U.S. Army Counterdrug Support Front End Analysis

Abstract : Since 1989 the Army has been participating in the it 'war on drugs' by providing equipment, training, intelligence data, operational support, transportation, and other services to civilian law enforcement agencies (LEAs). With increasing public pressure to control illegal drug use and with decreasing budgets, the Army must effectively and efficiently manage resources allocated to the counter drug mission. The Army Counter Drug Proponency Office sponsored MITRE's Front End Analysis (FEA) study to define Army counter drug roles and missions. The objective is to develop a comprehensive list of LEA support requirements and matching Army capabilities. The study provides a rationale for the efficient and cost-effective allocation of Army resources in the counter drug effort. The FEA finds that the Army has the capabilities and resources to meet most LEA counterdrug requirements. However, many LEAs are unaware of the nature of the support available and/or are frustrated with the response to requests for support. The study recommends enhancing the 'cross-cultural' education of both LEAs and the a Services to enhance understanding and cooperation; ensure that policies which inform the LEA community about Army support are as pro-active as possible; and maintain only necessary legal safeguards.