Looking Back and Looking Forward – DHS Moves into 2015 Amid Uncertainty and Hope
By most objective measures, 2014 was not a good year for the Department of Homeland Security. As we enter 2015, I sense there is a slight bit of subjective optimism that, under the leadership of DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson,...
DetailsAnniversaries are More Than Just Days to Remember
Twelve years ago last week, President Bush signed the act creating the Department of Homeland Security. It came into formal existence on March 1, 2003. Anniversaries are days to reflect on broader issues, and it is a good time...
DetailsA Suspect Decision and a Poor Choice – The Ebola Czar
Obama Administration’s fumbled response to the Ebola threat has both political parties giving the President’s team a resounding thumbs down. To calm an anxious public, the President decided to tap a veteran Washington political insider, Ron Klain, to coordinate...
DetailsSave the Bagpipes From the Federal Bureaucracy
Every so often, a federal agency does something so questionable that it makes one shake his head in disbelief. This is about saving bagpipes and other musical instruments from seizure by federal officials at the U.S. border. It is...
DetailsCongress Heal Thyself – 120 Reasons to Address Congressional Oversight
Is momentum building again to fix the debacle of overlapping congressional oversight of DHS? I sure hope so.
DetailsAfter White House Breach, Public Pushes Back on the ‘Security Nation’
The recent security breach at the White House has a lot of Washington and the nation talking. Most of the White House security is understandable and defendable, but in looking at the most recent security incident and rumors of...
DetailsIs DHS Really Pushing for a Southwest Command?
A number of news reports have suggested that DHS is creating a new joint-forces entity, akin to DoD's Southern Command, to address the myriad issues along the U.S. Southwestern border. Really?
DetailsNot What We Need – DHS in Disrepair
A new Washington Post story details lingering problems at DHS in terms of retaining leadership and talent in some of its most critical positions. If you talk to anyone at the Department today, they’ll tell you firsthand how bad...
DetailsRecalling the Unforgetable and Adapting Every Day After
It’s hard to believe it’s been 13 years since the September 11 attacks. Every generation witnesses horrors but in recording those experiences and sharing them with others we impart the painful lessons learned to lead us to ways to...
DetailsThe Stories That Shape our Lives in a Post 9/11 World
There are thousands of stories passed down from one generation to the next. As the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks approaches, it is time to share stories of that day so we can continue the mosaic collection that forms...
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