HARTFORD, Conn. –
The Connecticut National Guard Counterdrug Task Force recognized members of its team for their achievements during an award ceremony at the Gov. William A. O’Neill Armory in Hartford, Conn. Nov. 6. 2024.
The Counterdrug Task Force is comprised of Army and Air National Guard officers and non-commissioned officers who’re assigned to support the mission of preventing drugs from making their way into Connecticut’s communities.
Sergeant 1st Class Michael Beers, a member of the 143rd Military Police Company, was recognized by U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Francis Evon, adjutant general for the Connecticut National Guard, and the Connecticut State Police for his outstanding performance as part of the Task Force. He was included in a unit citation award from the Connecticut State Police for his efforts supporting a criminal investigation in March 2022.
Sergeant 1st Class John Wardrop, a member of the 143rd Military Police Company, was recognized for his work while assigned to the Connecticut Intelligence Center (CTIC) performing criminal analysis reporting.
Sergeant 1st Class Jack Bennett, a military police instructor with the 169th Regional Training Institute, was also recognized for his work doing criminal analysis reporting for the Hartford, Connecticut police department’s Capital City Command Center.
Air Force Master Sgt. Sarah Lorenzini, the first sergeant for the 103rd Mission Support Group, 103rd Airlift Wing, was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for her outstanding efforts as the Counterdrug, Drug Demand Reduction Outreach (DDRO) Program manager for the Task Force.
In addition to the awards, two members of the Task Force were promoted. Staff Sgt. Sarah Blodgett, a DDRO specialist was advanced to the rank of Sergeant First Class and Maj. Justin Copeland was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Copeland was recently appointed as the Counterdrug Coordinator to lead the Task Force.
The Counterdrug task force also celebrated their recent completion of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Oct. 26, 2024. The Connecticut National Guard partnered with the Drug Enforcement Agency, Connecticut State Police, and local police departments to dispose more than 8,300 pounds of unwanted, expired, or unused prescription medications voluntarily turned in by Connecticut residents.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day was created by the DEA to help dispose of old, expired, or unwanted drugs in order to reduce the possibility of their misuse. At the end of the event, the Connecticut National Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force transported the turned in drugs to be destroyed at an incinerator.
“Disposing of unneeded medications helps us protect the safety and health of our communities. Families can minimize the risk of medications falling into the wrong hands by simply bringing unused medications to one of our more than 4,100 drop off locations on Saturday,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “National Prescription Drug Take Bay Day would not be possible without our incredible local and state law enforcement partners and the community groups who work every year to make Take Back Day a success.”
According to The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the most frequently misused prescription pain medications include opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine. Last spring, the DEA and its partners collected more than 335 tons of unused mediations around the country, totaling more than 9,285 tons in total since the program began 15 years ago.
For more information about National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, or to find a drop off location near you, visit www.deaakeback.com