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115-662: The Alaska State Defense Force is the successor of the Alaska Territorial Guard founded during World War II . With the conclusion of the war and Alaska's inauguration as a state in 1959, the Territorial Guard was disbanded but soon replaced by a state militia established by state statute. In 1984, the Alaska State Guard was formed; it was renamed in 1987 as the Alaska State Defense Force. In 2004,

230-552: A 501(c)(3) non-profit , in April 2006. He continues the work with the help of a small paid and volunteer ATGO staff. To date, they have found and helped obtain an honorable discharge for about 150 ATG members. They estimate there are several hundred more yet to be found. Bob Goodman and the ATGO have pleaded the case of the ATG members and spouses with US senators, two Alaskan governors, most of

345-612: A 59-month audit period between 2002 and 2007. In May 2008, William Newell, Special Agent in charge of the Phoenix ATF Office, said: "When 90 percent-plus of the firearms recovered from these violent drug cartels are from a U.S. source, we have a responsibility to do everything we can to stem the illegal flow of these firearms to these thugs." According to the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General, "ATF told

460-524: A Congressional hearing raised several questions about the actions of ATF, USMS, USAO, and FBI HRT and the mishandling of intelligence at the USMS and FBI headquarters. The Ruby Ridge incident has become a lightning rod for legal activists within the gun rights community. On May 1, 1992, 50 ATF agents were summoned upon to provide extra support for local police departments in Los Angeles County in response to

575-829: A Field Headquarters in Nome , with the offices of the Commander, Quartermaster, Instructors, Public Relations Officer and Chaplains. Other field staff were located in Anchorage, Koyuk , Selawik and Gambell (on Saint Lawrence Island , where Major Marston first conceived his plan). The Eastern Area was headquartered in Juneau and held the offices of Property Officer (a role filled by the Adjutant General) and Instructors. Field staff were assigned to Glacier Highway , Douglas , Ketchikan , Palmer , Hoonah and Sitka . The Alaska Territorial Guard

690-399: A USMS surveillance team encountered Weaver, a friend and family members on a trail near the cabin, resulting in a shootout that killed US Marshal Bill Degan, Weaver's son Samuel, and Weaver's pet dog. FBI Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) members surrounded the cabin. The next day, HRT sniper Lon Horiuchi fired at Weaver, missing and killing Weaver's wife. A subsequent Department of Justice review and

805-479: A bank robber. At his later trial, the gun charges were determined to be entrapment and Weaver was acquitted. However, Weaver missed a February 20, 1991, court date because U.S. Probation Officer Richins mistakenly told Weaver that the trial date was March 20, and the US Marshals Service (USMS) was charged with bringing Weaver in. Weaver remained with his family in their mountain top cabin. On August 21, 1992,

920-479: A bureau, consists of several different groups that each have their own respective role, commanded by a director. Special Agents are empowered to conduct criminal investigations, defend the United States against international and domestic terrorism, and work with state and local police officers to reduce violent crime on a national level. ATF Special Agents may carry firearms, serve warrants and subpoenas issued under

1035-440: A cadre of approximately 150 highly trained explosive experts known as Certified Explosives Specialists (CES). ATF/CES Agents are trained as experts regarding Improvised Explosive Devices (IED's), as well as commercial explosives. ATF Agents work closely with state and local Bomb Disposal Units (bomb squads) within the United States. A list of ATF directors since becoming a Bureau on July 1, 1972: Some media outlets have criticized

1150-525: A chartered plane to begin setting up units of the new Alaska Territorial Guard. This included one of the most strategically important sites in all Alaska, a tiny mining town called Platinum —the only source of that strategic metal in all the Western Hemisphere. The enrollment drive continued into early 1943, the organizers travelling in all kinds of weather and by every available mode of transport, including airplane , boat, snowmobile , foot , and

1265-461: A class of 24 student trainees. Industry Operations Investigator Basic Training (IOIBT) is a comprehensive 10-week program designed to train newly hired industry operations investigators (IOI) in the basic knowledge, skills, and abilities they need to effectively conduct inspections of firearms and explosives licensees and permittees, as well as provide assistance to other Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies. Successful completion of IOIBT

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1380-463: A detailed series of Single Scope Background Investigations (SSBI). ATF Special Agents consistently rank at the top or near the top of all federal agencies in cases referred for prosecution, arrests made, and average time per defendant on an annual basis. Special Agents currently comprise around 2,400 of the Agency's approximately 5,000 personnel. Industry Operations Investigators (IOIs) are the backbone of

1495-400: A firearm or explosive, as well as investigative authority over regulatory referrals and cigarette smuggling . All ATF Special Agents require a Top Secret (TS) security clearance, and in many instances, need a higher level, TS/SCI/SAP (Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information/Special Access Programs) clearance. In order to get a security clearance, all potential ATF Special Agents must pass

1610-533: A forward support company), with each company having detachments throughout the central and eastern portions of the state. In the past... The battalions below the Headquarters Element include a medical detachment , waterborne operators, and an aviation detachment. The AK SDF has its own academy in which individuals are brought up to State training standards to be Constables. The headgear worn varies on mission requirements. Issues of funding, mission and

1725-463: A fraction of said activity had occurred at a gun store instead, the store would have promptly and swiftly been shut down by the ATF, but that the ATF is not held to the same standards that they hold FFL's, "You have to wonder what the ATF would say about a private facility that was ripped off for years on end by its own staffers and still failed to implement serious security measures after the fact. I expect that

1840-466: A pilot program that ATF was planning to apply throughout the country. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, ATF agents visited a gun show's customers' homes a week after the show, demanding to see the buyers' guns or sale paperwork and arresting those who could not—or would not—comply. A September 2008 report by the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General determined that 76 firearms and 418 laptop computers were lost, stolen, or missing from ATF, after

1955-557: A temporary position, filled by retired colonel Robert A "Bob" Goodman , was created in the Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs [2] in 2003, to find and assist as many former ATG members as possible. After the position ended that October, Bob continued the work, on his own and funded out of his own pocket. In support of this effort, he founded the Alaska Territorial Guard Organization (ATGO) ,

2070-767: A unit of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in 1920. It was made an independent agency within the Treasury Department in 1927, was transferred to the Justice Department in 1930, and became, briefly, a division of the FBI in 1933. When the Volstead Act , which established Prohibition in the United States , was repealed in December 1933, the Unit was transferred from the Department of Justice back to

2185-660: Is a possibility that the ASDF will be able to re-obtain previous capabilities and more as the new Command is supportive of them. Employers in Alaska are required by law to grant an unpaid leave of absence to any employee who is a member of the Alaska State Defense Force, and who is activated to perform active state service. The employer must also guarantee the employee's right to return to their employment position upon that employee's return from deployment. Alaska Territorial Guard The Alaska Territorial Guard (ATG) , more commonly known as

2300-512: Is artificially inflating ATF's eTrace statistics of U.S. origin guns seized in Mexico. One gun is alleged to be the weapon used by a Mexican national to murder Customs and Border Protection Agent Brian Terry on December 14, 2010. ATF and DOJ denied all allegations. After appearing at a Congressional Hearing, three supervisors of Fast and Furious (William G. McMahon, Newell, and David Voth) were reported as being transferred and promoted by ATF. ATF denied

2415-444: Is constituted as a cadre of experienced officers and enlisted personnel which is ready to organize the entire population, if need be. The ASDF benefits from the experience of its personnel. Many of them have technical skills in such areas as medicine, communications and logistics. It is a volunteer force which contains the skills necessary for operations in time of disaster. The unit wears United States Army uniforms in accordance with

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2530-760: Is mandatory in order for the newly hired IOI to maintain their employment. ATF's Special Response Teams (SRTs) are elite tactical groups that rapidly respond to high-risk law enforcement operations and conduct criminal investigations that lead to the arrests of the most violent criminals in the United States. Their work includes search and arrest warrants, high-risk criminal investigations, undercover operations, surveillance operations, and protective service operations. Team members are specially trained ATF special agents who may serve full or part time. They often serve in various roles such as crisis negotiators, team leaders, tactical operators, snipers, operator medics and canine handlers. Members of ATF special agent ranks are issued

2645-521: Is not explosive and that the ATF's regulations were unreasonable. The NAR and TRA won their lawsuit against the ATF in 2009, lifting the government restrictions. The associations maintain their own restrictions, and rocketry is also regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Between May 2004 and August 2005, ATF agents, in conjunction with Virginia state, county, and city police, conducted an operation at eight gun shows in

2760-570: Is the Special Agent Basic Training (SABT), which is conducted at FLETC and covers a wide range of disciplines including firearms and ammunition identification; firearms trafficking; report writing, interviewing techniques; alcohol/tobacco diversion investigations; explosives and fire/arson investigations; firearms and tactical training, close quarter countermeasures; field operations, undercover techniques; and physical conditioning. The SABT consists of approximately 15 weeks of training with

2875-694: Is the branch of the ATF uses to dispose of firearms forfeited to the ATF. The report also stated that the ATF has improved its process to reduce thefts but that it still has not implemented all of the recommendations made by the DOJ. In 2023, federal Judge Reed O'Connor of the Northern District of Texas vacated the Bureau's attempt to expand the definition of a firearm frame or receiver. Judge O'Connor ruled ATF exceeded its statutory authority in attempting to redefine these terms and implement regulations of so-called "readily convertible" or "80% receiver" kits. In 2006,

2990-598: The Eskimo Scouts , was a military reserve force component of the US Army, organized in 1942 in response to attacks on United States soil in Hawaii and occupation of parts of Alaska by Japan during World War II . The ATG operated until 1947. 6,368 volunteers who served without pay were enrolled from 107 communities throughout Alaska in addition to a paid staff of 21, according to an official roster. The ATG brought together for

3105-653: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives . The unit missions to date have included Operation Winter Talon, avalanche rescue, Kenai Peninsula floods and the Big Lake fire. ASDF members have worked at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race restarts. Some members have been detailed to work with the Alaska Railroad police as well as local police departments. Alaska state statute AS 26.05.010 established

3220-559: The Canadian Rangers , in a combined domain awareness capacity drill. In April 2020, members of the Alaska State Defense Force were activated to assist in Alaska's response to the COVID-19 pandemic . Members worked at an Anchorage warehouse to help organize personal protective equipment and other supplies from the national stockpile and putting them into loads for shipment. Members also helped distribute declaration forms for people entering

3335-780: The Glock 19M as their primary duty weapon and are trained in the use of, and issued, certain rifles and shotguns. The ATF Special Response Team (SRT) is armed with Colt M4 carbines and other firearms. The ATF is organized as follows: The ATF has 26 field divisions across the nation in major cities. Those cities are: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Columbus (OH), Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City (MO), Los Angeles, Louisville, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Paul, Tampa, and Washington, D.C. Also, there are field offices in different countries such as Canada, Mexico, El Salvador, Colombia, Iraq, Lithuania, and in

3450-594: The Homeland Security Act of 2002 . In addition to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security , the law shifted ATF from the Department of the Treasury to the Department of Justice . The agency's name was changed to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. However, the agency still was referred to as "the ATF" for all purposes. Additionally, the task of collection of federal tax revenue derived from

3565-721: The National Guard Alcantra Armory in Wasilla. Since then, the Alaska State Defense Force has been pressed more with less limitations as well as capabilities, equipment, and activations. With the recent reliefs of command, starting in 2016, of the high-ranking officers of the Alaska National Guard including the Adjutant General (MG Thomas Katkus) who was against the expansion of the State Defense Force, there

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3680-470: The National Rifle Association (NRA) contracted her to go to Richmond to investigate dozens of complaints by NRA members of "massive law enforcement presence, residence checks, and minority buyers being followed, pulled over and their legally purchased guns seized." The purchasers were compelled by an ATF letter to appear at ATF offices to explain and justify their purchases. ATF stated this was

3795-563: The National Rifle Association (NRA) lobbied U.S. Representative F. James Sensenbrenner to add a provision to the Patriot Act reauthorization that requires Senate confirmation of ATF director nominees. (Prior to that, ATF directors were simply appointed by the administration. ) After that, the NRA lobbied against and effectively blocked all but one presidential nominee until 2022. In 2007, President George W. Bush nominated Mike Sullivan for

3910-561: The Navajo , Comanche and Choctaw Code talkers did elsewhere during World War II. ATG members were also active in promoting racial equality in their communities, insisting on equal treatment for natives and whites alike at movie theaters, restaurants and other public facilities. In 2000 Alaska's senior US Senator , Ted Stevens , sponsored a bill ordering the Secretary of Defense to issue Honorable Discharges to all Americans who served in

4025-572: The Ruby Ridge siege, the Waco siege and other incidents. The ATF was formerly part of the United States Department of the Treasury , having been formed in 1886 as the "Revenue Laboratory" within the Treasury Department's Bureau of Internal Revenue . The history of the ATF can be subsequently traced to the time of the revenuers or "revenoors" and the Bureau of Prohibition , which was formed as

4140-624: The Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative , which expanded tracing of firearms recovered by law enforcement and the ongoing Comprehensive Crime Gun Tracing Initiative. ATF also provides support to state and local investigators through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) program. In 2006, Congress made the ATF head subject to Senate confirmation and, until recently, only one nominee had not been blocked from heading

4255-483: The field hospital in Kotzebue , although at least one woman served the ATG's primary mission alongside the men. Laura Beltz Wright of Haycock is also noted for being the best sharpshooter in her company, scoring 98% bulls-eyes. The age of ATG members at enrollment ranged from 80 years old to as young as twelve, even though official regulations put the minimum age at sixteen. All told, there were 6,389 members of

4370-541: The state legislature , the Anchorage Assembly , as well as numerous Alaska Native Regional Corporations and other corporations and foundations. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ( BATFE ), commonly referred to as the ATF , is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice . Its responsibilities include

4485-569: The AR 670-1. The 49th Readiness Brigade Alaska State Defense Force consists of a Brigade Headquarters, and two regional Battalions (2nd Scout Battalion - headquartered in Bethel (with detachments throughout western Alaska), and the 2nd Special Troops Battalion - headquartered in Wasilla ). The 2nd Special Troops Battalion consists of four companies (a military police company, a signal company, an engineer company, and

4600-612: The ASDF have included manning a security checkpoint on the Dalton Highway , traffic control after a Valdez-area landslide, and safeguarding flooded homes in Houston against looters. ASDF has conducted joint operations with local city and state agencies as well as federal entities, including the U.S. military as well as government agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation , United States Department of Homeland Security , and

4715-553: The ATF in the Senate. Steven Dettelbach became the second in July 2022 after being nominated by President Joe Biden. ATF's Comprehensive Crime Gun Tracing Initiative is the largest operation of its kind in the world. In FY07, ATF's National Tracing Center processed over 285,000 trace requests on guns for over 6,000 law enforcement agencies in 50 countries. ATF uses a Web-based system, known as eTrace , that provides law enforcement agencies with

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4830-403: The ATF regulatory mission. Their work is primarily investigative and routinely involves contact with, and interviews of, individuals from all walks of life and all levels of industry and government. Investigations and inspections pertain to the industries and persons regulated by ATF (e.g., firearms and explosives users, dealers, importers, exporters, manufacturers, wholesalers, etc.); and are under

4945-491: The ATF's activities are carried out in conjunction with task forces made up of state and local law enforcement officers, such as Project Safe Neighborhoods . The ATF operates a unique fire research laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland , where full-scale mock-ups of criminal arson can be reconstructed. The ATF had 5,285 employees and an annual budget of almost $ 1.5 billion in 2021. The ATF has received criticism over its handling of

5060-547: The ATF, even going so far as to call for the abolition of the agency. One such criticism leveled by Reason magazine's J.D. Tuccille stated, "The nicest thing you can say about the ATF is that it's an unserious and unaccountable bureaucracy. Often it's explicitly contemptible, such as during the Fast-and-Furious gun-walking scandal , and its setting up mentally disabled youths to take the fall during gun-and-drug stings. After those abuses of individual rights and public trust,

5175-676: The ATG stood as a first line of defense for the terrain around the Lend-Lease route from America to the Soviet Union, against an attack by Japan and the Axis Powers . This vital lifeline allowed the US to supply its Russian ally with essential military aircraft. This lifeline had proven to be crucial to Russia's survival during Operation Barbarossa . The Alaska Territorial Guard was organized in June 1942 under

5290-693: The ATG were instrumental in achieving Alaska Statehood. In 1958 three of the eleven members of the Alaska Statehood Committee were former ATG members. Seven delegates to the Alaska Constitutional Committee had served with the ATG. Both are listed below under Noted ATG Members. The ATG actively and successfully promoted racial integration in the US Army by proving the worth of native Americans as soldiers within US military forces much as

5405-480: The Alaska Militia. It declares: "The militia of the state [of Alaska] consists of all able-bodied citizens of the United States and all other able-bodied persons who have declared their intention to become citizens of the United States, who reside in the state [of Alaska], who are at least 17 years of age, and who are eligible for military service under the laws of the United States or this state [of Alaska]." The ASDF

5520-629: The Alaska Police Standards Council. By statute, the Alaska State Defense Force must be made up of no less than 75 percent former military personnel. Following the September 11 attacks , the ASDF was tasked with guarding critical oil infrastructure against attack. Unlike most of the state defense forces in the United States, Alaska State Guardsmen trained and certified with firearms in order to achieve proficiency to carry firearms when activated. However, in 2008, following an investigation of

5635-619: The Alaska State Defense Force by expanding it further into rural Alaska, bringing the level of training closer to that of the National Guard , and creating a signal detachment. On 14 January 2016, the Alaska State Defense Force activated the 2nd Signal Detachment, a component of the 49th Brigade. On 15 September, 2017, the Alaska State Defense Force activated a Scout Detachment in the Native Village of Kwethluk . In 2017, Alaska State Defense Force members, in their first ever deployment outside of

5750-570: The Alaska Territorial Guard (ATG). Stevens was himself a World War II veteran, flying with the Army Air Corps in China. The bill was signed into law by President Bill Clinton that August. Because of disagreement as to whose responsibility it was to seek the ATG veterans out to inform them of the new law, and because of the advanced age and geographic isolation of many of the veterans,

5865-667: The Alaska Territorial Guard members were those who were too young or too old to be eligible for conscription during the World War II. One first-hand estimate states that around 20,000 Alaskans participated, officially or otherwise, in ATG reconnaissance or support activities. The ATG served many vital strategic purposes to the entire Allied effort during World War II: In addition to official duties, ATG members are noted for actively and successfully promoting racial integration within US Armed Forces, and racial equality within

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5980-541: The Alaska Territorial Guard, according to an official roster. Alongside those who served in the ATG, many others worked to support them, including food service, providing equipment and supplies to the Quartermaster, repair work, etc. Major Marston put the estimate at 20,000 Alaskans who materially participated in ATG activities, in his Western Area alone. All ATG members except the 21 staff officers served without pay, and had to perform their new ATG duties in addition to

6095-413: The Bureau of Internal Revenue was renamed " Internal Revenue Service " (IRS), and the ATU was given the additional responsibility of enforcing federal tobacco tax laws. At this time, the name of the ATU was changed to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division (ATTD). In 1968, with the passage of the Gun Control Act , the agency changed its name again, this time to the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Division of

6210-399: The Caribbean. ATF is responsible for regulating firearm commerce in the United States. The bureau issues Federal Firearms Licenses (FFL) to sellers and conducts firearms licensee inspections. The bureau is also involved in programs aimed at reducing gun violence in the United States , by targeting and arresting violent offenders who unlawfully possess firearms. ATF was also involved with

6325-484: The Democrats to confirm. Since 2001, ATF agents have recommended over 10,000 felons every year for federal prosecution for firearms possession through the Project Safe Neighborhoods framework. In PSN's first year, 2001–2002, over 7,700 of these cases resulted in convictions with an average sentence of over five years per defendant. This number had risen to over 12,000 prosecutions in FY 2007. The annual FBI Uniform Crime Report (UCR) demonstrated that from 2001 to 2010,

6440-399: The Department of the Treasury, where it became the Alcohol Tax Unit (ATU) of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Special Agent Eliot Ness and several members of The Untouchables , who had worked for the Prohibition Bureau while the Volstead Act was still in force, were transferred to the ATU. In 1942, responsibility for enforcing federal firearms laws was given to the ATU. In the early 1950s,

6555-409: The IRS and first began to be referred to by the initials "ATF". In Title XI of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970, Congress enacted the Explosives Control Act, 18 U.S.C.A. Chapter 40, which provided for close regulation of the explosives industry and designated certain arsons and bombings as federal crimes. The Secretary of the Treasury was made responsible for administering the regulatory aspects of

6670-454: The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), which allows federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to image and compare crime gun evidence. NIBIN currently has 203 sites. In FY07, NIBIN's 174 partner agencies imaged more than 183,000 bullets and casings into the database, resulting in over 5,200 matches that provided investigative leads. With the passage of the Organized Crime Control Act (OCCA) in 1970, ATF took over

6785-630: The OIG that the 90-percent figure ... could be misleading because it applied only to the small portion of Mexican crime guns that are traced." Under operations "Fast and Furious" , "Too Hot to Handle", and "Wide Receiver", indictments show that the Phoenix ATF Office, over protests from the gun dealers and some ATF agents involved and without notifying Mexican authorities, facilitated the sale of over 2,500 firearms ( AK-47 rifles, FN 5.7mm pistols, and .50 caliber rifles) to traffickers destined for Mexico. Many of these same guns are being recovered from crime scenes in Arizona and throughout Mexico, which

6900-492: The Office of Veterans Affairs, State of Alaska, PO Box 5800, Ft. Richardson, AK 99505-5800, (907) 428-6016. Before World War II, Alaska was regarded by US military decision makers as too distant from the contiguous United States to effectively protect, and of little strategic importance. "...the mainland of Alaska is so remote from the strategic areas of the Pacific that it is difficult to conceive of circumstances in which air operations therefrom would contribute materially to

7015-452: The Oklahoma City bombing was the deadliest terrorist attack in the history of the United States, and remains the deadliest incident of domestic terrorism in the country's history. McVeigh was executed for this mass murder by lethal injection on June 11, 2001, at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana. The ATF was criticized for poor planning leading up to a shootout at Stevenson Ranch, California , in 2001, which resulted in

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7130-428: The Richmond area to reduce straw purchases for criminals. In a February 2006 House subcommittee hearing, the show's owner said: "People were approached and discouraged from purchasing guns. Before attempting to purchase, they were interrogated and accused of being in the business without a license, detained in police vehicles, and gun buyer's homes were visited by police, and much more." A gun salesman testified that he

7245-485: The Special Agents and who are not officially part of the ATF roster. Basic special agent training for new hires consists of a two-part training program. The first part is the Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia . The CITP provides fundamental training in the techniques, concepts, and methodologies of conducting criminal investigations. Some of

7360-421: The Treasury Department on July 1, 1972, this transferred the responsibilities of the ATF division of the IRS to the new Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Rex D. Davis oversaw the transition, becoming the bureau's first director, having headed the division since 1970. During his tenure, Davis shepherded the organization into a new era where federal firearms and explosives laws addressing violent crime became

7475-519: The US entry into World War II, several WPA artists took work with the War Department . A few of these artists made their way to Alaska to help document the Aleutian Campaign and other Alaskan military operations, including the new Alaska Territorial Guard. Some of their work was featured nationwide on a number of wartime posters . The artists included: Other artists, born in Alaska and already well-known, gained further exposure through contact with ATG members and artists: Several former members of

7590-455: The United States." – General James F Hollingsworth , Commanding General, United States Army Alaska (USARAL), February 1971 True to the earlier viewpoint, the US Army reassigned all Alaska National Guard units out of Alaska to Washington state in August 1941. Alaska was now without military reserves or any form of Home Guard . In the face of an encroaching enemy, the defense of nearly 34,000 miles (55,000 km) of US coastline

7705-420: The Waco raid were reinstated, with full back pay and benefits (with a demotion) despite a Treasury Department report of gross negligence. The incident was removed from their personnel files. Timothy McVeigh cited Ruby Ridge and Waco Siege as his motivation for the Oklahoma City Bombing , which took place on April 19, 1995, exactly two years after the end of the Waco Siege. McVeigh's criterion for attack sites

7820-420: The abuses noted in the 1982 Senate Judiciary Subcommittee report. The Ruby Ridge Siege began in June 1990. Randy Weaver sold two unregistered short barrel shotguns to Kenneth Fadeley, an ATF informant. This transaction was recorded and presented to the court. Weaver refused to face his accusers and became a fugitive from justice. He maintained the barrels were a legal length, but after Fadeley took possession,

7935-499: The apprehension, upon technical malum prohibitum charges, of individuals who lack all criminal intent and knowledge. Evidence received demonstrated that ATF agents tended to concentrate upon collector's items rather than "criminal street guns". In hearings before ATF's Appropriations Subcommittee, testimony was submitted estimating that 75 percent of ATF gun prosecutions were aimed at ordinary citizens with no criminal intent. The Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986 addressed some of

8050-462: The authority of the United States and make arrests without warrant for any offense against the United States committed in their presence, or for any felony cognizable under the laws of the United States if they have reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing such felony 18 U.S.C.   § 3051 . Specifically, ATF Special Agents have lead investigative authority on any federal crime committed with

8165-411: The authority of the office of the territorial governor, Ernest Gruening, who served as Commander-In-Chief. All members took an oath to obey the Governor's orders. The governor was directly supported by the ATG Adjutant General , J. P. Williams . Headquarters was in the territorial capital, Juneau . The mission of the ATG was to play a defensive role for the entire coast of Alaska. Offensive action

8280-598: The bearing of arms are listed among common complaints and stumbling blocks associated with unit effectiveness. ASDF, when colocated with the Alaska National Guard , was careful to never utilize federal resources to accomplish its mission. In 2009, the Brigade Headquarters and 2 of its battalion headquarters were relocated from the National Guard Headquarters on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to

8395-541: The bureau is retaliating but declined to comment about Cefalu's case. In 2015, a proposal by the ATF to prohibit sales of certain 5.56 x 45mm ammunition was dropped following a negative response from the public and the legislature. In 2022, the DOJ Office of the Inspector General (OIG) conducted an audit which found that "thousands of firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition had been stolen from National Firearms and Ammunition Destruction (NFAD) from 2016 to 2019." The NFAD

8510-432: The capability to securely and electronically send trace requests, receive trace results, and conduct basic trace analysis in real time. Over 2,000 agencies and more than 17,000 individuals currently use eTrace, including over 33 foreign law enforcement agencies. Gun tracing provides information to federal, state, local, and foreign law enforcement agencies on the history of a firearm from the manufacturer (or importer), through

8625-521: The cases referred by ATF for prosecution each year are for firearms, violent crime, and narcotics offenses. Through the first half of 2011, ATF (with fewer than 2,000 active Special Agents) had recommended 5,203 cases for prosecution. This yields an average of 5.0 cases per agent per year. For comparison, the FBI (with slightly more than 13,000 active Special Agents) had recommended 8,819 cases for prosecution, for an average of 1.2 cases per agent per year. ATF, as

8740-476: The communities they protected. Several former members of the ATG were instrumental in achieving Alaska Statehood in 1959, as members of the Alaska Statehood Committee and/or delegates to the Alaska Constitutional Convention . In 2000 all ATG members were granted US veteran status by law, acknowledging the contribution of the ATG, some of whose members are still living. But efforts to find

8855-478: The complex caught fire. The follow-up investigation revealed the bodies of seventy-six people including twenty children inside the compound. A grand jury found that the deaths were suicides or otherwise caused by people inside the building. Shortly after the raid, the bureau's director, Stephen E. Higgins, retired early from his position. In December 1994, two ATF supervisory agents, Phillip J. Chojnacki and Charles D. Sarabyn, who were suspended for their roles in leading

8970-512: The consequences would be a bit more serious than a single arrest and then business as usual despite a tut-tutting reprimand." The ATF has also received criticism involving financial corruption. In 2021, a whistleblower informed the public that the ATF was giving a 25% monetary bonus to at least 94 of its employees. The benefit is known as law enforcement availability pay, or LEAP, that was only reserved for "criminal investigators" who are on call and expected to work unscheduled, additional hours. It

9085-445: The distribution chain, to the first retail purchaser. This information is used to link suspects to firearms in criminal investigations, identify potential traffickers, and detect in-state, interstate, and international patterns in the sources and types of crime guns. These results are then used to help the courts prosecute the offenders and attempt to clamp down on firearm crime. ATF provides investigative support to its partners through

9200-581: The failings of the National Disposal Branch almost pale by comparison ... the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives should be abolished, and its employees sent into the world to seek honest jobs in the private sector, if anybody will have them." Tuccille's primary reason for the complaint related to the mishandling of information and even security of firearms that led to the theft and sale of thousands of confiscated firearms by ATF personnel to private parties. Tuccille argued that if even

9315-653: The fate of the locals he'd met. Marston's proposal finally met with favor when word of it got to Alaska territorial governor Ernest Gruening . Gruening had sought to organize a new guard for Alaska, including every able man and boy, since he got word that the US Army would reassign the Alaska National Guard. Motivated by the recent Dutch Harbor attack, the Alaska Command assigned Major Marston and Captain Carl Schreibner within days to serve as military aides to Governor Gruening. Shortly after, Gruening and Marston flew

9430-523: The first time into a joint effort members of these ethnic groups: Aleut , Athabaskan , White , Inupiaq , Haida , Tlingit , Tsimshian , Yupik , and most likely others. In later years, all members of some native units scored expert sharpshooter rankings. Among the 27 or more women members were at least one whose riflery skills exceeded the men. The ages of members at enrollment ranged from 80 years old to as young as twelve (both extremes occurring mostly in sparsely populated areas). As volunteers,

9545-551: The immediate deaths of a deputy sheriff as well as the suspect, and the later suicide of ATF agent Jeff Ryan. Following the attacks on September 11, 2001, the ATF expanded regulations covering fuels used in amateur rocketry, including ammonium perchlorate composite propellant (APCP). Two rocketry clubs, the National Association of Rocketry (NAR) and the Tripoli Rocketry Association (TRA), argued that APCP

9660-403: The investigation and prevention of federal offenses involving the unlawful use, manufacture, and possession of firearms and explosives ; acts of arson and bombings ; and illegal trafficking and tax evasion of alcohol and tobacco products. The ATF also regulates via licensing the sale, possession, and transportation of firearms, ammunition, and explosives in interstate commerce . Many of

9775-539: The jurisdiction of the Gun Control Act, National Firearms Act, Arms Export Control Act, Organized Crime Control Act of 1970, and other Federal firearms and explosives laws and regulations. The remainder of the bureau is personnel in various staff and support roles from office administrative assistants to intelligence analysts, forensic scientists, legal counsel, and technical specialists. Additionally, ATF relies heavily on state and local task force officers to supplement

9890-404: The leadership of Brigadier General Thomas Westall, then serving as the head of the ASDF, Governor Sarah Palin ordered the ASDF to disarm. The current structure of the ASDF is as a Readiness Brigade composed of readiness battalions. The military police (MP) function is in abeyance until needed by the Adjutant General for Alaska. In 2016, Governor Bill Walker announced his intention to reform

10005-602: The local economy. Enemy aircraft and submarine sightings were common, inspiring great fear among the locals, and culminating in the raid on Dutch Harbor and the occupation of the Aleutian Islands of Attu , Kiska and Adak that June. By the time of the Dutch Harbor bombing, Major Marvin R Marston had submitted a new plan to defend the entire Alaska coast by enlisting the local citizens. He had conceived this plan while visiting Saint Lawrence Island and contemplating

10120-533: The most reliable means in the region, dogsled . When a promised plane failed to arrive after a week, Major Marston set out by dogsled on an epic 680-mile (1,090 km) trip around the Seward Peninsula , during the coldest winter in 25 years. He survived by foregoing standard military survival training in favor of the native methods of his Eskimo/Scout and Office of Strategic Services member guide, Sammy Mogg . Thanks to Marston and Mogg's heroic effort,

10235-408: The name 49th Military Police Brigade ( 49th MP BDE ) was also adopted for it. A later realignment of the command's structure has utilized the new designation of 49th Readiness Brigade (Separate) , but the unit is still mainly known as the Alaska State Defense Force. The ASDF structure was primarily composed of military police units. The units operated with mostly state certified constables under

10350-663: The national defense." – General Malin Craig , US Army Chief of Staff, November 1937 This stands in marked contrast to the attitudes of US military leaders during the Cold War immediately after World War II: "...as I continue to correspond and to talk with people throughout the United States and the Department of Defense, they too can see clearly the importance of these two battalions which you make up. The real honest-to-God and real-world first line of defense in Alaska ... nearer our opponent, Communist Russia, than any other armed troops in

10465-508: The new law, and was given jurisdiction over criminal violations relating to the regulatory controls. These responsibilities were delegated to the ATF division of the IRS. The Secretary and the Attorney General were given concurrent jurisdiction over arson and bombing offenses. Pub.L. 91-452, 84 Stat. 922, October 15, 1970. In 1972, the ATF was officially established as an independent bureau within

10580-557: The often difficult challenges of subsisting in Arctic and extreme marine environments. The ATG trained for and/or actively carried out the following: The ATG received commendations for: In addition, some ATG members performed the following: During the 1930s, as part of FDR 's New Deal programs to ease the country out of Great Depression , the Works Progress Administration (WPA) hired many noted American artists . On

10695-405: The ongoing Rodney King riots . The next day, the ATF activated its Special Response Team tactical unit to escort firefighters in high-risk areas, pair up with local police in protecting certain establishments, and execute search warrants for looted firearms. During the riots, a total of 4,690 firearms were looted and stolen; over the next 10 days, ATF recovered fewer than 200 firearms. The ATF

10810-541: The planes from there to the Russian Far East . The Alaska Territorial Guard operated from its inception in June 1942 until it was officially disbanded on 31 March 1947. The Territory of Alaska was divided vertically by the 156th Parallel into Eastern and Western Areas. To the Eastern Area was added Southwest Alaska, including the Aleutian Islands, which had been evacuated of non-combatants. The Western Area had

10925-642: The position, a U.S. Attorney from Boston with a good reputation, but Republican Sens. Larry Craig and Michael D. Crapo , both from Idaho, blocked his confirmation after complaints from an Idaho firearms dealer. In 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Andrew L. Traver , head of the ATF's Denver division, to fill the top spot, but the Senate never held his confirmation hearings. The NRA strongly opposed Traver's nomination. Subsequent failed nominations included Fraternal Order of Police president Chuck Canterbury (nominated by Donald Trump) and former ATF agent David Chipman (nominated by Joe Biden). B. Todd Jones

11040-588: The primary mission of the agency. However, taxation and other alcohol issues remained priorities as the ATF collected billions of dollars in alcohol and tobacco taxes, and undertook major revisions of the federal wine labeling regulations relating to use of appellations of origin and varietal designations on wine labels. In the wake of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush signed into law

11155-433: The production of tobacco and alcohol products and the regulatory function related to protecting the public in issues related to the production of alcohol, previously handled by the Bureau of Internal Revenue as well as by ATF, was transferred to the newly established Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which remained within the Treasury Department. These changes took effect January 24, 2003. Complaints regarding

11270-627: The reduction of violent crime offenses in United States districts with dedicated Project Safe Neighborhood Agents and United States Attorneys far outperformed the national average. An outgrowth of the Project Safe Neighborhoods framework was the creation of Violent Crime Impact Teams which worked proactively to identify, disrupt, arrest and prosecute the most violent criminals through innovative technology, analytical investigative resources and an integrated federal , state and local law enforcement strategy. Generally, about 90% of

11385-500: The regulation of explosives in the United States, as well as prosecution of persons engaged in criminal acts involving explosives. One of the most notable investigations successfully conducted by ATF agents was the tracing of the vehicle used in the World Trade Center 1993 bombings , which led to the arrest of persons involved in the conspiracy. ATF also enforces provisions of the Safe Explosives Act, passed after 9/11 to restrict

11500-546: The shotguns were later found to be shorter than allowed by federal law, requiring registration as a short-barreled shotgun and payment of a $ 200 tax. The ATF brought firearms charges against Weaver, but offered to drop the charges if he would become an informant. After Weaver refused to cooperate, ATF passed on false information about Weaver to other agencies that became part of a misleading file that profiled Weaver as having explosive booby traps, tunnels, and bunkers at his home; growing marijuana; having felony convictions; and being

11615-476: The state who must quarantine themselves. The mission of the Alaska State Defense Force (ASDF) is to maintain an organized, trained military force capable of timely and effective response to state emergencies, or, on other occasions deemed appropriate by the Governor, to provide military assistance to civil and military authorities in the preservation of life, property, and public safety . Previous missions assigned to

11730-492: The state, provided support to relief efforts in Puerto Rico alongside Alaska National Guardsmen after Hurricane Maria and Irma caused extensive damage to the island. State and National Guardsmen provided communications support at a Joint Incident Site Communications Capability system. In March 2018, the Alaska State Defense Force took part in an international training exercise, working directly with their Canadian counterparts,

11845-532: The subjects covered in the training include training in firearms, physical techniques, driving techniques, handcuffing , interviewing, surveillance, crime scene management , photography, basic firearms training, and federal court procedures. The CITP lasts approximately 12 weeks. Each class consists of 48 students, of whom approximately half are ATF trainees. The remaining portion of the CITP class consists of students from other federal agencies. The second part of training

11960-495: The surviving ATG members and assist them through the application process are difficult due to lack of written records, oral cultures, lack of trained staff, passage of time, and unclear bureaucracies and advocates. Nevertheless, active correction of the historical record is proceeding through the Alaska Army National Guard , office of Cultural Resources Management and Tribal Liaison ((888) 248-3682 toll-free) as well as

12075-622: The techniques used by ATF in their effort to generate firearm cases led to hearings before Congressional committees in the late 1970s and 1980s. At these hearings, evidence was received from citizens who had been charged by ATF, from experts who had studied ATF, and from officials of the bureau itself. A Senate subcommittee report stated, "Based upon these hearings it is apparent that ATF enforcement tactics made possible by current federal firearms laws are constitutionally, legally, and practically reprehensible." The Subcommittee received evidence that ATF primarily devoted its firearms enforcement efforts to

12190-583: The transfers were promotions. In June 2011, Vince Cefalu, an ATF special agent for 24 years who in December 2010 exposed ATF's Project Gunrunner scandal, was notified of his termination. Two days before the termination, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to the ATF warning officials not to retaliate against whistleblowers. Cefalu's dismissal followed allegations that ATF retaliates against whistleblowers. ATF spokesman Drew Wade denied that

12305-470: The use/possession of explosives without a federal license to use them. ATF is considered to be the leading federal agency in most bombings that occur within the U.S., with exception to bombings related to international terrorism (investigated by the FBI). ATF currently trains the U.S. military in evidence recovery procedures after a bombing. All ATF Agents are trained in post-blast investigation; however ATF maintains

12420-616: Was drawn from 107 communities and from these ethnic groups: Aleut , Athabascan , White , Inupiaq , Haida , Tlingit , Tsimshian , Yup'ik , and probably more. The ATG, being organized by US Army officers, made use of the same US Army rank structure , with these exceptions: The 21 staff officers were all full-time, paid positions (except for the governor, whose ATG duties were in addition to his regular office and without added salary). All other positions were strictly part-time volunteer, without pay. That total includes at least 27 ATG members who were women. Most women served as nurses at

12535-510: Was involved in the Waco Siege against the Branch Davidian religious sect near Waco, Texas , on February 28, 1993. ATF agents, accompanied by the press, conducted a raid to execute a federal search warrant on the sect's compound, known as Mt. Carmel . The Branch Davidians were alerted to the upcoming warrant execution, but ATF raid leaders pressed on, despite knowing the advantage of surprise

12650-402: Was left to the best efforts of unorganized local citizens and already overworked seasonal laborers. That enemy was demonstrating a definite interest in taking Alaska. In the early months of 1942, a Japanese Navy reconnaissance unit was caught on film making detailed surveys of Alaska coastline. Enemy combatants strode unopposed onto American soil and made inquiries among the populace about

12765-459: Was lost. (ATF Director Steve Higgins had promised Treasury Under Secretary for Enforcement Ron Noble that the Waco raid would be canceled if the ATF undercover agent Robert Rodriguez reported that the element of surprise had been lost.) The resulting exchange of gunfire killed six Davidians and four ATF agents. FBI HRT later took over the scene and a 51-day stand-off ensued, ending on April 19, 1993, after

12880-450: Was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate as permanent ATF director on July 31, 2013, serving until March 31, 2015. Jones was the only successful Senate-approved appointment until the Senate confirmed Steve Dettelbach in July 2022. Dettelbach's confirmation required a procedural maneuver to advance his nomination out of Senate Judiciary committee. It passed the evenly-divided Senate due to two Republicans voting with

12995-436: Was singled out for harassment by two ATF agents. The owner of a gun shop testified that he thought agents questioned female customers too often. He said that times had changed and more women were shopping for guns, adding: "It seems, however, to be the prevailing opinion for law enforcement at the gun show that any woman who brings a male friend for advice or support must be making a straw purchase." A private investigator said

13110-595: Was that the target should house at least two of three federal law enforcement agencies : the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He regarded the presence of additional law enforcement agencies, such as the Secret Service or the U.S. Marshals Service , as a bonus. Until the September 11, 2001, attacks,

13225-545: Was the responsibility of Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas , with North Pacific forces operating from large bases at Dutch Harbor, Cold Bay and Anchorage . Explicit within the ATG mission was that of protecting the terrain around the American terminus of the Lend-Lease air route to Russia on which warplanes were flown from Great Falls, Montana to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada , then to Ladd Field, Alaska (now Fort Wainwright) and on to Nome . Soviet pilots flew

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