About Homeland Security From of the ashes of the 9-11 terrorist attacks upon the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) emerged on March 1, 2003, as a new, but necessary, component of national safety and preparedness. The shocking and devastating nature of the attacks motivated President George W. Bush to approve the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which established this new cabinet department and transformed the everyday experiences of those who reside, work or travel in the U.S. America was suddenly initiated into the group of nations that are compelled to constantly monitor and oversee the 24/7 security of their citizens due to the presence of foreign and domestic threats.
According to the third Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, ". . . DHS has a straightforward mission: to protect the American people from threats both foreign and domestic, both natural and manmade -- to do all that we can to prevent threats from materializing, respond to them if they do, and recover with resiliency."
Over 22 agencies were combined to form the Department of Homeland Security, including the: U.S. Customs Service, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Office for Domestic Preparedness, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Computer Incidents Response Center, National Communications System, Environmental Measurements Laboratory, National BW Defense Analysis Center, CBRN Countermeasures Programs, Plum Island Animal Disease Center, and others that have been dispersed or combined within the above-mentioned departments.
A number of outside U.S. agencies work in cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security, including the Department of Justice, the Department of Defense, the Department of Health and Human Services, the FBI and the CIA. The scope of the DHS is widespread and includes: emergency preparedness and response (for terrorism and natural disasters); volunteer medical, police, fire, and other emergency management personnel; domestic intelligence activities, primarily handled by the FBI; critical infrastructure protection; land and maritime border security; transportation security, including aviation, maritime, rail and bridge transportation; defense against attacks using biological agents; detection of radioactive materials; investigation of breaches in national security information technologies; research on emerging security-related technologies.
Jobs in Homeland Security The Department of Homeland Security maintains a diverse workforce of over 180,000 people and offers employment to individuals armed with the education and background necessary for careers under its sphere of responsibility. The DHS workforce aims to represent the diversity of the U.S. and does not discriminate due to age, physical handicap, race, sex, or other areas of diversity, as long as the individual is qualified for the specific position for which he or she is applying. They also actively recruit eligible military veterans for job openings and seek talented students for summer internships. role in certain aspects of homeland security. Homeland security is coordinated at the White House by the Homeland Security Council, currently headed by Frances Townsend.
Job opportunities may be available for those with training, college degrees or professional certificates in the areas of law enforcement, intelligence, information technology, accounting, engineering, science, security, communications, business administration, forensic medical & social sciences and more. Starting salaries are competitive; and comprehensive benefits include health insurance, paid holidays, paid training, life & long-term care insurance, defined retirement plan, flexible work schedules, tuition reimbursement, personal leave, transportation subsidies and non-taxable flexible spending plans. This outstanding salary and benefits package draws many into homeland security careers.
Due to the underlying politics and the broad scope of terrorism, the Department of Homeland Security also maintains cooperative agreements with several foreign countries in order to stem the growth and proliferation of those who aim to harm the United States. Therefore, some duties that fall under the DHS may involve travel or knowledge of a specific foreign language. However, the majority of opportunities are similar to those of a large corporation or business, but with a unique and honorable mission -- to safeguard the population of an entire country, the United States of America.
