Homeland Security: The Department of Defense's Role

Publication Date: May 2003

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

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Research Area: Military and defense

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Abstract:

For over a century the U.S. military has focused on expeditionary warfare overseas. Its participation in domestic operations has been sporadic and generally in response to natural disasters. With the heightened concern about large-scale terrorism, have come efforts to involve DOD more closely with federal, state and local agencies in their homeland security activities. DOD resources are unique in the government, both in their size and capabilities, and can be applied to both deter and respond to terrorist acts. While the DOD leadership is ready and willing to play a supporting role in these efforts, it wishes to maintain overseas military operations as the Department's primary focus, and avoid an drain of fiscal, materiel, and personnel resources to the homeland security mission.

In response to the increased focus on homeland security, on October 1, 2002, DOD activated a new combatant command, Northern Command or NORTHCOM.. Exactly how DOD and a new DHS will establish and maintain coordination and cooperation remains to be seen. Legislation creating the DHS (P.L. 107-296) is silent on this question, and details on the new NORTHCOM are scarce.

The intelligence collection and analysis capabilities within the Department of Defense are a substantial portion of the United States' national intelligence assets. They include the National Security Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the intelligence and security branches of the individual armed services. Consequently, the means and extent of cooperation/coordination between DOD and the new DHS will be of great importance to the success of DHS's efforts to provide comprehensive intelligence analysis.

The Department of Defense, with its active duty and reserve forces, and the potential of federalizing National Guard units, has the largest and most diversified personnel assets in the Federal Government. As was demonstrated in the months after the September 2001 terrorist attacks, they can be used in a variety of security and emergency response roles. In particular, the Department of Defense remains the greatest federal repository of resources for responding to a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) incident. It is anticipated that civilian authorities will eventually develop better capabilities to deal with CBRN incidents, however for the foreseeable future there will be continued reliance upon DOD assets.