Analyzing the U.S. Army's Role in Homeland Security Efforts

The provided report delves into the multifaceted role of the U.S. Army in homeland security, highlighting its contributions to various aspects of national defense. It discusses the Army's support to civil authorities in disaster relief, border security, and domestic preparedness, emphasizing its collaboration with agencies like the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The report outlines the establishment of U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) to coordinate military resources, the Army's involvement in border surveillance and intelligence analysis, and its support for continuity of government operations. It references key publications and sources to provide a comprehensive overview of the Army's evolving responsibilities and contributions to ensuring the security of the U.S. homeland. The Army contributes to border security in ways less obvious than patrols at checkpoints and crossings. Soldiers perform aerial surveillance and intelligence analysis in support of the CBP. In domestic preparedness, federal Army participation will take place when the FBI or the FEMA requests the Department of Defense to provide military forces and capabilities to assist.

The country's military, especially the Army, has a long custom of giving help to neighborhood,
state, and government organizations in relieving the impacts of synthetic and catastrophic events;
accommodating the open security; and reestablishing basic administrations. In light of the
dangers, difficulties, and missions, the President has marked into law a bureau level division,
“the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Department of Defense (DoD) has created
the U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM)”, ("Science and Technology for Army Homeland
Security: Report 1" at NAP.edu", 2003) which, in addition to other things, will arrange and
utilize the benefits of the military when it winds up important to address these difficulties. The
Army will assume a job in the new authoritative structure and in gathering the new hierarchical
requests, yet the careful job stays in a general condition of motion.
“The Army contributes to border security in ways less obvious than patrols at checkpoints and
crossings, said Kevin McAleenan, deputy commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border
Protection. For example, soldiers perform aerial surveillance and intelligence analysis in support
of the CBP, he said. That includes soldiers learning to fly unmanned aerial vehicles at a training
range near the border. While training, they also provide CBP with aerial imagery and other
intelligence, said Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan, commander of U.S. Army North/Fifth Army. Based
at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Army North is the military’s designated force for protecting the
U.S. homeland.” ("Army Role in Homeland Defense Is Rising", 2016)
“In three of the task areas (domestic preparedness, continuity of government, and border and
coastal defense), the Army is in a supporting role to civil authorities. In domestic preparedness,
for example, federal Army participation will take place when the FBI (the lead federal agency for
domestic crisis management operations) or the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) (the lead federal agency for consequence management) requests the Department of
Defense to provide military forces and capabilities to assist. National Guard forces also may, of
course, participate through the state-level chain of command (the governor and adjutant general).
In domestic preparedness, the Army appears to have the leading military role, based on its deep
involvement in all aspects of the task area, including nonproliferation and counterproliferation
activities; preparedness activities, such as training first responders; and support to consequence
management. In continuity of government (COG) activities, the Army could have the leading
military role, although it is difficult to say. In border and coastal defense, there are few
indications that the Army would play the leading military role. In the continuity of operations
task area, the Army essentially is responsible for the protection of its own forces, mission-critical
facilities and systems, and higher headquarters. Protection of other potential targets seems likely
to be on an ‘as assigned’ basis.” (Eric V. Larson, John E. Peters, n.d.)

Reference:
Army Role in Homeland Defense Is Rising. (2016, October 12). Retrieved July 18, 2019, from
https://www.ausa.org/news/army-role-homeland-defense-rising
Eric V. Larson, John E. Peters, Preparing the U.S. Army for Homeland Security Concepts,
Issues, and Options RAND Corporation Provides Objective Research Services and Public
Policy Analysis | RAND. (n.d.). Retrieved July 17, 2019, from
http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/www/external/congress/terrorism/phase1/
homeland.pdf
"Science and Technology for Army Homeland Security: Report 1" at NAP.edu. (n.d.). Retrieved
July 17, 2019, from https://www.nap.edu/read/10655/chapter/3#26