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Arizona Air Guardsman Honored as Analyst of the Year

  • Published
  • By Airman First Class Jackson Hurd
  • 162nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
The Outstanding Analyst of the Year Award was presented to Arizona Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Svetlana Sevciuc for her full-time work as an intelligence specialist with the Arizona High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) in July. Sevciuc is a services specialist in her drill-status duties with the 162nd Fighter Wing here.

"She is a great representation of the military," said Master Sgt. Cookie Gonzales, Sgt. Sevciuc's full-time supervisor. "She came out on top to win the award over her civilian counterparts working for other law enforcement agencies."

Sevciuc began working for the Joint Counter Narcotic-Terrorism Task Force (JCNTF) in March of 2010, and was assigned to the Arizona HIDTA Intelligence Support Center (ISC) as one of nine Domestic Highway Enforcement (DHE) analysts. Sgt. Sevciuc monitors drug related activity in her region, which includes Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Nevada. Her analytical expertise is also a vital part of Arizona's JCNTF mission.

"I look at the trends and patterns of drug trafficking, compare the data to previous years, check what law enforcement is doing, and identify if there is a new or emerging trend or shift in activity," said Sevciuc.

The Arizona JCNTF has been around for nearly 20 years assisting various federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies in disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations. Arizona Air National Guard and Army National Guard members work hand in hand with law enforcement agents and analysts to perform functions, such as monitoring border activity, translating and transcribing documents and videos, and conducting intelligence analysis.

Sevciuc assisted with the production of the annual "Arizona Threat Assessment Report" that was disseminated among various law enforcement agencies. The document contained drug-related violence, transportation and distribution routes, and other drug related trends and issues in Arizona.

"I assisted my law enforcement supervisor in creating this document," said Sevciuc. "I gathered and analyzed drug related activity on the Arizona highway system and created a variety of maps and charts that we added to the threat report."

In addition to her DHE duties, Sevciuc is assigned to the Threats and Production Unit within the Arizona HIDTA ISC, which is responsible for reviewing data, producing situational awareness and officer safety bulletins.

"The officers have to know what is going on," said Sevciuc. "If something is a threat to our officers, we put out an awareness bulletin for their safety."

Sevciuc says she is very satisfied with the work she provides for the Air National Guard and the JCNTF and says she strives to perform at 120 percent every day to get the job done.

"I enjoy my job and it's the most professional work environment I've ever had," said Sevciuc. "Everyone here is very work-oriented, and the support we provide to the law agencies makes a difference."