Homeland Defense: At Risk as a Result of Civil Support?""
Abstract : This research effort is an attempt by the author to examine the broad area of military support to civil authorities and the potential for a significant demand on Department of Defense (DoD) resources. Since September 11, 2001, our nation has devoted a tremendous amount of effort to place greater emphasis on homeland security. The National Strategy for Homeland Security provides the overarching framework for organizing to secure our homeland. It prescribes various roles for all segments of the nation. It specifies that the DoD contributes through three primary means: military missions overseas, homeland defense, and support to civil authorities. Military support to civil authorities constitutes a very broad area that may place a significant demand on DoD resources and may have a significant impact on DoD's ability to perform its role of homeland defense. In fact, DoD's military support to civil authorities role in support of homeland security has the potential to become a primary mission for DoD in some areas. This gray area between homeland defense and military support to civil authorities require further examination.