FY05 Annual Report Final - STATES - The National Guard

Counterdrug Support Operations Program
The Massachusetts National Guard Counterdrug Support Operations
Program (CSO) is a joint program of the Massachusetts National
Guard. The program’s mission is to conduct a broad range of counter
drug support operations throughout the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
The CSO comprises four functional areas: Drug Demand Reduction,
Ground Operations and Intelligence Analysis, Counterdrug Aviation,
and the counterdrug staff.
The Drug Demand Reduction team focuses on anti-drug educational
and leadership programs in support of community-based
organizations, educational institutions and youth groups.
The Counterdrug Ground Operations and Intelligence Analysis and
the Counterdrug Aviation sections conduct operations in support of
law enforcement.
The counterdrug staff is organized to plan and coordinate operations.
The counterdrug coordinator, who reports to the J-3, is responsible
for the whole program.
During fiscal year 2005, CSO conducted 120 missions and flew
560 hours. The support provided by the members of the program
was instrumental in the seizure of more than $100 million in illegal
materials as well as the education and mentoring of tens of thousands
of youth within the commonwealth.
Missions ranged from anti-drug education, leadership skills training,
and anti-drug coalition building to complex, joint counterdrug
missions - including intelligence analysis - conducted in support of
law enforcement agencies.
Army Aviation and Safety
The Aviation and Safety Section is located at the Massachusetts
National Guard Headquarters in Milford. It’s lead by Lt. Col. Paul
G. Thibodeau, the State Army Aviation Officer (SAAO).
The section’s mission is to provide The Adjutant General with overall
supervision and responsibility for the Massachusetts Army Aviation
and Safety Programs.
The SAAO oversees the State Safety Office, Army Aviation Support
Facility 1, Army Aviation Support Facility 2 and Detachment 12
Operational Support Airlift Command (OSACOM). He also
provides indirect supervision to the Massachusetts Reconnaissance
and Interdiction Detachment and all other Massachusetts National
Guard Army aviation units.
The Section is authorized 89 full-time employees, with 53 technician
and Active Guard Reserve Soldiers currently on hand. It has no
assigned aircraft or other major equipment.
State Safety Office
The State Safety Office is subordinate to the SAAO. The office is
headed by Maj. Joseph P. Finnegan. It establishes and maintains a
Photo by Tech. Sgt. Sandra Niedzwiecki, 102nd Fighter Wing
2005 Annual Report 19