The Civil Support Mission-Is NORTHCOM on the Right Path

• Main Author: Weisgerber, Mark W.
• Other Authors: NAVAL WAR COLL NEWPORT RI JOINT MILITARY OPERATIONS DEPT
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2005
• Subjects: Civil Defense; Military Operations; Strategy and Tactics; *JOINT MILITARY ACTIVITIES; *CIVIL AFFAIRS; *HOMELAND SECURITY; DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE; UNITED STATES; COMMERCE; UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT; DOCTRINE; MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS; DOMESTIC; ORGANIZATIONS; MANPOWER; MISSIONS; *NORTHCOM(NORTHERN COMMAND); NORTHCOM
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA464341; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA464341

September 11, 2001 was a watershed event for homeland security. Within a year, sweeping changes in both civilian and military organizations were made to address perceived vulnerabilities within the homeland. Through the establishment of United States Northern Command and currently emerging joint doctrine, the Department of Defense has redefined its role in providing domestic civil support. Concurrently, the newly established Department of Homeland Security has become the lead federal agency for all homeland security issues. Given that DHS will continue to build capability across the homeland security mission spectrum, the Armed Forces contribution should proportionally diminish. In order to support this thesis the paper explores the emerging operational constructs that define how NORTHCOM will utilize joint forces when executing the civil support mission. Analysis will identify key problematic issues associated with current and future mission execution with specific emphasis on manpower, training, and redundancies that effect both DOD and DHS. Problem areas are addressed via recommendations to CDRUSNORTHCOM and offer suggestions designed to optimize economy of force and unity of effort across the homeland security mission spectrum.