John Black Email & Phone Number

As Owner and President of Aragon National, I deliver strategic consulting, sensemaking, intelligence, and insight generation to law enforcement, civil/military operations, and private businesses to improve decision-making. A recognized expert witness for police use of force in federal and state courts, I am often sought out for cases in the “gray” area. I’m known for my integrity, objectivity and ability to look at all sides of an issue.My 30+ years’ experience in the US Army’s special operations, civil affairs, psychological operations, and intelligence uniquely position me for situations requiring the teaching of military and related subjects such as joint operations, non-lethal targeting, strikes, raids, counter-terrorism, and counterintelligence operations. And my 23-year tenure in leadership roles at an Oregon sheriff’s office advanced my expertise in public information, investigations, corrections, and internal affairs.I also consult on socio-cultural analytics, social determinants of health (SDOH), emergency management response/dimensions, energy and police practices that include use of force.My process combines both the quantitative and qualitative in a systems approach to produce unique insights that help leaders in decision-making as it relates to such critical issues as strategy, training, use-of-force, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief.I consult on projects where complexity, wickedness, and systems are present. I am primarily focused on justice issues/reform, Security, Law Enforcement, and Humanitarian Aid (HA)/Disaster Response and Recovery (DR). My clients range from private companies, municipal agencies, federal partners, and from local to nationally recognized organiztions.

Hillsboro, Or, Us

My 23-year career with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office found me climbing the ranks, moving from deputy to patrol trainer to patrol sergeant to lieutenant (patrol and corrections), retiring as Lieutenant/Commander of the Investigations Division, a position I held for my last six years there. I was promoted in 2005 to Lieutenant and served as the highest-ranking officer in the Services Division. In this role, I oversaw management civil process, the crime prevention unit, training office, professional standards unit, criminal records, weapons licensing and the public information office. In 2008 I was promoted to Jail Operations Lieutenant, where I was responsible for all operations of a 572-bed jail with over 16,000 bookings per year and a $22M annual budget. This role also involved overseeing court security, medical needs/special needs pods and transports.Prior to my retirement in 2017, I spent two years as Lead Investigations Lieutenant on an agency-wide internal affairs investigation that resulted in multiple criminal convictions and terminations of police officers.KEY RESPONSIBILITIES❖ Civil investigator for officer-involved shootings and administrative reviews ❖ Task force liaison between such agencies as FBI, OGA, US Army, Joint Services and Special Operations ❖ Conducted performance evaluations, counseling and discipline ❖ Served as lead public information officer and built the current public information team and concept ❖ Intelligence threat analysis, training, equipment research and procurement, policy, and alternate command of the team on the ground during potential riots and crowd disturbancesDuring my tenure, I was an Adjunct Senior Instructor for the Oregon Police Academy Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, where I taught Defensive Tactics, Use of Force, Vehicle Stops and Confrontational Simulation.

Arlington, Virginia, Us

My 30+-year career in the US Army and US Army Reserves involved multiple overseas deployments to Bosnia, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East, including several classified operations. Throughout my tour I was attached to the US Army’s Special Operations forces (Special Forces, Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations). I accumulated experience in international humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR), DoD Joint Technology research evaluation and development, and the extraction of practical insight from intelligence to support strategic decision-making.I retired as the highest enlisted grade of Sergeant Major (SGM). I was assigned as Senior Operations Sergeant for the 364th Civil Affairs Brigade and also tasked to the United States Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command. My roles have included Operations SGM, force protection officer, Civil Military Information lead and mentor (for officer, non-commissioned officer and enlisted.) I advised at national and strategic levels on civil-military assistance and operations, including conducting disaster preparedness management assistance visits to Pacific Rim countries.KEY ACHIEVEMENTS❖ Senior non-commissioned officer for the intelligence section of the national-level task force in Afghanistan ❖ Senior non-commissioned officer for the Joint Psychological Operations Task Force (JPOTF) in Bosnia ❖ Monitored and tracked trans-national terrorist influence and groups to include Al-Qaida, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), Lashkar-e-Tayeba (LET) and related Islamic Fundamentalist terrorist groups ❖ Served as the First Sergeant of the 364th Civil Affairs Brigade, Headquarters Company. With approximately 140 soldiers, the Unit interacts with the local population and assists in rebuilding government and civilian infrastructures, economic systems and culture.

Washington, Dc, Us

During my 30+ year career with the US Army and US Army Reserves, I acted as a key subject matter expert for the command, advising on all related projects at national levels. I served as senior communications sergeant (ODA), senior intelligence sergeant (ODA), 1st Sergeant (PSYOPS), senior instructor (SFUWO), senior team leader (Bosnia, Africa, Afghanistan, Saadia Arabia, Egypt, Korea, additional AORs) and Civil Information Management project team lead (USACAPOC).Following my military retirement, I advised and consulted on the DoD on efforts and initiatives involving the United States Central Command, United States Africa Command, United States Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command. I have also advised on Joint Concept Technology Demonstrations (JCTD) and similar vehicles related to socio-cultural problems that are encountered by warfighters and their decision-makers. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS❖ A primary team member on the team awarded DoD’s Joint Concept Technology Demonstration of the year in 2010 for “Mapping the Human Terrain”❖ Lead developer and implementer for civil information common operational picture, Afghanistan, 2004❖ Lead developer and implementer for civil information common operational picture and related strategy, Horn of Africa task force, 2010❖ Participating member of multinational-level task forces related to civil-military operations, humanitarian assistance/disaster relief and nation rebuilding-resiliency-United Nations sustainable development goals, 1989-2009

Master'S Degree, Psychology

Doctor Of Business (Dba), Business Intelligence & Decision Science

Doctoral Course Work, Public Policy (Terrorism, Mediation & Peace)

M.Sc., Homeland Security; Intelligence Fusion & Counter-Terrorism