The Department of Homeland Security: The Before and After
Wendy Zambrano
Liberty University
HLSC 510- D02
Introduction:
Throughout the years we had situations that had lead us to believe that we need a policy
to lessen our worries. During different time periods we had a policy come into place in order to
have a plan for the next time. There have been different policies done during World War I, World
War II, and even till to this day we are creating new ways to implement effectiveness to stop the
threats of terrorism and even natural disaster. There have been policies created that have lead us
to success and failures. However, what happened on 9/11 no one was ever ready for this. Once
9/11 occurred and it was an act of terrorism there was a Department created which leads the
defense system till this day?
The Department of Homeland Security was made after 9/11 Terrorist attack. Shortly, after
11 days of the terrorist attack, Governor Tom Ridge was appointed the Head Department of
Homeland Security, which leads to this agency providing a defense towards terrorist attacks. The
Department of Homeland Security reorganization it’s plan on November 25, 2002, which sets out
a blueprint for the new organization. As stated by the Council of National Defense, 2020:
“Included are five directorates: (1) Border and Transportation Security, (2) Emergency
Preparedness and Response, (3) Science and Technology, (4) Information Analysis and
Infrastructure Protection, and (5) Management.”
However, before the Department of Homeland Security there was the Council of National
Defense. Thorough out the paper, I will discuss the Department of Homeland Security, what was
before the Department and how it secured national threat, and speak about 9.11 and how the civil
defense came to what it is now.
World War I:
Before Homeland Security the Council of National Defense was established on August
29, 1916 with the passage of an Army appropriations bill. The Council of National Defense
included the “Secretaries of Warm Navy, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, and Labor which all
assisted in responsibilities that included allocating resources for natural defense and increase
morale” (). After the Council of National Defense, Franklin Roosevelt created the National
Emergency Council in 1933. The National Emergency council consisted of duties that
coordinated with emergency programs which leads to national preparedness. Years after creating
the National Emergency Council in 1933, President Roosevelt decided to create the Office of
Civilian Defense in 1941 to ensure they were responding to the concern of the public and local
officials (Back & Hopkins et al. (Eds.) (2003).
World War II:
After Roosevelt left for office Truman began his Presidential reign, with that being said
Truman as well implemented concepts that can help during times that were harsh. After Congress
passed the National Security Act of 1947, “the U.S. National Security Council is the main
advisory body to the President of the United States tasked with helping the head of state to make
the right decisions on matters related to national security”( Pavlov, 2017). The National Security is
known to start the Central Intelligence Agency which also created the National Security
Resources Board, which was responsible to help civilian and military support. During the time of
Truman he has also created the Federal Civil Defense Administration which was supposed to
guide the States’ efforts.
Clinton Administration:
After the Reagan Administration, Clinton began to run and created a Policy called
Counterterrorism and National Preparedness Policy Coordinating Committee which was
establish to work with other organization such as the Federal Operations, Counterterrorism and
Security, Preparedness and WMD, and Information Infrastructure Protection and Assurance ().
The Counterterrorism and National Preparedness Policy Coordinating Committee created more
of a structure to deal with threats. After 9/11 there were other policies that were brought in after
Homeland Security. The reason for all of these policies is to ensure the safety threats that are
being brought towards the United States.
After 9/11 Terrorism there has been more civil defense after the creation of Homeland
Security. Following the Department of Homeland Security was developed in March 2002 which
was called Homeland Security Advisory Council. The Homeland Security Advisory Council was
just to do that advice the President Homeland security matters. After this the Directorate of
Preparedness became created which came with the control and review of being prepared during
times of hardship. There are more administration that created different section before Homeland
Security and especially after. Each one has an important task to complete especially during times
that are needed. The post–9/11 emergence of homeland security, introduced with massive levels
of federal funding, triggered waves of state and local reorganization—much of it involving
emergency managers and emergency management (Syles, 2020)
After 9/11 there were many plans that were created. For example, the National Planning
Framework was designed after the National Response Plan was not working out as they have
planned. The administration reinvented the National Response Plan to National Planning
framework which covers 5 steps in being prepared: Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response,
or Recovery. Such as the four phases of emergency was implemented so were these. The four
phases were mitigation, recovery, preparedness, and response. Each of the phases has its
framework that helps during a natural disaster and even a terrorist attack such as 9/11. Each of
these emergency responses came into place. For example, mitigation is where they decide what
to do and how to lessen the risk of health, safety and the welfare of society. The recovery phase
of disaster also offers opportunities for mitigation actions (Haddow & Bolluck, 2006). Recovery
is how they can come back to where the state or the country was before the disaster happened. In
Preparedness, this is where all the policies come in and take place. Preparedness is where they
have created a plan to where it has prevented or while prevent any further disaster the nest time.
That is why there is a Homeland Security because it is their strategies that comes up with plans
that stops terrorism and other international crimes. Lastly, there is Response, which is how we
respond at the time of disaster. For example, the response for 9/11 attack was to take declare war
on the al Qaeda group. It is one way of response, but in general it is how to reduce the
chance of not having another attack. Overall these phases of emergency will increase
the probability of another attack to decrease. However, it all depends on the
government attacks the disaster first. If the government does not act fast then
mitigation, response, and preparedness are honestly out of the question. The reason for
this is because the government are unaware of what is going on and how to eradicate
the situation.
In the scripture of Isiah 2:4 states “And He will judge between the nations, And will
render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their
spears into pruning hooks Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they
learn war.” In Isiah, he states that the decisions is made God and God alone. Many people
believe that they can be the judge, jury, and executioner. People believe they have the right to
decide who lives and who dies. How can we decide these things if we are biased people and we
will judge people because of whatever we feel at that current time and most of it is because of
hatred. We need to leave the decision making to God. The reason why I chose this verse is
because most of our Wars were based off of hatred or wanting to conquer others. We as humans
are given Free Will, but it is not meant to be misused by declaring they are Gods. As a country
we should try to find a way to find some mutual ground regardless of what happened.
Conclusion:
There are more framework that were created throughout the years. These frameworks
helped created a balance between disaster and preparedness. Before Homeland Security came to
be created there was an administration that was supposed to implement the effect on how
national security policies would come about. All of administration before Homeland Security is
what gave them a sense of how proceed with this new route. We have seen today that the policies
that are brought to us has shaped the way we use as emergencies.
References:
Allida Back, June Hopkins, et al. (Eds.) (2003). Teaching Eleanor Roosevelt. (Hyde Park, New
York: Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site 2003). Retrieved 6/2006 from
http://www.nps.gov/elro/glossary/office-civilian-defense.htm
Council of National Defense”. Washington Watchdog. Retrieved 6/2020 from
http://www.washingtonwatchdog.org/documents/usc/ttl50/ch1/se c1.html
Civil Defense and Homeland Security: A Short History of National Preparedness Efforts. (2006).
Retrieved from https://training.fema.gov/hiedu/docs/dhs civil defense-hs - short
history.pdf
George D. Haddow and Jane A. Bullock, Introduction to Emergency Management, 2nd ed.
(Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2006), 58–59.
Pavlov, V. V. (2017). The U.S. National Security Council in Contemporary American
International Studies. Vestnik MGIMO-Universiteta, (4(49)), 181-189.
Sylves, R. (2020). Disaster policy & politics: Emergency management and homeland
security (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: CQ Press. ISBN: 978-1506368689
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
