Blum asks program to look hard at available resources
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - National Guard twin-engine counterdrug airplanes should continue supporting special forces missions overseas, and the Guard should continue to transition from the OH-58 helicopter to the new Light Utility Helicopter, the chief of the National Guard Bureau recommended in mid-March during the National Guard Counterdrug Program's annual conference.
"If I had a choice of National Guard assets flying around taking out criminals domestically, or overseas targeting criminals going after our troops internationally, I know where I would rather see them," said LTG H Steven Blum during an unscheduled visit. "Counterdrug is a big deal for the defense of this nation. It is not more or less important than the fight against terrorism. One is just more pressing than the other right now."
Blum referred to the 11 fixed-wing RC-26Bs the Counterdrug Program uses domestically to support law enforcement agencies during criminal and drug-related missions. Equipped with reconnaissance and aerial photography capabilities, the aircraft is now supporting special forces in Iraq and other regions in conflict.
Initially, Blum worked with the adjutants general of the states that own the aircraft to loan several to the war effort temporarily, but their capabilities have been so well received that senior military leaders there would like to keep them in the fight longer.
The potential loss of the RC-26Bs and the Counterdrug missions they support has many people concerned, but Blum believes the overseas missions are more pressing. He said he wants to explore options to replace the RC-26Bs and emphasized that the Guard can find a less expensive aircraft with more "plug and play" real-time video and photography capabilities.
Blum next addressed questions about the transition from the OH-58 Kiowa helicopter to the Light Utility Helicopter slated to begin in fiscal year 2009. The new helicopters won't be equipped with the Counterdrug-specific reconnaissance and surveillance equipment now on the Kiowas, but Blum believes the upgraded helicopters would provide a more critical role in homeland defense and security.
"We are the 21st century Minutemen and women. Our citizens expect the Guard to have the capabilities the new LUH has: Forward Looking Infrared system, synthetic aperture radar and real-time video downlink that will help us respond to our nation's needs. Whether that's a terrorist attack, a tornado, or whatever, we need the situational awareness these systems provide," he said.
Blum also spoke of his two biggest fears: a failing education system and the lack of prevention of drug abuse by our nation's future its youth.
"Counterdrug efforts in educating our youth are vital to the future of America," he said. "Personally, I'm afraid of a decaying education system and what drugs do to the youth of our nation."
To prove his point, Blum explained how both affect the National Guard. Thousands of potential recruits are turned away because they can't pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test or pass a urinalysis at the Military Entrance Processing Stations because they have drugs in their system, he said.
"We are disqualifying giant numbers of people who want to join the National Guard because there aren't enough drug demand reduction efforts," Blum stated.
That conversation shifted to the ongoing battle to fully fund the 4,000 Soldiers and Airmen the program was originally authorized by Congress.With a large amount of the nation's budget continuing to fund the Global War on Terrorism, money for the fight against drugs has continually diminished. Blum and other leaders continue to ask for more money in order to keep up with inflation, but the reality is it just isn't coming. This has leadership looking within the organization to see how it can better utilize available resources.
"Take a hard look at yourself, think about what you're doing, how you're using your resources now and make sure you're delivering the effects you want," Blum said.
Richard Douglas, deputy assistant secretary of defense for counter-narcotics, was the keynote speaker for the conference and heard everything Blum had to say. He agreed that having the ability to look within an organization, evaluating its efforts and the fruits of those efforts are important.
"The willingness to look at ourselves critically can help us avoid complacency and stagnation. It's important in an organization like this that frankly deals with matters of life and death," Douglas said.
Blum urged attendees to continuing defending our nation from drugs.
"I believe we can still do more," he said. "I want you to have a better program that is more effective at keeping drugs away from kids and adults in your communities. Drugs deny America the freedoms we fight and die for."