Photo By Staff Sgt. Benjamin Martinez | 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. see less
| View Image Page
Master Sgt. Tassialvarez and Sgt. 1st Class Galvez Retire after 25 Years on Counterdrug Task Force
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.
“When Counterdrug hired me, they had me working in the seaport between Elizabeth and Newark,” says Sgt. 1st Class Galvez. “Our main job there was to pop open containers coming from overseas.”
Following 9/11, they were no longer partnered with the U.S. Customs and were relocated to the Department of Justice building to work as linguists. Shortly thereafter, Master Sgt. Tassialvarez moved to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Galvez transferred to the Drug Enforcement Agency to continue working as a Spanish linguist for both agencies.
“I worked as a Linguist in the FBI for about 6 years, and in 2011, I was moved to Postal Inspection Services,” says Master Sgt. Tassialvarez. “That's where I’ve been ever since.”
Galvez, who has worked with the DEA as a linguist since 2007, concentrated on translations while another section of CDTF began to plant its roots with the DEA as Criminal Analysts. Thanks to the hard work of Tassialvarez and Galvez, the CDTF now has a prominent presence supporting both the FBI and DEA.
“To be honest with you, translation was not easy,” says Tassialvarez, reflecting on his time translating when the agencies were still using audio tapes for recording. “With the headphones, you push the button and just click and type away. You rewind and pass over what you want to stop, re-listen to everything. There are different dialects, different people, and some people speak faster than others. You’ve got five different meanings in Spanish for different countries, so now we try and get exactly what's being said.”
Tassialvarez and Galvez have spent the majority of their career together. Between serving in units as a Traditional Drilling Guardsmen (TDG) and working in the same offices on CDTF, they have walked a parallel path for 28 years in the NJNG.
“I move to one location, one month later he comes there too, He moves to another unit, I end up going there a month later too,” says Galvez. “Everyone would confuse us all the time; they would call me Tassi and him Galvez all the time, till this very day.”
For Tassialvarez and Galvez, Counterdrug became a staple in their careers. It is because of CDTF that they have had the opportunity to have such fulfilling careers in the NJ National Guard, and now look forward to enjoying retirement, knowing that they were given an opportunity to do jobs that would otherwise be unheard of.
“It’s a good way into the Guard if you’re looking for something full-time,” says Tassialvarez about the CDTF. “It’s such a great opportunity, and I can see the program adapting with the times to make sure we can continue to do great work with the agencies we work with.”
Sgt. 1st Class Galvez goes on to agree with Tassialvarez on the ever-changing environment. When they first joined the program, they were not doing the same work they retired with; they learned to overcome adversities, and they trust that the program will expand enough to allow the great work CDTF does on a daily basis to grow to heights no one could have anticipated.
(U.S. Army National Guard article by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Martinez)
