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U.S. Security Clearances: Reducing the Security Clearance Backlog While Preserving Information Security
From the Thesis Abstract: "From 2014-2018, the U.S. federal government security clearance backlog increased from 190,000 investigations to 710,000 investigations, according to a 2018 Government Accountability Office report. The backlog of security clearance investigations has resulted in investigation timelines that range between 134 and 395 days. The organization that handles 90 percent of the caseload for background investigations, the National Background Investigations Bureau (NBIB), has the capability to provide approximately 160,000-180,000 investigations annually. With current staffing structure, the NBIB can handle approximately 25 percent of the security clearance caseload. Changes in policy could be considered to address this critical issue; however, drastic change may be required to adequately address this issue. This thesis recommends a transformational organizational change to the National Background Investigations Bureau to address the backlog of security clearance investigations. A policy change that limits the annual amount of security clearance investigations to the throughput of the NBIB would reduce the backlog of security clearance investigations, increase the quality of investigations, and increase the integrity of national security information without adding to the costs of security clearances."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Berger, Benjamin F.
2019-03
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Framework for National Guard Employment in the Homeland
From the Thesis Abstract: "This thesis explores the doctrinal divide among homeland defense (HD), homeland security (HS), and defense support to civil authorities (DSCA) and questions whether these doctrinal spaces are adequately instructive to National Guard domestic action. The thesis explores the Department of Defense's (DoD) important contributions to HD and DSCA and the Guard's historical and contemporary roles in HD and HS. This work proposes that the DoD's reticence to describe its actions as HS creates a doctrinal void for the Guard. This thesis advances DSCA as theoretically and practically useful for the DoD but concurrently contravenes core principles of domestic response, which is practically inadequate for domestic Guard action. By exploring military action in large-scale, complex disasters and national special security events, this thesis provides insight into the legal, policy, and fiscal challenges and solutions for clearer domestic doctrine. The thesis explores whether the Guard can be better employed in disasters by adjudicating matters of defense over security and engaging in a federalism conversation aimed at discriminating between disasters that are 'national matters' and those that are 'state matters.'"
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Jara, Paul E.
2019-03
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Autonomous Police Vehicles: The Impact on Law Enforcement
From the Thesis Abstract: "The rapid deployment of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology will undoubtedly have a significant impact on public safety services, including law enforcement agencies. Law enforcement can embrace AV technology, with the advent of autonomous police vehicles (APVs). The APV is designed with standard AV technology but is also packaged with complementary technologies, including an integrated unmanned aircraft system (UAS), facial recognition, thermal imaging, automated license plate readers, and gunshot detection systems. The anticipated benefits and unintended consequences of emerging technologies, such as the APV, are not always assessed by law enforcement. Thus, the goal of this thesis was to determine the likely impacts on law enforcement of the deployment of the APV. This thesis examined emerging AV technologies and complementary technologies, and analyzed plausible future scenarios to lend insight to public safety executives on the changing roles, mission, and tasks law enforcement officers may encounter. This thesis determined that the APV benefits to law enforcement, such as improving officer efficiency and officer safety likely outweigh the trepidations. This thesis recommends that law enforcement agencies should find a void to fill when the APV becomes realized. This void may only present itself once the APV is in service and fully functional; thus, law enforcement agencies should be mindful of this possible void in order to pivot for sustained future success."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Gregg, Andrew
2019-03
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Crisis Communication for Law Enforcement: Crafting a Successful Strategy Using Social Media
From the Thesis Abstract: "Law enforcement has begun to embrace social media as a communication tool; but, in most cases, agencies have not created strategies around using social media for crisis communication. This thesis focused on identifying smart practices in crisis communication to determine what a social media crisis communication strategy for law enforcement should look like. The use of force by law enforcement often results in a negative community reaction; this research focused on communication on social media after use of force incidents. An analysis of crisis communication theory and research was conducted. The analysis included situational crisis communication theory, attribution theory, image repair theory, social information processing theory, and social presence theory. An examination was conducted of successful crisis communication strategies used in the private sector, which revealed seven common elements. The commonalities led to the conclusion that law enforcement should establish protocols and create strategies with these elements: conduct regular scenario-based crisis communication training, leverage the young social-media savvy generation that grew up with technology, commonly called 'digital natives,' for social media communications, actively monitor social media, with attention not only to content but also to tone and lexicon, ensure timely communication with the public after use of force incidents, and place priority in messaging on qualities, such as honesty and compassion."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Coonce, Angela G.
2019-03
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Does Theory Matter? Applying Organizational Theory to Develop Effective Local Government Emergency Management Programs
From the Thesis Abstract: "Emergency management has developed into a profession with demands and expertise separate from other professional disciplines in government service. Coordination issues before, during, and after a disaster have continually been a challenge for emergency management. Although the organizational placement of local government emergency management agencies varies extensively across the United States, public administration organizational theory provides a foundation for considerations that inform the design of these bureaucratic structures. Structure influences essential emergency management functions such as interagency coordination, resource allocation, program prioritization, decision making, information flow, and collaboration. Organizational design also significantly affects program characteristics, including culture development, professional identity, and employee engagement--all of which have direct relationships with program effectiveness. This thesis supports the notion that jurisdictions need to carefully consider the organizational placement of their emergency management programs to support effective service delivery. Jurisdictions should ensure that programs are structured in a way that promotes program empowerment, limits hierarchical layers, promotes executive sponsorship, enhances collaboration, and develops an emergency management culture."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Sirney, Jason M.
2019-03
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Fully Autonomous Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices--Mitigating Strategies
From the Thesis Abstract: "The technology integrated into fully autonomous vehicles will soon be a significant homeland security threat. Companies ranging from major corporations to small startups are investing billions of dollars developing this technology. It is currently predicted that fully autonomous vehicles will be available to the general public within a matter of years. As fully autonomous vehicles become broadly available both to the general public and private entities, significant impacts will likely result to our safety, both as individuals and as a community. This thesis overviews the projected threat posed by the nefarious use of fully autonomous vehicles as fully autonomous vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices. It is shown how easily autonomous vehicles can be used for explosive delivery and discusses technological solutions that should be implemented, proactively, to reduce this threat. A pressing need exists for secure communications, user authentication, law enforcement override, and payload interrogation that must be implemented at the outset of the system design process. Absent a security-based systems design approach, this nation will be reacting to, rather than preventing, the use of autonomous vehicles as explosive delivery systems. The overarching purpose of this thesis is also to capture what can be accomplished with public-private partnerships working collaboratively to address strategic issues involving public safety in the United States."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Knopf, Kevin S.
2019-03
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Smart Strategies for Effectively Managing Entertainment Districts
From the Thesis Abtract: "Entertainment districts are--and will continue to be--a significant homeland security concern due to the large numbers of people who gather at these locations. Both the June 12, 2016, mass shooting at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, and the October 2, 2017, mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, are tragic and recent examples of the devastation that continues to occur surrounding large gatherings of people. Entertainment districts share many similarities with traditional special events; however, research indicates that successful management of these areas requires a much more robust and comprehensive strategy to effectively maximize safety while maintaining an enjoyable atmosphere. The concept of place management has received significant attention in research regarding managing entertainment districts. This thesis analyzes how the actions of those controlling the businesses have a direct impact on the crime and disorder within a particular location. This thesis provides a comprehensive overview of the related literature and case studies from several active entertainment districts. The goal of this research is to identify and outline a collection of successful smart practices that jurisdictions should consider adopting based on the particular needs and expectations of their communities."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Penn, Charles A.
2019-03
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Reducing the Potential Consequences of Nuclear Power Using Small Modular Reactors
From the Thesis Abstract: "In order for commercial nuclear power to remain successful in the United States, several things need to occur: advancement of newer technologies and replacement of aging infrastructure with a new generation of safe reactors that are reliable, adaptable to the environment, cost-effective, and energy efficient to meet the nation's energy demands into the future. To accomplish this, the United States must be able to identify true risk rather than the perceived risk of civilian nuclear power and have solutions to manage it. Risk management includes reducing the U.S. carbon footprint, which is contributing to global warming. The nation also must find a way to close the loop on nuclear waste through reprocessing and recycling. Furthermore, by reducing their size as compared to existing commercial power plant operations, the United States can locate new plants where energy is most needed. Finally, this thesis demonstrates how the potential consequences of a nuclear plant accident can be reduced to acceptable levels through the use of small modular reactors."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Corbin, Scott
2019-03
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You Can't Always Get What You Want: Employee and Organizational Responses to Perceived Workplace Injustices and Their Relationship to Insider Attacks
From the Thesis Abstract: "Insider threats are a 'wicked' problem. This thesis investigates three questions: how do employees respond to perceived workplace injustice, what is the relationship between employee responses to perceived workplace injustices and insider attacks, and how can organizations prevent disgruntled employees from committing attacks? These questions were answered using a thorough literature review and case studies. Employees respond in one, or a combination, of four ways: exit, loyalty, voice, and counterproductive work behaviors, as illustrated by the researcher's grievance response model. The researcher was unable to identify specific employee responses that led to attacks due to a lack of data and multiple, contradictory, and missing narratives. Organizations may be able to prevent employees from committing attacks by applying the grievance response model, ensuring grievance procedures are consistent and transparent, and offering alternative dispute resolution programs."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Reed, Tracey
2019-03
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Social Identity Theory and Intergroup Conflict in Israel/Palestine
From the Thesis Abstract: "Intergroup dynamics have been a central vector in long-lasting identity conflicts around the globe. In Israel-Palestine, the conflict has not been reduced to the same level of sustained peace as it has in other countries. The conflicting groups often get involved in increasingly destructive forms of reciprocating violence, which fuels narratives that lead to further cycles of violence. This thesis examines whether social identity theory is a useful framework for understanding this conflict. The thesis finds that both Israeli and Palestinian group behaviors can be better understood using the framework of social identity theory. It finds that both sides view each other through a lens of in- and out-group dynamics that rationalizes moves by the in-group and demonizes actions by the out-group. Israelis see things through the lens of a Westphalian nation-state, and Palestinian groups see themselves as liberation movements. Both sides of this conflict have extensive patronage lines to other nations, react to provocations to restore a sense of lost honor, respond to challenges with escalating levels of violence, and contest the same set of limited goods. The fact that the United States has a history of providing Israel with aid has had negative consequences for the former state with much of the Arab and Muslim communities. Terrorists use this assistance as part of their narratives against the United States. Consequently, the United States may have to rebalance its aid to the region."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Felty, Stephen M.
2019-03
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21st Century Crime: How Malicious Artificial Intelligence Will Impact Homeland Security
From the Thesis Abstract: "Artificial intelligence (AI) is a field of research with the potential to radically change society's use of information technology, particularly how personal information will be interconnected and how private lives will be accessible to cybercriminals. Criminals, motivated by profit, are likely to adapt future AI software systems to their operations, further complicating present-day cybercrime investigations. This thesis examines how transnational criminal organizations and cybercriminals may leverage developing AI technology to conduct more sophisticated criminal activities and what steps the homeland security enterprise should take to prepare. Through a future scenario methodology, four scenarios were developed to project how cybercriminals might use AI systems and what should be done now to protect the United States from the malicious use of AI. This thesis recommends that homeland security officials expand outreach initiatives among private industry and academia that are developing AI systems to understand the dual-use implications of emerging AI technology and to provide public security perspectives to AI research entities. Finally, this thesis recommends that federal agencies develop specific initiatives--aligning with existing national cyber and AI strategies--that confront the potential challenge of future, AI-enabled cybercrime."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Peters, Kevin M.
2019-03
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Legal Weed: A Lifesaver?
From the Thesis Abstract: "Marijuana legalization in Colorado has brought with it many changes, affecting economic, social, and criminal elements. According to law enforcement statistics, cannabis legalization has shown a consistent rise in opioid overdose rates throughout the United States; however, recent scholarly research indicates that states that have legalized marijuana experience a noticeable decrease in opioid overdose rate. This thesis uses case study analysis to answer the question: Does marijuana legalization save lives in Colorado? Through a market-based examination of Mexican drug trafficking organizations, conclusions are drawn on the impact of marijuana legalization vis-à-vis the illicit opioid trade. The author reviews the physical and mental effects of cannabis use on the body and conducts a comparison of Uruguay and Colorado legalization. Best practices from the repeal of Prohibition and Uruguay's successes with legalization are extrapolated to recommend changes to Denver's approach to marijuana. Colorado's experience with legalization, when taken in total with suicides, traffic safety reports, opioid overdoses, and other indicators, is a mixed bag: there is no clear evidence that marijuana legalization saves lives at this point in the state's history. More data and more accurate testing are needed before conclusions can be drawn."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Schaub, Michael P.
2019-03
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Parity Avoidance: A Proactive Analysis of the Obsolescence of the Third Offset Strategy
From the Thesis Abstract: "Within the Department of Defense, offset strategies are policies of competition that mandate efforts to maintain technological superiority to generate or sustain a strategic advantage over near-peer competitor adversaries. The current strategy, the Third Offset, was implemented in 2014 and directs the development and leveraging of emergent, capabilities-based technologies to defend against the modernized, near-peer competitor nations of Russia and China. This thesis used unclassified resources to summarize the reactiveness of the previous offset strategies, define military supremacy, identify challenges to the Third Offset Strategy, and provide evidence that the current strategy is devalued. It also identified a list of conditions which, if met, render the strategy obsolete, ultimately determining that the Third Offset is, indeed, obsolete in its current form; it is unable to provide a strategic advantage to the United States. Finally, the thesis offers recommendations to the Department of Defense to reinforce the Third Offset Strategy with a goal of restoring its efficacy."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Wellman, Aaron
2019-03
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Social Media Screening of Homeland Security Job Applicants and the Implications on Free Speech Rights
From the Thesis Abstract: "Social media screening of homeland security job applicants may infringe on their free-speech rights, which diminishes homeland security agencies as defenders of the law and hampers their recruitment efforts. When homeland security employers screen the social media of job applicants, what are the free-speech rights of those applicants, and do existing social-media screening policies support or undermine applicants' free-speech rights? Content analysis of existing case law reveals no established precedent for the free-speech rights of government job applicants. Legal and social science analysis indicates applicants should enjoy the full First Amendment protections of private citizens and not be subject to the same limitations placed on public employees. Publicly available social media screening policies have elements that may chill free speech by encouraging applicants to self-restrict social media activity. Homeland security agencies should be aware that social media screening may impair the free-speech rights of job applicants, notify applicants when they will screen social media profiles, provide clear guidance on what speech is considered disqualifying, and avoid suggesting that social media screening is used to perpetuate the existing agency culture."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Sweeney, Denis
2019-03
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Finding the Path of Least Antibiotic Resistance: An Examination of Agricultural Policies
From the Thesis Abstract: "Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections will remain an extremely serious health-security and economic threat for the United States--and the world--unless steps are taken to curb them. This thesis focuses on antibiotic use in agriculture and potential methods to slow resistance. By examining existing U.S. policies at the national and state level as well as policies in Denmark and the Netherlands, this research finds that the European countries have reduced antibiotic use and decreased resistant organisms present in food animals. This thesis recommends implementing a multifaceted policy package beginning with the creation of an enhanced, more integrated surveillance system, then enacting antibiotic-use reduction targets, prohibiting the use of antibiotics in healthy animals and requiring veterinarians to examine animals before prescribing them antibiotics for disease prevention. The United States must implement more policies that respond to this global threat to preserve medically important antibiotics that protect the health and safety of people and animals. The homeland security enterprise should prioritize antibiotic resistance as a threat and work collaboratively to implement strategies to mitigate it."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Smiley, Stephanie L.
2019-03
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Puerto Rico's Homeland Security Readiness: Redesigning the Island's Power Grid to Improve Its Resiliency
From the Thesis Abstract: "The damage caused by Hurricane Maria to Puerto Rico left this American territory ill-equipped to rebuild--or even maintain--its aging power grid. As reconstruction is in order, this tragedy presents an opportunity to design a more resilient and efficient power grid for Puerto Rico. A sustainable distributed power plan that includes renewable energy, distributed generation, and smart grid technology could be the answer to Puerto Rico's energy problems. This grid could incorporate features that exploit the unique environment of Puerto Rico and include maintenance fees commensurate with the financial abilities of the island. The prospect of a new power grid is not simply a question of opportunity or need; it is part of a homeland security mandate. The exploration of alternative and sustainable power options for Puerto Rico can serve as a test bed for new technology, systems, and protocols that could affect other jurisdictions under similar economic or natural hazard circumstances."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Alicea, Juan E.
2019-03
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U.S. Counterterrorism Narrative: A Way Forward
From the Thesis Abstract: "While there seems to be widespread agreement that the U.S. counterterrorism narrative is failing, there is little empirical evidence for what the U.S. counter-narrative strategy since 9/11 has been, nor is there an analytical framework for measuring its success or failure. This thesis investigates the effectiveness of the U.S. counterterrorism narrative strategy in the post-9/11 period (2001 through 2016), and develops an effective U.S. counterterrorism narrative strategy. Content analysis of 75 U.S. presidential speeches and 50 U.S. Department of State Twitter postings, and a measurement of U.S. performative power between 2001 and 2016, demonstrates that only the narrative speech factor of promoting commonality has a negative correlation with terrorist attacks in the United States. More messages that promote commonality correlates to decreased terrorist attacks. To understand when to use this messaging, the social identity analytical method was applied to a U.S. presidential speech and an Islamic State leader's speech and demonstrates that the U.S. government lacks comprehension of social in-group identification nuances. To target messaging effectively, the framework should be applied on a consistent basis, promoting commonality in narratives within a larger comprehensive counterterrorism strategy."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Kristoff, Madeline T.
2019-03
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Disruptive Emergent Systems in Disaster Response
From the Thesis Abstract: "The 2017 hurricanes in the southern United States provided an impetus for wider social technology use than during previous disaster responses. Hurricane survivors rapidly turned to social media for help, while physically unaffected social media users crowdsourced emergent crisis mapping systems. Volunteers unaffiliated with first responder organizations conducted rescues based on those systems to form new response systems. These new, disruptive emergent systems displaced, supplemented, or filled gaps in the established, federally managed responses. This research examined disruptive emergent systems and associated effects on disaster responses. A total of thirteen disruptive emergent systems from four hurricane responses were analyzed. This research resulted in a set of eight features and an ontological visualization of disruptive emergent systems. The results show that disruptive emergent systems demonstrated supply responses to survivor demand. That is, these systems emerged through particular capability and organizational mechanism conditions to satisfy survivor demands. Cultural motivations provided the call to action for many of these disruptive emergent systems. These features can be used to understand disruptive emergent systems in the context of future disaster responses."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Thornburg, Kristopher M.
2019-03
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Applying Technology Acceptance Research to Information Systems Implementation in the Fire Service
From the Thesis Abstract: "The role of a firefighter has remained relatively static over the years, but the way a firefighter documents incidents and accesses logs, maps, and a range of forms is changing from paper-based practices to digital media systems. Unsuccessful technology acceptance can negatively affect efficiency and work production. A better understanding of the variables that are most relevant to influencing firefighters' acceptance of technology will help improve the success of the implementation of new ideas. The purpose of this thesis is to develop a model specific to the fire service and to gain a better understanding of the variables that influence technology acceptance in that field. How can technology acceptance research be applied to the fire service to better understand and influence the acceptance of information technology? A review of the literature reveals three relevant variables of technology acceptance in the fire service: self-efficacy, facilitating conditions, and social influence. These variables were tested using two thought experiments including one retrospective scenario and one prospective scenario. The thought experiments further refine the model by revealing that facilitating conditions had a positive relationship with self-efficacy. With a better understanding and leveraging of the variables that affect technology acceptance, fire administrators can improve the likelihood of acceptance."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Steward, John M.
2019-03
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Assessment of the Data on Body-Worn Cameras
From the Thesis Abstract: "Throughout history, citizens' opinions of law enforcement have fluctuated between confidence and mistrust. This ebb and flow can coincide with many factors, such as historical events like 9/11, personal interaction with an officer, and media/social media reporting of the public's encounters with police. A citizen's confidence and trust in law enforcement may also differ based on the person's gender, race, or socioeconomic status. Law enforcement has invested millions of dollars in research, new initiatives, equipment, and technology, such as body-worn cameras (BWCs), to regain the public's confidence and trust. Those who support BWCs suggest that their use corresponds with declining use of force and citizen complaints, which shows increased public trust in law enforcement. This paper seeks to determine, however, if these factors--use of force and citizen complaints--are the proper metrics for measuring law enforcement transparency, accountability, and citizen trust. This thesis provides a comparative analysis of the quantity and quality of BWC information that police departments make easily accessible to the public and provides a recommendation for law enforcement to develop and implement a BWC incident-based reporting system."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Allen, Carole L.
2019-03
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Punching Above Their Weight: The Homeland Security Contributions of the U.S. Pacific Territories
From the Thesis Abstract: "While the United States' Pacific territories were brought into the U.S. fold in recognition of their importance to national security, today many Americans--including many policy makers--seem to be unfamiliar with the U.S. Pacific territories and their strategic value. This thesis addresses the question, 'What is the value of the United States' Pacific territories--Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and American Samoa--to the nation's homeland security, and what are the strategic implications of that value?' Secondary sources such as congressional testimony, military doctrine and unclassified plans, and governmental reports were analyzed to answer that question, using the framework of the DIME (diplomatic, informational, military, and economic) instruments of national power to assess the overlap of homeland security missions with national security interests. While the territories contribute to the nation's security, the lack of coordinated and informed management by the federal government to these territories, including homeland security missions that have at times been at odds with U.S. military interests, prevents a full realization of their potential. Recommendations are made for reexamination of legal, process, and funding approaches to the U.S. Pacific territories by the federal government, including homeland security agencies."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Stanton, Colby E.
2019-03
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Implementation of Active Cyber Defense Measures by Private Entities: The Need for an International Accord to Address Disputes
From the thesis abstract: "Cybersecurity is a national security issue. Passive cyber defense measures are no longer sufficient. This thesis uses options analysis to consider different courses of action for the employment of active cyber defense measures. The Active Cyber Defense Certainty Act, with minor changes, will strengthen the collective cybersecurity posture of entities worldwide by increasing the identification of those perpetrating cyberspace acts. Alone, it does not address the legitimate concerns of proponents and opponents alike. It needs to be coupled with the Cyber Diplomacy Act of 2017, which creates an office within the Department of State to negotiate cyber matters globally on behalf of the United States. While these two acts are stronger together, no single entity within the United States fully addresses America's cybersecurity policy. As the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 necessitated the creation of a Director of National Intelligence to coordinate the intelligence community, the current state of cybersecurity necessitates the creation of a national director of cybersecurity. The three concepts create a holistic approach to U.S. cybersecurity, but an entity must mitigate disputes between nations. NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) facilitated the writing of the Tallinn Manual 2.0. Coupled with the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime as a framework, the CCDCOE has the ability to serve as the entity to mitigate those disputes."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Barnes, Isaac A.
2018-12
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Conditions of Democratic Erosion: Has U.S. Democracy Reached a Tipping Point?
From the thesis abstract: "This thesis provides readers an in-depth analysis of the alleged existence of democratic erosion in the United States using Peru, Hungary, and pre-World War II Germany as case studies to show historical examples of the phenomenon. Using Mayring's qualitative analytical model, this thesis finds that these three countries demonstrated conditions that became tipping points toward erosion as a result of the consolidation of power by their leaders. While the analysis finds the precursors of tipping points to democratic erosion in the three case studies, the analysis does not find signs of democratic erosion in the United States. It finds that the constitutional separation of powers and the checks and balances of the U.S. system continue to function as designed. The thesis does find, however, that the U.S. democratic system is being strained, as it is becoming increasingly difficult to bridge the ideological divide, and if the democratic system cannot resolve these challenges, or if elected officials and the electorate violate constitutional rules, it will experience a constitutional crisis."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Tubbs, Christian D.
2018-12
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Climate Security Threat--America's Achilles' Heel?
From the thesis abstract: "The 2015 National Security Strategy warns that natural hazards supercharged by the effects of climate change pose a direct threat to the human and national security of the United States. This thesis asks if the U.S. government is placing the American public at risk by failing to create resilience standards appropriate to the threats posed by natural hazards, including hazards that will be exacerbated by climate change. What is preventing the nation from understanding the risk of climate security threats and the need to adapt to those threats? What lessons can the United States learn from our allies to establish an effective climate change adaptation protocol? These questions are examined through four emergency management considerations: the climate threat, presidential narratives, emergency management laws and relevant policies, and democratic allies' climate adaptation progress. The research shows that decisive national leadership toward climate adaptation is urgently needed in the United States. The answers to these research questions provide a narrow view of key factors that can be changed to achieve a more resilient nation and increase public safety for the American people."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Schaffer, Patricia A.
2018-12
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Area Maritime Security Committees and the Maritime Transportation System
From the thesis abstract: "The purpose of this thesis was to explore the modern threats to the maritime homeland security environment and the effectiveness of Area Maritime Security Committees (AMSCs) in preventing and responding to transportation security incidents. AMSCs are deliberately designed to encompass senior representatives of numerous stakeholders in the maritime homeland security enterprise, such as law enforcement, fire, industry, and labor. There were two research questions used in this project: What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the effectiveness of AMSCs, and how can AMSCs improve their interagency collaboration to enhance the homeland security enterprise? Two rounds of Delphi surveys were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of AMSCs. These were issued to 24 people from five Captain of the Port Zones across the West Coast of the United States. The survey answers were then evaluated against open-source reports produced by AMSCs. Between these research sources, AMSCs were shown to be positive collaboration and information-sharing mechanisms, but geography creates barriers to participation and effectiveness. In order to improve, AMSCs must increase funding, change policy to fund the travel and training of AMSC members, recruit and provide engaging training for new personnel, and establish metrics of performance. On the national level, all AMSCs should target and monitor common threats to better secure the maritime transportation system."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Crowell, Ben
2018-12
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Homeland Security from a Tribal Context
From the thesis abstract: "A gap exists between the federal government and the 567 tribal nations, which hampers tribal inclusion in homeland security. American Indian and Alaskan Native lands comprise 100 million acres of land within the territory of the United States, with 250 miles of borderlands--potentially a formidable rift in the nation's homeland security. According to its mission statement, the United States homeland security enterprise necessarily assumes tribal participation, cooperation, and communication in upholding its mission to 'ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards.' Keeping the nation safe encompasses many aspects of protection, and 'hundreds of thousands of people from across the federal government, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, the private sector, and other nongovernmental organizations are responsible for executing these missions.' If not well supported with staff, training, and funding, the tribal nations struggle to fulfill such federal expectations. The first step to close that gap, and build stronger, more collaborative homeland security practices, is improving tribal preparedness."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Figueroa, Lisa M.
2018-12
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Applying the THIRA to Special Events: A Framework for Capabilities-Based Planning Adoption in Local Governments
From the thesis abstract: "Determining preparedness across the United States' homeland security enterprise (HSE) is a complex task because the nation's overall disaster management capability is an aggregation of the independently developed capabilities of local and state agencies. In 2012, FEMA promulgated a six-step capabilities-based planning (CBP) framework, the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA), to standardize how states and major cities assess preparedness. CBP is a non-linear planning process used within the Department of Defense (DoD) to determine how military capabilities should develop to ensure success in future conflicts, despite uncertainty around threats, actors, and theaters. This thesis proposes increasing CBP adoption by state and local governments through incorporating an adapted THIRA methodology into recurring, real-world interagency activities, such as mass-gathering contingency planning. An expanded THIRA framework is synthesized, which completes an initial DoD CBP sequence in the context of local government planning for a special event. Three policy options are developed that evaluate the adapted THIRA framework's implementation in these scenarios: no adoption, use in a local government-planned event, and adoption within a national special security event (NSSE). This thesis recommends implementing a THIRA framework into special-event planning to allow interagency stakeholders to perform and adapt CBP locally in real-world collaborative environments."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Bradley, Daniel J.
2018-12
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Career Paramedic-Firefighter Staffing Problems: Is Recruiting Women Part of the Solution?
From the thesis abstract: "Fire departments are the largest employer of emergency medical services workers, but many face a shortage of paramedic-firefighter applicants. These applicants typically work as single-role paramedics, an occupation facing an even greater shortage. Although women are almost 47 percent of the general labor force, few apply to be paramedic-firefighters, suggesting an untapped labor pool that could resolve some of the shortage. This thesis explores whether fire departments can mitigate the shortage of paramedic-firefighter applicants by examining the issues that prevent people from applying and by recruiting more women. In a comparative analysis of four departments that employ an above-average percentage of females, the research found that: 1) low ambulance-bill reimbursements restrict paramedic wages, and thus paramedic supply; 2) economic and other challenges that limit the supply of paramedics are increasing; 3) fire departments appear not to be aware of, or have implemented, published recruiting recommendations; and 4) strong staffing performance requires consistent human resources proficiency. This research recommends that fire departments address issues that appear to deter potential applicants, especially women. Doing this can mitigate staffing shortages and foster community trust."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Byron, Juan
2018-12
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Shoot the Horse and Build a Better Barn Door: Exploring the Potential for a Superforecasting Methodology to Strengthen the DHS Leadership Selection Process
From the thesis abstract: "Over the course of several years, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has worked diligently to improve the quality of its leaders. Such efforts have focused almost exclusively on initiating or expanding programs related to leadership development. To date, the impact of that exertion might be charitably described as tepid. While the issues associated with existing leaders have received ample attention, the selection process that precipitated them has not. This gap represents an opportunity to explore a nascent space and suggest new solutions that target the problem at the source. This thesis examines the process of leadership selection at a network level and finds several systemic problems related to measurement, structure, and decision-making. These problems bear a striking resemblance to those observed in the intelligence community and its ability to accurately predict complex future geopolitical events. One method that has dramatically improved the accuracy of geopolitical predictions is superforecasting. At its core, leadership selection is a prediction or a forecast. It is an educated but nonetheless imperfect best guess about how a candidate observed today will perform tomorrow. These features collectively suggest a novel question. Could DHS use a superforecasting methodology to improve its leadership selection process? This thesis follows the progression of that question to an unexpected destination and offers several concrete recommendations."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Dorman, Ronald
2018-12
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Watchlist: Improving the Transparency, Accuracy, Efficiency, and Accountability of the Terrorist Screening Database
From the thesis abstract: "The government's unclassified terror watchlist, the Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB), has grown dramatically, stressing government screening and counterterrorism resources. The TSDB has been criticized for lacking independent oversight and transparency in its operations, which has led some to allege it is discriminatory toward minority communities. How should the TSDB be improved to improve transparency, efficiency, and accuracy, and to decrease secrecy and perceived bias? This thesis is a policy analysis that examines the TSDB administrative processes to determine the extent to which the structure and function serve or compromise national security. It also considers the difficulties the system of redress poses for those classified as a 'Known or Suspected Terrorist' by their inclusion on the watchlist. This thesis recommends that the evidentiary standard needed to list a person on the watchlist should not be changed, but the government should extend the procedures recently adopted for No Fly subjects to all citizens and lawfully admitted permanent residents who request redress of their watchlist status. Judicial oversight and fixed review periods should be added to the redress process to facilitate independent review of the government's watchlisting determinations and ensure that all information contained in the TSDB is regularly reviewed."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Park, David
2018-12
