National Guard and the Department of Homeland Security

After 9/11 the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was established and has responsibility for natural disasters and first response to acts on domestic soil. A primary tool available to both DHS and the Department of Defense is the National Guard (NG). The future challenges that face the nation will potentially overwhelm the current structure and relationships between the DoD and the DHS. A likely issue will be the authority to use the NG as well as the command structure relating to the use of the NG as it relates to the State and Federal authorities. This thesis examines the relationship between the NG, DoD, and the DHS and attempts to answer the question of what is the appropriate role for the NG. This thesis makes the recommendation that the current relationship, while flawed, is the most practical for the future. This study does conclude that significant changes need to occur in the DoD with regard to the NG and its structure in order to prepare for the next significant event that will eventually occur within the United States.