Guard drug division sees massive cuts

By Vandana Atreya
Nashville City Paper, TN
January 09, 2006

Officials from the Tennessee National Guard’s Counterdrug Division say if the federal budget is passed in its current form, the division will have only 20 or fewer guardsmen for the entire state of Tennessee.

The Counterdrug Division has already seen 23 full-time guardsmen cut from its workforce of 60. Another 20-23, a fluctuating number, might be cut this year. However, a counterdrug team that will return from Iraq shortly will stay.

Last year, the Counterdrug Division received approximately $4.2 million for salaries and operations. This year, that number might dwindle to about $3.6 million. In the recent budget hearing, Congress cut a $2 million line item that translates into about a $500,000 less than what the division received last year.

The Tennessee National Guard’s Counterdrug Division helps all entities of the Governor’s Task Force with marijuana eradication, law enforcement and even drug education in schools.



What's a National Guard Counterdrug Team doing in Iraq? Probably practicing for what they are going to do to us.

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