Coin and counterdrug ops

[Surferbeetle]

Gentlemen,
For your review and comment. No worries I have thick skin. In the words of the best 1SG I ever had "I might take your advice...and I might not." I had to split it in two due to file size. Understand I'm limited to 16 pages. It could easily be 80.

I would have preferred to do it in MS Word but couldn't make it work. Sorry.

Good paper (text format is fine), it makes sense and squares with some of my observations and experiences.

Three Up: I appreciated the use of vignettes, that you care about your community, and that you are using your military skills to move our country forward.

Three Down: I wonder about the funding stability/sustainability of your proposal..does the Mayor's office have the tax base for this? Do you have a business plan, metrics, and cost/benefit analysis (cost estimate for the proposed staffing)? The Sweat Equity/Community Buy In Plan could be further reinforced.

Possible assists:

Are you fully leveraging what your local public health office, juvenile detention center, community college/university, and police bring to the table in terms of funded services, grant-writing capabilities, networks, and neighborhood knowledge? Is the local community college/university interested in producing supporting GIS maps for your project as a semester project?

Here is a marketing analysis methodology and USAID Value Chain Analysis methodology which may be of assistance with your ASCOPE analysis.

You might consider getting a legal analysis/review of your project from the JAG: Posse Comitatus Act

[Spartan6]

Great points. I would include them in this paper, but I'm maxed out for pages. I do see a more detailed paper coming at some point to go over in greater detail the actual steps for execution which would include your suggestions. We are covered under Posse Comitatus as none of the Guardsmen would actually conduct arrests or other police activities. Most if not all of these issues have been resolved through legislation authorizing the National Guard to conduct Counterdrug activities. Specifically NGR 500-2/ANGI 10-801, the National Defense Authorization Acts (FY99 and FY91), and 32 USC 502(f).

[davidbfpo]

Spartan6,

You appear to ignore the fact that a large % of the population buy drugs, not just those who commit crime or live in the inner city. Imagine trying your approach in Wall Street or a university town - even public co-operation there would IMHO be restricted.

In the UK I have seen figures that cite 40% of the under-25yr population use or have used some form of drugs. Which affects the legitimacy of any counter-drug action.

A better approach is to focus on the drugs that cause the most harm now - I'd suggest heroin and crack. Alongside those criminals who pose the greatest threat to the population - not the "drug lords" but the killers.

Outside the military sphere how would you write the proposal and persaude a local authority to ask for this help? I fear instead of taking the whole model they'd choose what suited them best, especially if free and minimal consequences (no more prisoners in jail).

Apologies for my belated reply.

davidbfpo

[Spartan6]

Of course the goal is not total eradication of drug use and your point is well taken for Wall street etc. This would be only in high drug trafficking areas. I think this could only be sold to communities that were desperate which is exactly where it needs to be applied. Thanks everyone for the input, it is appreciated.