The Military's Changing Role in Homeland Security: What Does Right Look Like?

Abstract

My intent is to analyze the current discussion regarding the military's role in homeland security to determine the proper utilization of the United States' military instrument of power as it pertains to homeland security operations. The Department of Homeland Security continues to experience change as the department seeks its niche in the government as provided and directed by the President. Several recent discussions much of which have been captured in the media have potentially started the military down a road I do not believe the military should go. As a self-proclaimed pragmatist I believe the military instrument of national power is sanctioned to fight the nation's wars in a true Clausewitzian sense. Should an actor threaten or attack the United States I believe the military should be utilized to secure and defend the nation and public and not be responsible for citizen security as some experts argue. In order to properly utilize the military instrument of national power the United States government must once again grapple with the grammar and logic of the same and clearly establish feasible acceptable and suitable missions for the military at the federal state and local levels of government regarding homeland security operations.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 11, 2005
Accession Number
ADA449722

Entities

People

  • Martin J. Wilson

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Congress
  • Department Of Homeland Security
  • Disasters
  • Emergency Response
  • Employment
  • First Responders
  • Homeland Security
  • Law
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Public Administration
  • United States Government
  • United States Northern Command
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.