The Role of the National Guard in Homeland Security

In response to the terrorist attacks on the homeland of the United States the focus of the National Security Strategy has shifted fundamentally. The Bush administration is leading a worldwide effort to combat terrorism and protect United States citizens at home and abroad. This campaign places new and significant challenges at the doorstep of the Department of Defense. Using unclassified resources this research project will review and access how the Department of Defense can best utilize the abilities and resources of the National Guard in these efforts. There is a role to be played in Homeland Security by the National Guard. That role must be clearly articulated in terms of tasks that support the civilian agencies that truly bear responsibility for the security of the homeland against terrorist attacks. The SRP will focus on ways to leverage the unique aspects of the National Guard to assist these agencies in homeland security while trying to achieve a balance of readiness for satisfying the primary war- fighting mission assigned to the National Guard.