Homeland Security & Defense

Work Group 2 - Assessing the Evolving Relationship of the National Guard to Other Components of Domestic Crisis Response Dennis M Murphy Issue Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "The new National Strategy for Homeland Security, the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, Homeland Security Presidential Directive 8, Annex 1, and a host of other initiatives have signaled what could result in significant changes in the roles played by the Reserve Component in domestic preparedness, response and recovery operations. The National Guard Bureau (NGB) in particular may be postured to take on expanded responsibilities in these areas as its Chief assumes a new status as an advisor to the Secretary of Defense."

2008 Key Strategic Issues List Antulio J. Echevarria II Document by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The Key Strategic Issues List (KSIL) offers military and civilian researchers a ready reference of topics that are of particular interest to the Department of the Army and the Department of Defense. The KSIL performs a valuable service by linking the research community with major defense organizations which, in turn, seek to benefit from focused research. It thus forms a critical link in an ongoing research cycle. With the publication of the AY 2008-09 KSIL, the Strategic Studies Institute and the U.S. Army War College invite the research community to address any of the many strategic challenges identified herein. Further information regarding specific topics can be obtained by contacting SSI faculty or relevant KSIL sponsors."

Sixth Annual Reserve Component Symposium Workshop #3 Prof John F Troxell Issue Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "In response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita the military mounted a massive response that saved many lives and greatly assisted recovery efforts. The military took proactive steps and responded with about 50,000 National Guard and 20,000 active federal personnel. Based on its June 2005 civil support strategy, the Department of Defense (DOD) relied heavily on the Guard during the initial response. In addition, active duty forces were alerted prior to landfall and key capabilities such as aviation, medical, and engineering forces were initially deployed. Growing concerns about the magnitude of the disaster prompted DOD to deploy large, active ground units to supplement the Guard beginning about 5 days after landfall..."

2007 Key Strategic Issues List (KSIL) Antulio J. Echevarria II Document by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Today our nation faces several major challenges, ranging in type from the conflict in Iraq to changes in force size and structure. These challenges may be more significant than any the United States has faced in more than a decade. With the publication of the 2007 KSIL, the Strategic Studies Institute and the U.S. Army War College invite all researchers to contribute their efforts to resolving these challenges. Researchers are encouraged to contact any of the SSI points of contact, or those found in the Expanded KSIL, for further information regarding their desired topics. These points of contact are not necessarily subject experts, but can recommend such experts or additional sponsors."

Defense, Development, and Diplomacy (3D): Canadian and U.S. Military Perspectives Dr Max G Manwaring Colloquium Brief by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, with Queens University, and the Canadian Land Forces Doctrine and Training System "War has changed. New organizing principles require a new paradigm that facilitates change from a singular military approach to a multidimensional, multi organizational, and multilateral/multinational whole-of-government and whole-of-alliance/coalition approach to deal more effectively with the contemporary global security reality."

Budget Policy, Deficits, and Defense: A Fiscal Framework for Defense Planning Dr Dennis S Ippolito Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The transformation of the U.S. military is entering a critical stage. The Department of Defense is initiating the most far-reaching changes in its worldwide bases and deployments since the 1950s. Parallel efforts to consolidate domestic bases and defense facilities are likely as well, now that the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission has begun its work. And the Quadrennial Defense Review currently underway could have a profound impact on the size and shape of future forces."

Responding to the Unthinkable; the Role(s) of the Military LTC Jeffery A Mcnary Issue Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "This workshop series, initiated to explore issues regarding the Army’s Reserve Components and their role in National Security as portrayed in Army wargames and exercises, focused on responding to a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, or High-yield Explosive (CBRNE) attack on the Homeland. Previous workshops framed general issues of strategic concern for the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve while also examining how well those issues had or had not been represented in key Army simulation exercises. This year’s workshop represented a narrowing of focus to cover a specific area of significant concern – the possibility of “the unthinkable” happening within the next few years, but at the same time it also widened the scope by focusing on an issue that involves the Reserve Components but is not Reserve Component centric."

A Nuclear Weapon Detonation in the Homeland Prof James O Kievit, LTC Jeffery A Mcnary Issue Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "Every day an already challenging security environment grows even more daunting with the continued proliferation of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive (CBRNE) capabilities throughout the world. Each can create clandestine devices for delivery by state-sponsored or non state terrorists. Thus, in the future, perhaps the not so distant future, American political and military leadership actually may have to respond to “the unthinkable”: a successful weapon of mass destruction (WMD) attack by terrorists within the borders of the nation. With that possibility in mind, the United States Army War College (USAWC) recently conducted a focused workshop bringing together over 100 participants from local, regional, state and federal entities at the Center for Strategic Leadership on Carlisle Barracks to review contemporary plans, policies and procedures and discuss developing programs to incorporate military, and especially reserve component (RC) forces into the responses to a hypothetical CBRNE attack within the borders of the United States. Three different attack scenarios were presented – one biological, one radiological, and one nuclear. This paper addresses the workshop’s findings related to response to a nuclear weapon attack. "

A Radiological Detonation Device Explodes in the Homeland Prof Michael J Pasquarett, COL John A Tanzi Issue Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "The leadership of the United States has emphatically stated “it’s not a matter of if, but rather when another terrorist attack will occur.” Therefore, in the future, maybe distant or not so distant, the United States’ political and military leadership may have to face actually responding to “the unthinkable”: a successful radiological attack by terrorists within the borders of the Nation. A terror event of this magnitude makes the already challenging security environment even more daunting. This new style of attack is indeed different from past threats characterized by force-on-force conflict across borders with enemies and friends that were known and open warfare that now seems so straightforward and in comparison simple. The new security challenge is different and very complex and grows from the proliferation of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive (CBRNE) capabilities throughout the world."