History of Homeland Security Research
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HISTORY OF HOMELAND SECURITY 1
History of Homeland Security
Tyler J. Gregory
Liberty University | HLSC 510
HISTORY OF HOMELAND SECURITY 2
History of Homeland Security
The reason we make it to church on Sunday morning, wake up for work every day, and get to love the ones we do. Homeland Security has a long history of defending the patriots of this
country and those who support it. The intentions of this paper are to report the history of homeland security, the critical events that have led us to where we are now, and the pieces and components found within homeland security that make it as complex as it is. If you can think of any profession in the world, you can bet that homeland security has, not only a role in it but a big
role at that. Homeland security began just years after the enactment of the Declaration of Independence. This era of homeland security was underdeveloped and very little of its work remains in place today. However, it paved a path for the Civil Defense era of homeland security which started in unison with World War II. Following the 9/11 attacks on US soil, a new era of homeland security emerged and is currently still evolving as we speak. Over the span of three eras, homeland security has found success by using intelligence, counterterrorism methods, and emergency management operations. Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) houses
22 different agencies and over 240,000 employees. The Start of Homeland Security (Founding - WWII)
Some will argue that homeland security began well before 1776 and the US Revolution, given that the United States government and its patrons defended the land against a threat. While
this is especially true within the works of our founding fathers, additional documentation is hard to come by until the founding of the Department of Treasury. Just 13 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Department of Treasury was founded in 1789. Soon after the founding of the Department of Treasury, congress approved the construction of 10 ships for the Revenue Marines. The purpose of the Revenue Marines was to enforce tariffs and import
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restrictions into the United States and its waters. This can be seen as one of the earliest signs of homeland security. The Revenue Marine service was later renamed to the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, named after the 10 cutter ships that were armed for defense purposes. Today, it is better known as the United States Coast Guard. This, including the creation of medical support installations, pioneered the homeland security field well into the 19th and 20th centuries. Early Problems
It is known that the common goal behind homeland security and the American government has kept its course over the years of existence. However, where we see the largest changes are within the organization of homeland security, the laws that continue to support the constitution yet adapt to the rapidly changing society that is present today, and most of all communication. In the first era of homeland security, communication was very different than it is
today. The reports of national security related incidents took weeks, sometimes months to reach their intended audience. Unfortunately, due to this homeland security became more of an observe-and-advise field due to the need of approval for action. Richard Sylves mentions in Disaster Policy and Politics (2019), “In the United States before 1950, whenever a major disaster occurred that captured or involved the national interest, it would be Congress that would respond, with the president as a secondary respondent. This system proved to be slow, ineffective, and cumbersome.” (p.82). Those who fell victim to catastrophic events such as natural disasters and hazards found themselves waiting a noticeable amount of time before receiving any sort of assistance from the United States Government. In addition, the government would not simply grant money or provide aid in the form it does today. Victims who received financial assistance were obligated to repay the government after a period of time. The assistance
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provided by the government was merely a push in the right direction, nowhere near enough to cover the full costs of repair.
Founding Fathers
Homeland security showed signs as early as our founding fathers such as Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson. Encryption, a method that is heavily used in homeland security today, originated on US turf by our founding fathers. The encryptions were also regarded to as “ciphers”. According to Ryan Hagemann, author for Niskanencenter.org, the founding fathers “...employed ciphers in order to keep their correspondences free from the prying eyes of British agents during the Revolutionary War. Even after the founding, they continued to use encryption. Jefferson and Adams, in particular, used it in regular communications...” (niskanen.org, 2016). The early use of such methods provides a framework for the following eras of homeland security. Civil Defense Era (WWII-9/11)
Following the attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the United States ushered in a new era of homeland security. In the midst of the most technologically advanced war to date, homeland security was advancing rapidly whether it be reactionary or preventive. This era placed a massive
emphasis on civilian protection and the protection of our infrastructures. In an article found on jstor.org, Barbara Gruder (2017) reports on the initial establishments that the civil defense era placed a focus on. She states, “The first institution concerned exclusively with civil defence was the Federal Civil Defence Administration inaugurated in 1950 (-1972), which was tasked to: strengthen our capacity to substantially withstand attack, our national resiliency, by insuring the continuity of civil government and the protection of civilian life.” (p.7). The modernization of security and aiding factors such as intelligence and liaison grounded themselves in the civil
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defense period, giving plenty of history to look back on today. Hsdl.org publishes a timeline updated periodically that mentions the beginning of the civil defense period by stating, “The Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950 is signed into law. Prior to this act, there was no comprehensive legislation covering disaster relief. This act establishes a basic framework for preparations…” (hsdl.org 2023). When looking at disaster relief and emergency management, it isn’t until this era of civil defense that we see the framework of the system we operate under today. The phases of emergency management were first seen in the late 90s providing a more organized approach to managing the disasters that faced the United States. According to Jamba.org.za, “The earliest example of a disaster management cycle proposed by Baird et al. (1975) was comprised of six different phases, namely, reconstruction, mitigation and prediction, preparedness for relief, warning, relief, and rehabilitation.” (jamba.org.za, 2012). Although the phases have changed names over the years (mitigation, preparedness, response, and
recovery) the work is relatively similar in nature. As compared to the first era of homeland security, massive improvements were made in the communication and response phases, leading to more lives saved and economically better decisions when it came to relief. Economic Powerhouse
Aside from the large wins that The United States took part in during this era of homeland security, we quite honestly saw the bright side of the economic factor. As World War II stemmed
from The Great Depression and a global landslide of poor economies, the US began upscaling its
economy and proceeded to do so throughout the war. The question of whether our homeland security efforts were successful or not was hardly a question at all. As an economy we unknowingly began using emergency management cycles, taking into consideration preparedness
and mitigation plans. EH.net produced a research article titled The American Economy During
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World War II, and in this research article author Christopher J. Tassava states, “nowhere was the federal government’s leadership more important than in the realm of “preparedness” — the national project to ready for war by enlarging the military, strengthening certain allies such as Great Britain, and above all converting America’s industrial base to produce armaments and other war materiel rather than civilian goods.” (Tassava, 2008). Following World War II, the US continued to make its mark as a powerhouse economy on the global market. Entering the Cold War which was a product of the push for power between a communist state (Soviet Union) and a capitalist one (United States), many allies of both states benefitted economically. In a recent National Security Strategy addressed at the White House by President Joe Biden and his administration, President Biden referenced the Cold War by stating, “Just as the United States and countries around the world benefited greatly from the post-Cold War international order, so too did the PRC and Russia. The PRC’s economy and geopolitical influence grew rapidly. Russia
joined the G8 and G20 and recovered economically in the 2000s.” (whitehouse.gov, 2022). While the rest of the globe celebrated successful economics, the United States further grew its homeland security department by strengthening intelligence sectors, adding additional agencies, and recovering allies. One of the greatest outcomes for the United States and global security entirely was the formation of NATO and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact.
Homeland Security Today (Post 9/11)
At 9:03 am on September 11, 2001, the United States of America was under attack for the
first time in nearly 60 years, since the attack on Pearl Harbor. From this day forward, the US would adopt a new form of homeland security, one dedicated to counterterrorism, liaison, communication, and the support of Americans in need. Just 45 days later, the USA Patriot Act would be passed. Although amended, the USA Patriot Act still reads today, “AN ACT To deter
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and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools, and for other purposes.” (govinfo.gov, 2022). This act would improve homeland security capabilities, giving them intelligence opportunities as if all collectible intelligence was open-source or OSINT. Just over a year after the debut of this new era of homeland security, the United States would sign the Homeland Security Act, eventually placing 22 agencies under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Counterterrorism missions were
expected from many DHS agencies as this was the primary focus during the early 2000s. Emergency Management’s Role in Homeland Security
An essential agency that acts more as a support rather than a defensive or offensive force would be the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA had been around for some time
prior to the establishment of the DHS and even had a responsibility in the 9/11 attacks. Over time, FEMA has implemented the disaster life cycle in all areas of government and private organizations. Ultimately, any operation done in any agency can be analyzed and placed into the four stages. As mentioned earlier, these four stages present themselves as mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Mitigation and preparedness work themselves into all national security elements as well as domestic, homeland security. An uncontrollable threat that the globe faces, particularly the United States due to its diverse locations, is natural disasters or hazards. These disasters cannot be anticipated or prevented much like an enemy or terrorist could, therefor it calls for mitigation and preparedness efforts to dampen the harsh effects felt by the disaster. The University of Central Florida has posted an informational resource regarding emergency management and has even posted recent statistics, saying, “The number of disasters resulting in billion-dollar loses has been steadily rising, from 29 disasters in the 1980s to 119 disasters in the 2010s.” (ucf.edu, 2023). As the statistic shows, it is apparent that FEMA has
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increasing importance in the role of homeland security as time continues. However, FEMA’s largest role comes from its “post-boom” operations, response, and recovery. Millions every year are affected by disasters, hazards, terror attacks, and abnormal events that change an individual’s
everyday life. FEMA provides grants, financial assistance, and accommodations that allow the victims to carry on with normal daily activities. Response and recovery operations have come a long way since the previous eras when communications were limited, response times were elongated, and recovery funds were nearly insulting. Nonetheless, homeland security has made unbelievable advancements following the 9/11 attacks. The United States has established a relationship with critical states that have similar goals of counterterrorism and the push for globalization. The creation of fusion centers, advancements in document security, and stated by the Department of Homeland Security, “Enhanced explosive screening...” (dhs.gov, 2022). As time continues, we have become more of a reactionary workforce, establishing new policies and procedures once a threat has slipped through the cracks. Biblical Implications
In the book of Joshua 1 verse 8, it states, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (theholybible esv, 2001). This verse fits this paper, it fits the United States, and it correlates with our motto, “In God We Trust”. Joshua 1:8 speaks about trusting God’s word, carrying out his word through your actions, and being rewarded with success as you
should. The United States homeland security initiative has placed its trust in the process and God, who has blessed us with the answers for success, prosperity, and fortunate relationships.
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Homeland Security Summary
From the beginning of the United States, the primary objective has been to defend our constitution, the people of America, and our allies. Throughout the three periods of homeland security, the main takeaway has been that increase in communication, liaison, togetherness, and international commonalities has brought us to the successful period that we are experiencing today. Specific fields such as emergency management, intelligence, and counterterrorism aid the main mission of the DHS. As time continues, one can only hope that innovators, policymakers, scientists, and pioneers such as our founding fathers lead the way to a more prosperous future in homeland security.
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References
The American economy during World War II
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Administrations-National-Security-Strategy-10.2022.pdf Coetzee, C., & Niekerk, D. van. (n.d.). Tracking the evolution of the Disaster Management Cycle: A general system theory approach
. Jàmbá: Journal of Disaster Risk Studies. Retrieved February 12, 2023, from https://jamba.org.za/index.php/jamba/article/view/54/91#:~:text=The%20earliest
%20example%20of%20a,%2C%20warning%2C%20relief%20and%20rehabilitation. The Disaster Management Cycle: 5 key stages UCF online
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K., Katherine Huiskes is a member of UVA's class of 2021, & More on the presidency of George W. Bush. (2021, October 5). The September 11 terrorist attacks
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. Joshua 1:8 ESV - - bible gateway. (n.d.). Retrieved February 12, 2023, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%2B1%3A8&version=ESV Preventing terrorism and enhancing security
. Preventing Terrorism and Enhancing Security | Homeland Security. (n.d.). Retrieved February 12, 2023, from https://www.dhs.gov/preventing-terrorism-and-enhancing-security Sylves, R. T. (2020). Disaster policy and politics: Emergency management and homeland security
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