Hi, my name is Luis Allende, and I am pursuing a master's degree in science, Terrorism and Counterterrorism Studies. My e-portfolio will highlight some some abilities I acquired throughout this course. This evidence will be presented as PLOs showing how I applied what I learned. The PLOs were Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Professional Competence, Communication, Collaboration, and Personal and Social Responsibility. These competencies were shown through a series of assignments and term papers and a threat assessment.
I know i mastered the first program learning outcome (PLO) because I was able to gather and use resources to apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The artifact that will serve as my evidence is a paper called Intelligence Reforms. In this paper, I had to review what effects the 9/11 attacks had on our intelligence community, what intelligence policies were effective, how we could improve when it comes to fighting terrorism, and what improvements could be made. This was one of my most challenging assignments while pursuing my degree. For instance, as an army veteran that has been deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq, I always the 9/11 attacks from a military point of view. Unbeknownst to me at the time, is like an onion; the more you analyze it, the factors are discovered.
This assignment showed me that military might alone cannot defeat terrorism. US policy in the Middle East has eroded any goodwill left by ordinary citizens, and terrorists used this to their advantage. As a future counterterrorism analyst, I had to review past policies, Middle Eastern culture, and how the US failed to learn from this and prevent it from ever happening again. I had my "aha moment" when I realized that the combination of cultural ignorance, vague objectives, political myopia, and interagency rivalries could cause more damage than any terrorist attack. Thanks to this assignment, I was forced to think outside the box and search for methods rarely considered when fighting terrorist threats.
I know I mastered the second program learning outcome and its core competency of Professional Competence because I gathered resources, researched a little known topic, and delivered an up-to-date threat assessment on one of the deadliest terrorist entities in the world. These skills will be presented in an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps: Profile and Threat Assessment artifact, which will serve as my evidence. In this assignment, I was to provide a threat assessment on a terrorist organization that was less known in public circles. My audience was either the Senate Committee on Intelligence or the National Security Advisor to the US President. This assignment was particularly engaging and meaningful. I find Iran and its culture fascinating and believe it is a major player in the Middle East and Central Asia.
Through the extensive research I gathered, I learned not only about terrorist tactics but also how Iran is quietly trying to shift the political landscape in the Middle East using proxies and information operations. Not only that, I learned how social and religious demographics could make Iran's job easier. My "aha moment" came when I discovered how demographics and history can easily be overlooked, and that is how entities like the IRGC take advantage of chaos and power vacuums caused by war. My second "aha moment" was when I learned about terrorism strategies and how, if used wisely, they could help terrorists achieve their objectives with minimal effort. Thanks to this assignment, I was able to present to the audience how demographics, history, and social discontent can be used as triggers for terrorist attacks, or even worse, an insurgency.
I mastered my third program learning outcome and its core communication competency because I communicated my argument using sources from the university library, public data bases, and open-source research. These skills will be presented in an artifact titled Law Enforcement and Intelligence which will serve as my evidence. For this assignment, I had to discuss and analyze the intelligence blunders that enabled an attack like 9/11. I must admit that during this assignment, I anger and frustration about how the deadliest terrorist attack in US history could have been prevented. The competency discussed in this reflection is communication, and I emphasized how this detail was missing for months before September 11, 2001.
I plan to apply everything I learned from this assignment because when terrorists are successful, the lessons are learned in blood. I also learned that when it comes to security, everyone is crucial, from the FBI agent down to that security guard at the mall. One of the challenges In overcame during this assignment was analyzing the law enforcement point of view and letting go of the military point of view. My "aha moment" was when I learned about the different rivalries and interagency fiefdoms that prevent clear lines of communication, which prevents proper coordination among agencies. Lack of coordination makes the terrorists' so much easier because there is no redundancy.
I know I mastered my fourth PLO and its core competency of Collaboration because not only did I gather information from open sources, the university library, and multiple academic publications, but I also worked as part of a team assignment. These skills will be presented in an artifact titled Terrorist Ideology, which will be used as my evidence. What made this task so challenging was that I was the only student in class, and because of this, I had the distinction of collaborating directly with my professor. I would present an argument and defend it with multiple references and examples, which made this assignment very challenging and entertaining. Another aspect of this assignment that I found educational was that it showed me examples of how acts of terrorism influenced politics.
My "aha moment" was when I learned about the seven characteristics of terrorism and how they influence their operation. These characteristics taught me that there is a purpose behind every terrorist action. I plan to apply this as a counterterrorist analyst to help my team identify possible targets beforehand and save lives. This was my second favorite PLO because by engaging with my professor directly, I learned how to defend my arguments, conduct extensive research, and double-check my sources. This interaction also gave the confidence to assert my intelligence findings or theories against skeptical bosses or politically appointed supervisors.
I mastered my fifth PLO in the core Personal and Social Responsibility competency because I used open sources, the university library, and the State of Oklahoma statutes regarding public safety. The artifact showcasing these skills is titled State of Oklahoma Use of Force Standards and Procedures. In this paper, I had to show the audience the use of force procedures for the state of Oklahoma. I took this assignment to heart because if I ever work on an interagency anti-terrorism task force, coordination at the state and municipal levels is a must. Rules of engagement are fundamental because terrorist operatives will try to blend with civilians, and they will take advantage of every opportunity to cause the most damage. This class taught me an aspect of security I was unfamiliar with: executive protection.
I was unaware that that so much preparation was needed to protect a principal. My "aha moment" was when I learned that coordination with local authorities was a necessity, and not only that, but you must be situational aware of everything in the area. I learned of historical instances where a US president's life was saved just because the Secret Service knew which hospital could perform a specific surgical procedure. This assignment taught me that as a counterterrorism analyst, I must know the federal and state laws that govern the use of force because each state has different laws.
In summary, the PLOs illustrated through evidence, including papers and a threat assessment. I want to tell the reader that learning and applying what I knew was fascinating. What surprised me as a student was the amount of research and analysis necessary to obtain veritable information and the conduct of further research required to vet sources. As a professional, I look forward to applying what I learned as an antiterrorism officer with the Department of Defense or as a consultant for a police department or contracting firm. I want my viewers to never give up on their dreams no matter how old they are. It is never too late to learn a skill that could benefit society.
