Homeland Defense
There is a distinct yet subtle difference between homeland defense and homeland security and that the terms homeland security and
homeland defense are often very incorrectly used interchangeably. In defending
the homeland the Department of Defense (DoD) has clear and defined responsibilities often very much
separate from those of civil organizations. The Defense Department recognizes there are
differences between the homeland security and homeland defense missions.
Generally, the DoD supports national
homeland security through its military homeland defense missions - that of civil support to other agencies. The
homeland security mission is a concerted effort to prevent terrorist attacks
within the United States, to reduce the nation's vulnerability to terrorism,
and to minimize damage and to assist in recovery efforts after terrorist
attacks. Generally the Department
of Homeland Security conducts the homeland security mission and the Department
of Defense conducts the homeland defense mission. Where the confusion comes in is how the DoD
support the Department of Homeland Security in carrying out the homeland security
mission.
There are three circumstances where
DoD would be involved in homeland security activities within the United States,
he noted. They are:
- Traditional military missions performed inside the
United States, called "extraordinary circumstances." An example
would be conducting combat air patrols, during which military aircraft
might be ordered to shoot down a terrorist-hijacked airliner that's en
route to a target.
- Emergency circumstances, where the military aids civil
authorities or other federal agencies with logistical and other support
in, for instance, disaster relief missions after hurricanes, tornadoes and
floods.
- Temporary circumstances, such as DoD support to the
Olympics.
This section of the library covers
the Homeland Defense Mission and the Department of Defense.
|
