Research Paper on "Role of the National Guard in Counterdrug Support Program Operations"

Research Paper 5 pages (1393 words) Sources: 5

[EXCERPT] . . . .

National Guard Counterdrug program provides support to Counterdrug Operations and Drug Prevention activities. These activities take a number of different forms, including the policing of drug trafficking zones along the national borders and the provision of programs that will discourage youth from using illegal drugs. These two programs form an integral part of the drug use reduction strategy, both at the supply and demand levels. This paper will argue that the role of the National Guard in curtailing illegal drug use in the United States is a valuable and important one. Arguments will also be provided that the National Guard's role is not strong, to provide a set of counterbalancing views on this issue.

The National Guard's Programs

In the war on drugs, the National Guard provides support in two important ways. The first of these is the contribution that the National Guard makes to counterdrug operations. There are many tasks that the National Guard performs that are vital to these operations. These tasks include the provision of interpreters, visual reconnaissance, aerial reconnaissance, providing support in the fields of engineering, diving and communications. The primary role that the National Guard plays is that of a support partner to other agencies. By providing this technical support, the National Guard allows the other agencies involved in protecting our borders from drug smuggling to focus on the tasks that they perform the best.

The National Guard also makes similar contributions on the domestic front. The National Guard engages in domestic mail and cargo inspection, aerial support for cannabis suppression efforts, and transportation support for domestic drug suppression efforts. The National Guard also takes a lead role in the training of law enforcement agency personnel and military personnel for the roles that they will play in the war on drugs. Again, these roles are key support functions. They facilitate the effectiveness of the other agencies involved more on the frontlines of the war on drugs. Without the contributions that the National Guard makes, the counterdrug efforts of these other agencies would be less effective, and interagency coordination of counterdrug efforts would also be less effective.

In addition, the National Guard engages in demand suppression efforts. These efforts are a critical pillar in the war on drugs because if demand can be reduced, then there will be less need for the supply suppression efforts in which the National Guard engages. Some of the demand suppression activities in which the National Guard engages are the provision of programs that are aimed at youth to help steer them towards a drug-free lifestyle, lending assistance to other state and civic agencies that provide similar programs and the promotion of alternate activities to help steer at-risk youth away from drug usage. The value of the National Guard's support in these endeavors is more than simply financial or logistical. With the support of the National Guard, these endeavors are more consistent across different parts of the country, with the net result being that the messages sent are more consistent, and are based on methods and messages that have been proven to be successful. This in turn helps to raise the standard of drug use prevention strategies across the entire country.

These contributions that the National Guard makes are critical because of the type of role that the National Guard plays in the war on drugs. By taking control of the different organizational and logistical elements of the counterdrug and demand suppression efforts, the National Guard can tie these two strategies together more effectively. By working with myriad other agencies on these objectives, the National Guard can ensure that all agencies are working towards the same end goals, using the same tools that have been proven effective.

This role, therefore, is of critical importance. Without it, agencies would engage in different levels of engagement in drug prevention. The effects, naturally, would be as diverse as the strategies. Because illegal drug use is a national problem, the effort to curtail drug use must be coordinated on the national level. Having a relatively high level of consistency in both the message and the financial resources applied to drug prevention will also deliver better results. The engagement of the National… READ MORE

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