (ANSF) operations, accompanying them on various missions while assessing their professional development. His field activities include interviews with ATM and ANSF officials as well as frontline troops. This involved field work in some of the most dangerous locations and hazardous working conditions in Afghanistan, all while adhering to an exhaustive work and travel schedule. Through his distinctive accomplishments, Major Bordin reflected great credit upon himself, the United States Army, and the Department of Defense.
