CONTACT: Mr. Eric Durr (518) 786-4581 or (518) 429-5186 (cell); Division of Military and Naval Affairs, or Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Barbara L. Patton at (212) 668-7114

FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, May 14, 2008

WHO:

Major General Joseph Taluto, the Adjutant General and Commander of the New York National Guard and Rear Admiral Timothy Sullivan, commander of the 1st Coast Guard District, which includes New England and the New York City and Long Island regions.

WHAT:

The commander of the 1st Coast Guard District and the commander of the New York National Guard will sign an agreement that puts an Army National Guard Soldier to work in the Coast Guard’s Staten Island intelligence center. The two leaders will sign a memorandum of agreement establishing a position for an Army National Guard Soldier, who has been trained in counter-drug analysis, in the Coast Guard’s Field Intelligence Support Team located at the Coast Guard Sector New York headquarters on Staten Island. The soldier is being provided by the New York National Guard’s Counter-Drug Program.

WHEN:

11. am., May 14, 2008

WHERE:

Division of Military and Naval Affairs Headquarters, 330 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham NY, 12110.

Coverage Opportunities: Major General Taluto and Rear Admiral Sullivan will jointly sign the memorandum establishing the counter-drug analyst position and then take questions. Experts on the New York National Guard Counterdrug mission will also be on hand. The Soldier being assigned to duty with the Coast Guard Sgt. Cesar Villalobos The New York National Guard/ Coast Guard Agreement: The counter-drug analyst will be responsible for amassing data to be entered into the Merchant Vessel Intelligence Matrix, a prototype program that contains automated intelligence screenings of merchant vessels inbound for the United States. The agreement follows many months of study and consideration of the effectiveness of a position filled by personnel from the National Guard to support the joint Coast Guard and National Guard mission of drug interdiction. The counter-drug analysts collected, processed and analyzed information from more than 600 known and suspected drug-smuggling ships world-wide, screened problematic vessels and provided the information to Coast Guard operational units, such as Coast Guard Atlantic Area and the El Paso Intelligence Center. “This agreement will improve force protection in the on-going war against drugs,” said Lt. Col. Eric Durr, the public affairs officer for the New York Counter Drug Task Force. “It also strengthens the relationship between the Coast Guard and National Guard and will enhance the protection of the citizens of New York by improving inter-agency communications and sharing of intelligence that will help combat the influx of drugs into our country.” Rear Admiral Timothy Sullivan: Rear Admiral Sullivan assumed the duty of Commander, First Coast Guard District and Commander, Maritime Defense Command One in July 2006. He oversees all Coast Guard missions across eight states in the Northeast and 2000 miles of coastline from the US-Canada border to northern New Jersey. Major General Joseph Taluto: Major General Joseph Taluto became the Adjutant General for the State of New York and commander of the 16,000 men and women of the New York Army and Air National Guard in January 2006 following his assignment as commander of the New York Army National Guard’s 42nd Infantry Division. Major General Taluto’s tenure as commander of the division from 2002 until 2006, included command of Task Force Liberty in North Central Iraq. Task Force Liberty was a 23,000-member organization which included Active Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard Soldiers. This was the first time a National Guard division had served in combat since the Korean War. National Guard Counterdrug Program: The New York National Guard Counterdrug program conducts operations to assist local, state, and other federal institutions in the fight against illicit drugs. The program provides Soldiers and Airmen, specialized equipment, and specialized training to assist law enforcement. The program is manned with 101 full-time Army and Air National Guard members. Members of the media who wish to cover event must contact the Division of Military and Naval Affairs Press Office at (518) 786-4581 no later than 10 a.m. on May 14 in order to obtain access to this secure facility.