Official Site of The State of New JerseyDMAVA
New Jersey National Guard
Counterdrug Task Force Mission
The New Jersey National Guard Joint Counterdrug Task Force supports detection, interdiction, disruption and curtailment of drug trafficking and associated illicit activities at the request of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies by using unique military skills and assets in order to support national counterdrug strategies and objectives, as well as the Counterdrug Activities Plan for the State of New Jersey.
Spotlight
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Vision Statement
We, the soldiers and airmen of the National Guard Counterdrug Program, will become the catalysts for synchronized cooperation between and among DoD and federal, state, and local agencies across the full spectrum of counterdrug homeland defense operations. By leveraging our unique military capabilities, national resources, and community focus we will play a central role in shaping our state’s response to drug and associated transnational security threats.
Contact Information
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Lt Col Raymond Sackmann
New Jersey Counter Drug Coordinator
raymond.sackmann@us.af.mil
SMSgt Chris WutschCDP Senior Enlisted Advisor
george.wutsch@us.af.mil
1SG James KubeNCOIC Operations
james.s.kube.mil@army.mil
Counterdrug Aviation Conducts Orientation for Partnered Agency
MORRISTOWN – The National Guard Joint Counterdrug Task Force – Aviation section conducted an Aviation Orientation at the Morristown Municipal Airport for approximately 20 members from the Federal Investigation Bureau – Newark Division, June 5, 2026.
Attendees were briefed on aircraft safety procedures and CDP policy for requesting and utilizing their aviation assets. Feedback given from participants was overwhelmingly positive and all expressed interest in utilizing the crew for future cases.
The National Guard Counterdrug Program conducts a full-spectrum campaign that bridges the gap between and among Department of War and Non-Department of War institutions in the fight against illicit drugs and transnational threats to the Homeland. The program supports military, law enforcement, and community-based counterdrug operations at all levels of government to anticipate, deter, and defeat these threats to enhance national security and protect our society.
30th National DEA Take Back Day April 2026
CAMDEN, NJ - Drug Enforcement Administration agents in partnership with the New Jersey National Guard Counterdrug Task Force collect and dispose of prescription medications during Operation Take Back New Jersey, April 28, 2026. Operation Take Back NJ is a biannual event that allows residents to safely dispose of unused or expired medications consequence-free. Residents are encouraged to dispose of unused, unwanted and expired medication safely.
Since 1973 when the DEA declared war on the epidemic of drug overdoses nationwide, Take Back Days have helped communities in need to address public health, environmental, and nationwide security concerns by safely disposing of unused and expired medications. With 240 collection sites across the state and 199 participating Law Enforcement Agencies, a total of 12,640 lbs of unwanted prescription medications were collected and disposed of at the Covanta Energy Recovery Center in Camden, NJ.
The National Guard Counterdrug Program conducts a full-spectrum campaign that bridges the gap between and among Department of War and Non-Department of War institutions in the fight against illicit drugs and transnational threats to the Homeland. The program supports military, law enforcement, and community-based counterdrug operations at all levels of government to anticipate, deter, and defeat these threats to enhance national security and protect our society.
New Jersey Ground Reconnaissance Team Facilitates Phase 2 Course
NEW JERSEY - The New Jersey Joint Counterdrug Task Force - Ground Reconnaissance Team, facilitated the first Ground Recon Support Phase Two course at the Northeast Counterdrug Training Center from March 2 - 13 2026, on Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania.
Ground Recon Teams utilize specially trained National Guard members to perform ground reconnaissance and observation of suspected illegal drug activity in various operational environments. Their skill sets allow law enforcement officers to focus on fewer tasks during various operations.
This course improves a student’s ability to solve problems and helps prepare them to conduct recon and observation operations in a safe and effective manner. Students become efficient in mobile, photography, rural, hide sites, static and foot observations. The course is also an excellent environment for networking and gaining knowledge on how other states operate and how equipment is being used or could have access to. It brings the GR operator out of a comfort zone and develops them into leaders with experiencing all types of environments they may not have been exposed to.
NCTC was founded in 1999, in accordance with provisions outlined in the Defense Appropriations Act. Since its inception, they now offer more than 60 unique counterdrug training courses focusing on operations and interdiction, interrogation, undercover operations, leadership, terrorism, intelligence and drug demand reduction. This training was facilitated by the New Jersey Ground Reconnaissance Support Team alongside GRS instructors from Florida, California, Arizona and Pennsylvania.
CDTF Civil Operators bring Resilience to Asbury Park High School
ASBURY PARK – Civil Operators assigned to the Joint Counterdrug Task Force – Drug Demand Reduction Outreach section, New Jersey National Guard provided Resilience training for students at Asbury Park High School in support of RWJ Barnabas Health - Communities That Care, May 29, 2026.
DDRO Civil Operators assist community leaders, stop the duplication of efforts and eliminate silos of information. They help community-based organizations facilitate their efforts in support of their mission and allocate the proper resources to further their reach in the communities they operate in. This allows community-based organizations to build capacity, allocate funds in high-risk areas and educate community members on drug prevention efforts using data collected through surveys and environmental scans.
The Communities That Care initiative is a component of the RWJBarnabas Health Social Impact and Community Investment Practice (SICI), focused on addressing the social, economic and environmental conditions that contribute to poor health outcomes, reduced life expectancy and higher costs. CTC is a data-driven process that engages communities across the nation, and the world, to help youth thrive. It is a process based on 30 years of research that shows if risk factors are greater than protective factors, youth are more likely to experience alcohol and drug abuse, antisocial behavior, violence, school failure, anxiety/ depression and teen pregnancy.
The National Guard Counterdrug Program conducts a full-spectrum campaign that bridges the gap between and among Department of War and Non-Department of War institutions in the fight against illicit drugs and transnational threats to the Homeland. The program supports military, law enforcement, and community-based counterdrug operations at all levels of government to anticipate, deter, and defeat these threats to enhance national security and protect our society.
Master Sgt. Tassialvarez and Sgt. 1st Class Galvez Retire after 25 Years on Counterdrug Task Force
SSG Benjamin Martinez | NJ CDTF | May 30, 2025
Master Sgt. Jose Tassialvarez and Sgt. 1st Class Roger Galvez retired from the New Jersey Army National Guard after serving 25 years with the Counterdrug Task Force, May 2025. They both began working for the CDTF in 2000, assisting U.S. Customs and Border Protection in inspecting containers for any illicit drugs being transported into the state through the Elizabeth Marine Terminal. During their time in the National Guard, they supported major events such as deploying to Kosovo in support of peacekeeping missions alongside Albania, the 2005 Hurricane Katrina that devastated Louisiana, 2012 Hurricane Sandy that left a significant impact in NJ, Mission support in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq.
The New Jersey National Guard Joint Counterdrug Task Force supports detection, interdiction, disruption and curtailment of drug trafficking and associated illicit activities at the request of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies by using unique military skills and assets in order to support national counterdrug strategies and objectives from the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the National Guard Bureau, as well as the Counterdrug Activities Plan for the State of New Jersey.
