Career Details: THEN -- Federal Agent  ..........  NOW -- International Security Consultant

This page provides a more detailed look at Mark's two distinctly different careers.  It presents Mark's work accomplishments, awards, media appearances, published articles about him and by him, his company (ClubFed, LLC), and his book (Unfustifiable Means).

Career Details -- Federal Agent

Major Terror Investigations

Mark has been involved in some of the most significant terrorism investigations in U.S. history, including the investigation of Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman - know as “the Blind Sheik” – who in 1995, was convicted of seditious conspiracy for his role in the attempted bombings of landmarks in New York City, including the United Nations, and critical infrastructure.

Following the attack on the USS Cole (DDG-67) in Yemen, Mark was appointed Tactical Commander of the USS Cole Task Force. He led NCIS’ efforts to investigate the attack, assess imminent and additional threats, develop counterintelligence information, implement force protection measures to protect the crew and responding forces, identify the suspects and disseminate critical national security and threat warning intelligence.

DOD Criminal Investigation Task Force

Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Mark was detailed to the U.S. Central Command to assist in the development of the Counterintelligence Annex to Operation Enduring Freedom.

Mark was then appointed as the Deputy Commander and Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Defense (DOD) Criminal Investigation Task Force - CITF. In this role, Mark was responsible for investigating terrorists for possible trials before military commissions and assessing the potential risks associated with the release or transfer of detained enemy combatants.

Awards and Medals

Mark’s awards and medals include:

• NCIS Special Operations Commendation (1994)

• Fraternal Order of Police Award of Merit (1994)

• Department of Defense Award for Most Outstanding Antiterrorism Innovation/Operation (1995)

• Department of the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award and Medal (1998)

• Department of Defense Counterintelligence Award for Outstanding Achievement (2004)

• U.S. Army Distinguished Civilian Service Award and Medal (2004)

• U.S. Secret Service Director’s Honor Award (2004)

• Armed Forces Civilian Service Award and Medal (2007)

• Department of the Navy Superior Service Award and Medal (2008)

• Common Cause Commendation for Uncommon Courage (2009)

• Roger Williams University Distinguished Alumnus of the Year (2016)

• International Investigative Interviewing Research Group Practitioner of the Year (2017)

Stand Against Torture as a DOD Counterterrorism Official in 2002

When interrogating suspects and detainees after the 911 attacks, the CIA instituted a program called Enhanced Interrogation Techniques (EIT). In 2002, Mark learned that the so-called “enhanced” interrogationtechniques inflicted cruel, degrading, and inhumane treatment on those being interrogated. He also learned the EIT program was spreading from the CIA to the DOD for use in their interrogations.

In 2002, as a senior Department of Defense counterterrorism official, Mark took a stand against torture and the EIT program. Given what he learned about the EIT program’s practices and the specious justifications spouted by its supporters, Mark relabeled EIT as -- Excuses to Inflict Torture.

Mark began challenging the legality, the ethics, and the efficacy of EIT practices. He elevated those challenges through his DOD and NCIS chains of command and to the Secretary of Defense level. Here are some excerpts from Mark’s internal 2002 memo to his chain of command on the EIT program:

• “This looks like the kinds of stuff Congressional hearings are made of.”

• “wet towel treatment (we now call this ‘waterboarding’) …… would, in my opinion, shock the conscience of any legal body ……”

• “Someone needs to be considering how history will look back at this.”

Senate Hearings on EIT in 2008

Mark’s stand against torture and his elevation of the issue to senior DOD policy makers was one of the reasons the Senate Armed Service Committee held detainee abuse hearings in 2008.  Mark’s statements opposing the use of torture were part of those hearings.

Senior Executive, Homeland Security

In 2008, Mark was appointed to the Senior Executive Service within the Department of Homeland Security and served as the Assistant Director for Training of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.

FLETC is the nation’s largest law enforcement trainer, with over 80 partner organization. Its mission is to train those who protect our homeland. In 2009 alone, FLETC trained over 67,000 law enforcement professionals.

Mark led FLETC’s largest directorate, with ten training divisions and over 600 instructors and training professionals. Mark established a Training Transformation Office to focus student-centered learning. He reorganized the Training Directorate and created an Investigations Operations Division to focus on the core competencies that partner organizations were seeking.

During Mark’s tenure as Assistant Director, FLETC opened a new 88,000 square foot Counterterrorism Operations Training Facility and began planning for a state of the art practical applications facility. The new training complex, called Danis City, encompasses 101 acres to train students in realistic urban and suburban environments.

Career Details -- International Security Consultant

Move to the Private Sector

In 2010, after 31 years in federal law enforcement, Mark transitioned to the private sector to become the Senior Vice President of the Soufan Group, an international consulting firm. He also served as the Director of Law Enforcement Programs at the Qatar International Academy for Security Studies (QIASS) and was the program manager for global studies of violent extremism and terrorism.

While at QIASS, Mark designed and led a team of researchers in a study called the “QIASS Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Risk Reduction Project”. Mark traveled around the world interviewing former combatants, terrorist recruiters, trainers and bombers. The study reviewed various governmental CVE programs and their objectives, methods, and outcomes. The findings of the study were presented in Doha, Qatar during the 79th General Assembly of INTERPOL.

In 2012, Mark established ClubFed, LLC to focus his specialized capabilities on clients in both the public and private sectors.

International Security Consultant -- ClubFed, LLC

Mark continues to apply his decades of experience in tradecraft, human factors and emerging evidence-based research through his company, ClubFed, LLC. Mark provides domestic and international clients with strategic consulting services in these and associated areas:

• Counterterrorism
• Counterintelligence
• Information Gathering
• Witness Interviews
• Hostage Negotiations
• Human Trafficking

Mark also helps clients to develop internal knowledge/expertise so that they can make informed decisions and shape favorable outcomes.

ClubFed, LLC

Mark is the Director of ClubFed, LLC -- a company he founded. ClubFed serves clients in both the public and private sectors and in the academic and legal communities. Mark’s expertise is ClubFed’s foundation and core competency. He has access to and sometimes partners with other subject matter experts on client projects.

Mark specializes in providing clients with strategic consulting services in crisis incident management, risk assessment, mitigation, insider threats, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, strategy development, witness suspect interviews, hostage negotiations, human trafficking, communications, training, and related areas.

Mark was the program manager for a global study of violent extremism and assists the scientific research community with evidence-based research projects on interviewing, interrogation and deception. He has also been involved in the analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation of training programs.

Author, Speaker, Authority on Terrorism and International Security

Mark Fallon is an international security specialist, author -- read the summary of his book Unjustifiable Means below -- and keynote speaker on combating terrorism, violent extremism, counterintelligence, criminal investigations, and interviewing strategies to obtain accurate and reliable information. He is a leading authority on terrorism and international security matters.

Appearances: US and International News Programs

• Al-Jazeera

• MSNBC

• Russia Today

• Channel News Asia

Published Articles Authored by Mark

• Police Chiefs Magazine

• The Journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology

• ILEETA Journal

Published Articles About Mark

• BuzzFeed
• USA Today
• McClatchy
• Vice News
• The Guardian
• US News & World Reports

Conference Presentations and Panel Participation

• International Association of Chiefs of Police
• International Police Executives Symposium
• International Association of Woman Police
• University of Gothenburg, Sweden
• Reed College
• International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Assoc.
• The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
• Counterterrorism Conferences
• Counterintelligence Conferences

The Battle Against Using Torture Continues

As a federal agent and an American citizen, Mark believes that torture is contrary to the Constitution, American ideals, and universal values. As a seasoned investigator and skilled interrogator, Mark knew that torture was ineffective and can turn a cooperative suspect into an uncooperative one. As a highly experienced counterintelligence and counterterrorism official, he knew that the use of torture by U.S. interrogators would embolden our adversaries and further enable terrorist recruitment and financing.

Mark was as convinced in 2002 as he is today that torture is not only wrong, it has made us less safe.

Mark continues to advocate for lawful, effective and humane interrogation techniques. He has met with Senators and Congressional staff. He has made numerous presentations on Capitol Hill opposing torture and advocating for the use of evidence-based research to help inform and improve the practice of interrogation and better protect our national security and public safety.

Mark stands today with colleagues from the NCIS, CIA, FBI, Admirals and Generals opposing torture and promoting the rule of law and a Constitutional standard as the basis for national policy.

Book: "Unjustfiable Means"

Mark is the author of Unjustifiable Means -- The Inside Story of How the CIA, Pentagon, and US Government Conspired to Torture, which was published on October 24, 2017 by Simon & Schuster.

A true insider and a veteran NCIS agent, Mark Fallon was appointed the deputy commander of the Criminal Investigation Task Force (CITF) charged with bringing suspected terrorists to justice in the War on Terror. With the opening of Guantanamo Bay and the arrival of detainees, government agencies—including the CIA, Army, and NCIS—began infighting over whose jurisdiction the investigation fell under, and what the best method was for extracting information on al-Qaeda. Fallon has exclusive insider information on the decision to implement “Enhanced Interrogation Techniques,” and the backchannels and deception employed to legalize these methods and hide them from the public’s view.

Hard-hitting, raw, and explosive, Unjustifiable Means forces the spotlight back onto how America lost its way and exposes those responsible for torturing innocent men under the guise of national security—individuals who have yet to be held accountable for their actions.

The book highlights some important events in Marks career as an NCIS special agent and is the inside story of the leadership challenges he faced trying to bring terrorists to justice, while at the same time protecting their rights and adhering to his oath to protect and defend the Constitution.