“The Importance of Community Outreach to the FBI” with Mr. James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge, Washington Field Office
Mr. James W. McJunkin has been with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for 24 years. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Administration of Justice from the Pennsylvania State University. Mr. McJunkin began his professional career as a trooper with the Pennsylvania State Police, holding assignments in Troop E and Troop D. During his career in the FBI, he has served in the San Antonio, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. field offices.
Mr. McJunkin served as a field agent in both the San Antonio and Atlanta Field Offices and he also held the position of Supervisory Senior Resident Agent while assigned to the Atlanta Field Office. In connection with these assignments, which spanned nearly 17 years, he led or supervised many important investigations in the Organized Crime, White Collar Crime, Violent Crime, Drug Trafficking Crime, Civil Rights, and Counterterrorism arenas.
In 2003, Mr. McJunkin was promoted to FBI Headquarters where he held the positions of Unit Chief and Assistant Section Chief within the International Terrorism Operations Section – I (ITOS I), Counterterrorism Division. In 2004, Director Mueller appointed Mr. McJunkin to direct a multi-agency task force assembled to address an Al Qaeda-sponsored terror attack against the 2004 Presidential Election, for which he was later recognized as a recipient of the US Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award. Mr. McJunkin was also awarded the National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation in connection with his Counterterrorism assignments.
In 2005, Mr. McJunkin was selected as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. field office where he provided leadership and supervision to the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF); provided management to all substantive counterterrorism investigations conducted within the National Capital Region; and he supervised a number of significant overseas investigations involving terrorism attacks against U.S. citizens. In March, 2006, he led a team of FBI investigators with the on-scene investigation of a terrorist attack against the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan that claimed the life of a career Diplomat and several foreign nationals. In August, 2006, Mr. McJunkin was appointed Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington, D.C. field office, Counterterrorism Division.
In January, 2007, Mr. McJunkin was selected as a member of Senior Executive Service, and after a short stint as the Deputy Director for Law Enforcement at the Central Intelligence Agency, he was appointed as Section Chief of International Terrorism Operations Section I. On January 24, 2008, Director Mueller designated Mr. McJunkin as the Deputy Assistant Director for FBI Counterterrorism Operations – Branch I, and on January 29, 2010, Director Mueller named Mr. McJunkin as Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division. The three year span that Mr. McJunkin led FBI Counterterrorism operations also coincided with the busiest threat environment facing the US and produced by far the highest number of actual or attempted terrorist attacks committed on US soil since 9-11.
On November 10, 2010, Director Mueller named Mr. McJunkin as Assistant Director in Charge of the Washington Field Office where he currently leads the FBI’s second largest field office.