Air National Guard Resource Allocation and Its Strategic Implications for Homeland Defense and Homeland Security

The United States Department of Homeland Security relies on the Department of Defense for military resources. Force providers within DOD for Homeland Defense (HD) and Homeland Security (HS) are primarily U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force (including National Guard) assets coordinated through NORTHCOM. At the State level ArNG and ANG assets are allocated to HS and MSCA missions by the respective Governor. This concurrent authority of the National Guard continues to create mismatches of roles missions and responsibilities between the ArNG and the ANG in terms of support to state Homeland Security as well as decreased effectiveness for its Federal missions. This paper addresses theoretical and strategic concepts of resource allocation with respect to support of Homeland Defense and Homeland Security by the U.S. Air Force the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve. Additionally it describes the suggested transfer of selected capabilities to enhance overall National Security effectiveness. Finally recommendations are made to study how the reallocation of certain categories of assets between the active and reserve components could result in better alignment of resources for the Air National Guard's dual-role of overseas operational and domestic homeland security missions.