Resourcing Homeland Security: "The Way Ahead"

Abstract

When President Bush established the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on October 8th 2001 the newest Cabinet member of the Federal Government was given the tall order of ensuring that Americans never again relive the tragedies of September 11th 2001. The resourcing implications of such an undertaking are overwhelming. The intent of this research paper is to provide a general understanding of the complexity and magnitude of resourcing homeland security (HLS) at the national level and introduce concepts to improve the current federal government's homeland security resourcing construct. This thesis briefly dissects the nation's homeland security resourcing equation - the Who What_Where_When and How the country determines prioritizes and allocates resources to provide for the security of the homeland. Discussion continues with analysis of the FY2004 federal HLS budget and concludes with some conceptual recommendations and governing principles the federal government should implement as the nation's homeland security construct matures and the DHS develops a supporting resource management system. The following policy recommendations support a more robust resource management system for the DHS and fall primarily into two categories: process engineering and engaging others. These two broad categories are subdivided into the topics of: 1) A Planning System to Combat Emerging Threats; 2) Resource Planning for the Out-Years; 3) A Codified Budget Process; 4) Engaging the Private Sector; 5) International Burden Sharing; 6) Clarification and Solidification of the NORTHCOM/DHS relationship and; 7) the Fifty States as Equal Partners. This study recognizes the DHS admirable progress in establishing a functioning resource management system and takes the opportunity to build upon its successes to develop and improve upon the current construct.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2004
Accession Number
ADA423780

Entities

People

  • Thomas A. Horlander

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Counter WMD
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Department Of Defense
  • Department Of Homeland Security
  • Department Of State
  • Federal Budgets
  • Financial Management
  • Governments
  • Homeland Defense
  • Homeland Security
  • Law
  • National Governments
  • National Security
  • Public Administration
  • Security
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • United States Northern Command
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
  • Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
  • Strategic Security Studies