Operation Ghost Dancer: The Use of Active Duty Army Forces in Marijuana Eradication.

摘要

The 'War on Drugs' is the number one domestic issue confronting the Nation today. Since the 1980's, the Department of Defense (DOD) has played a role in the 'War on Drugs,' although reluctantly. In 1990, there was an emphasis on the part of the Department of Defense to perform its fair share of the national effort. This effort included five major drug eradication missions which the Department of Defense supported. In one of these operations, Operations Ghost Dancer, the active Army contributed the majority of the military forces in support of a Bureau of Land Management drug eradication mission. This was the Nation's first large scale use of active duty Army soldiers in counter-drug operations. Many lessons were learned that apply to all levels of civilian and military command. However, of particular importance are the lessons learned that apply to the senior Army Leadership. These areas include the need for an improved vision of where we are heading; standardization and clarification of the Posse Comitatius requirements and the rules of engagement; and clarification of resource request procedures.