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WASHINGTON- Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., Tuesday reiterated his call for a comprehensive strategy to redirect the Department of Defense's resources, and particularly the National Guard, to focus more mind and muscle on homeland security, and urged the ROTC to add domestic defense to its curriculum to attract more young people to the calling.
"Our military performs with brilliance and bravery abroad, and must continue to be able to go anywhere at any time to protect our security," said Senator Lieberman. "But in an age of terrorism, we must apply new ideas to meet the new threats. The talent, technology, and training that the men and women of our military have to offer should be better applied right here at home to protect us from terrorism."
Lieberman said the military should offer first responders advanced training in chemical and biological weapons protection on military bases. He suggested the Air Guard should, among other things, patrol the skies above our cities more actively. The Army Guard should work with local authorities to better protect our ports, bridges, railways, and roads. National Guard State Area Commands should help train local first responders in catastrophic response. And National Guard medical officers should be deployed to provide care when local public health systems are overwhelmed after a bioterror attack. And in the near-term, as a stop-gap measure, Guard units should be deployed to protect the nation's most vulnerable chemical facilities.
Lieberman also highlighted his plan to expand the Reserve Officers Training Corps and add domestic defense to its curriculum. Young Americans who enlist for service in one of the selected Guard units would get a special enlistment bonus, guaranteed homeland security training, and increased GI Bill entitlements to be used by themselves or any member of their immediate family.
None of these proposals would in any way encroach upon the vital work performed every day by police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel, said Lieberman. "The Guard and our local first responders have different talents, specialties, and expertise," he said. "But if we do this rightCand bring the Guard more fully into the fray of homeland defenseCwe can close some of the glaring gaps in our defenses today and build a more resilient anti-terrorism force tomorrow."
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