National Security and Homeland Defense

National Security and Homeland Defense

Introduction

Nations throughout the world have sought security from their inception, and have employed many survival means from external and internal threats (Darity, 2008). National Security and Homeland Defenses are on top of the priority lists of any nation. The reason being that security is the major concern to take care of before work is done in any other area of development. For instance, no country could grow in its industrial, education or any other sectors of development, until and unless it is ensured a completely safe environment from outside and inside threats.

Continuing with this quest of securing the nation, its people and valuable resources; National security and defense organizations work continuously on the Federal, State and Local levels to give the people of United States of America peace of mind. In order to better understand the functionalities of these organizations and their relative operations, an in depth discussion regarding their related factors and events is required.

Name of Agency

Federal Level: Department of Homeland Security

After the devastating attacks on the United States of America on September 11, 2001, Department of Homeland Security was formed after the approval of Congress in 2002. The central aim of the Department of Homeland Security is to detect and prevent terrorist attacks on the soil of United States of America. The power of the agency's operations can be reflected from the fact, that the Department of Homeland Security currently performs the functions which were previously performed by more than twenty federal agencies (Wilson, 2006).

Jurisdiction

The Department of Homeland Security's operations are not limited to a certain state or locality, but are spread throughout the country. The Organization works over the entire United States of America on a rather federal level; and is responsible for operations on a national level.

Size

Since the Department of Homeland Security operates on a national level, it is also the home to an immense number of members. According to an employee survey conducted by the Department of National Security (2012), approximately 80,000 people took part in the survey. Apart from these employees, the counting of undercover and unsworn members might add further up to the total count.

Mission

As per the website of the Department of Homeland Security's website, the mission of the organization is to:

Secure and Manage Borders

Prevent Terrorism

Enforce and Administer Immigration Laws

Ensure resilience to disasters

Secure Cyberspace

State Level: National Guard

The Organization of National Guard dates back to 1636, when militias used to pick up weapons in order to protect their towns or families from hostile attacks. These militias later transformed into the National Guard and have been providing community services since many years.

Jurisdiction

The work of the National Guards is entirely dependent upon the demands of the nation. On regular basis, the national guards work to provide security to different states. Although if need arises, they can also be called to arms for services with the national army.

Size

Batten (2010) highlights that as per 2009 records of the National Guards, there were approximately 470,000 people operating under its head ...