This is a wild story, yet not surprising.
And the fact it's not surprising shows how out of control shit has gotten. โ ๏ธ
WTAF!!! US military officers were paid to hunt down Americans. Your taxes paid their retirement and training. They hunted you like terrorist. They created the psyops and propaganda.
Task Force 1621 (TF1621) was a short-lived civilian, privately funded intelligence organization established on January 9, 2021, immediately after the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. It consisted of over 40 veteran military and government counterterrorism and intelligence specialists.
Lt Col J Hicks โ Cofounder
Lt. Col. J. Hicks (Ret.), often styled as Lt. Col. Hicks (Ret.) in TF1621 materials, served as a co-founder of the task force. He has a background in military intelligence or counterterrorism operations. In 2002, he collaborated directly with Heath Gross during HUMINT counterterrorism operations in Kuwait, describing Gross at the time as one of the most experienced counterterrorism officers available.35
Hicks publicly emphasized that TF1621 was created to support overburdened government agencies in addressing domestic terrorism threats following January 6. He served as the organizationโs media contact (J Hicks, media@tf1621.org, associated with a 757 area code in Virginia). Public biographical details beyond his TF1621 role and prior collaboration with Gross are sparse; he maintained a relatively low public profile.
Heath Gross โ Lead
Heath Gross, a retired U.S. Army Counterintelligence Special Agent, was tapped as interim Task Force leader and technical consultant for TF1621.21
Key elements of his background include:
Extensive counterterrorism experience before and after 9/11, including service in the Middle East.
Prior to 9/11, he co-authored the Fort Bragg Terrorism Threat Response Plan.
In 2002, he served as Special Projects Officer for HUMINT counterterrorism operations in Kuwait.
Transitioned to the private sector in competitive intelligence and strategic analysis.
Founder of Sedulo Group (a competitive intelligence and global strategy firm), where he served as CEO and later transitioned to Chief Strategy Officer. He has also been associated with Always-On Insights.
Education includes the University of Louisville and the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and School.
His expertise aligned well with TF1621โs use of data analytics, OSINT, and intelligence fusion. (Note: While the query mentions work with the CIAโs Special Activities Division, public sources emphasize his Army Counterintelligence and HUMINT counterterrorism roles.)
John Fenzel โ CENSA, Army Special Forces
Colonel John Fenzel (U.S. Army, Ret.) is a senior Army Special Forces officer with extensive national security and government experience. He joined TF1621 in February 2021 to help lead efforts toward a 9/11-style commission investigating the January 6 Capitol events.25
Key elements of his background include:
โขCombat and operational service as a Special Forces officer on battlefields around the world.
โขServed as Operations Officer for the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), directing planning and execution of Special Forces operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Europe (noted in a 2000 White House Fellows announcement when he was a Major).
โขMilitary assistant on the personal staff of the Secretary of Defense.
โขSpecial Assistant to the Vice President.
โขStaff Director of the Office of Homeland Security (OHS) under Governor Tom Ridge.
โขWhite House Fellow during the Clinton and Bush administrations.
โขFounding member and strategy chair (or key leader) of the Council for Emerging National Security Affairs (CENSA), where he remains listed on the Board of Advisors. CENSA focuses on emerging national security issues.
His combination of Special Forces operational experience, high-level government service (including homeland security), and involvement in national security policy/think-tank work made him a natural fit for TF1621โs investigative and analytical mandate.
Dr. Brandon Cosley โ Managed the TF1621 Rival analytics team