Rendon, a Coast Guard Academy graduate from Texas, served as the Director of Joint Interagency Task Force West from April 2012 to May 2015.  He will be reporting to U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, Connecticut to become the new Superintendent.

During Rendon’s tenure as the Director, Joint Interagency Task Force West conducted 94 counter narcotics capacity building missions that provided training to over 3050 partner nation law enforcement members.

Rendon is best known for the Task Force’s contributions assisting law enforcement to successfully seize over 140 metric tons of chemical precursors that would have yielded approximately 66 metric tons of finished methamphetamine, 1014 kilograms of cocaine, 204 kilograms of  methamphetamine, 83 kilograms of heroin, and the seizure of $65 million in illicit funds. 

Smith, also a Coast Guard Academy graduate, is from California, with over 35 years of service. Smith most recently served as the Coast Guard Atlantic Area Chief of Staff.

Joint Interagency Task Force West plans and conducts Department of Defense counterdrug activities in order to increase regional stability and disrupt transnational criminal organizations that threaten global interests in the U.S. Pacific Command area of responsibility.