Johnathan H. Cofer

Mr. Jonathan H. Cofer, was a member of the Senior Executive Service, and was selected as the Director for the Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA) on November 27, 2016. He served in that capacity until December 31, 2019, when he retired from federal service. Prior to that, he served nine years as the PFPA Deputy Director.

As PFPA Director, Mr. Cofer was responsible for providing a full range of services to protect people, facilities, infrastructure and other resources at the Pentagon Reservation and in DoD-occupied facilities in the National Capital Region. Within this scope, Mr. Cofer exercised the authorities of the Secretary of Defense under 10 U.S.C 2674 with respect to force protection, security, and law enforcement. He was the DoD principal liaison with State and local law enforcement authorities and communicated directly with DoD Components and other Executive Departments and Agencies in carrying out these assigned responsibilities and functions.

Prior to joining PFPA, Mr. Cofer served as the Chief, Advanced Concepts and Technology Demonstration Division at the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). There he was responsible for ensuring the development and rapid fielding of information technology to the warfighter. Mr. Cofer was also detailed to serve as the Chief of Staff of the Defense Security Service where he oversaw the protection of U.S. and foreign classified information and technology as well as security professional education and development for DoD civilians and contractors.

Mr. Cofer is a retired U.S. Army Brigadier General, where he served as a military police officer for more than 30 years. His assignments included commanding over a 2,000-strong Army, Marine and Air Force security and police force; Provost Marshal for multiple military installations to include airfields and ports in the United States and overseas; officer-in-charge of five relocation camps for Cuban personnel in the Republic of Panama, where he was responsible for the security and safety of thousands of men, women and children; and law enforcement, security, and antiterrorism duties for senior leadership at both unified and specified commands. Mr. Cofer oversaw the protection of High-Risk Personnel (HRPs) in both USSOUTHCOM and USCENTCOM. As the Joint Rear Area Coordinator (JRAC) for USCENTCOM he coordinated with Embassy Chiefs of Mission and Regional Security Officers (RSOs) for the security and protection of DoD personnel in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Jordan, India, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE and Yemen areas of responsibility. He was an advisor to two Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on DoD antiterrorism and force protection matters, as the Deputy Director for Operations and Plans for Antiterrorism and Force Protection on the Joint Staff. Mr. Cofer testified before a House committee on DoD’s corrective actions regarding the bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen. He was serving on the Joint Staff in the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 and was involved in DoD’s heightened force protection response to the attacks. Brigadier General Cofer retired from the Army in 2002.

Mr. Cofer is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and a graduate of LaSalle University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a master’s in management and administration degree from Central Michigan University. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College and completed the Army’s Airborne and Air Assault schools.