Maritime Homeland Security/Defense Command and Control: One Team - One Fight

• Main Author: Ansley, Jason L.
• Other Authors: NAVAL WAR COLL NEWPORT RI JOINT MILITARY OPERATIONS DEPT
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2003
• Subjects: Civil Defense; Defense Systems; *NAVY; *COAST GUARD; *HOMELAND SECURITY; COASTAL REGIONS; NATIONAL SECURITY; CRISIS MANAGEMENT; STRATEGY; THREATS; TASK FORCES; INTEROPERABILITY; SECURITY; VULNERABILITY; TEAMS(PERSONNEL); RESPONSE; MISSIONS; PROTECTION; TERRORISM; NORTHCOM
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA414633; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA414633

Various actions since September 11, 2001 have introduced changes in the government that will ensure that this nation is less vulnerable to attack, yet the terrorist threat still exists and one of this nation's more vulnerable spots is an attack from the sea. With the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the DoD's Northern Command (NORTHCOM), both agencies will focus on countering threats to U.S. territory and sovereignty. Both have maritime components that theoretically will focus on the maritime threats to the U.S. DHS and the U.S. Coast Guard will focus on the prevention of terrorist attacks and the reduction of America's vulnerabilities, while NORTHCOM and the U.S. Navy will focus on the protection from terrorist attacks and crisis response. Both agencies will have separate maritime command and control structures and rely on interoperability and integration when dealing with either Defense or Security missions. This structure lacks unity of command, effort and decentralized execution and does not provide for adequate maritime command and control when addressing vulnerabilities along our nation's coasts. However, with clear command and control established, the Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) counter-drug model should be adopted with NORTHCOM to ensure DoD forces are focused on the maritime aspect of the Homeland Defense and integrated into the Homeland Security interagency effort. This will seal the seams between the two missions and deny the enemy a chance to attack our vulnerabilities.