Operations

After the September 11, 2001,  terrorist attacks, the President  established a new Office of  Homeland Security within the  Executive Office of the President.  This new agency is intended to  coordinate efforts across multiple  functions to accomplish tasks such  as upgrading intelligence and  security to protect Americans on U.S.  soil, providing recovery assistance

to disaster sites, helping victims' families, increasing the number of law enforcement personnel, and providing health care for displaced citizens. The President and Congress moved to implement tough new airline security standards that tighten background checks for airline screeners and workers, dramatically expand the federal air marshal program, create strict new baggage security requirements, and tighten security in all airport areas. The President also established an advisory committee for cyber security to ensure that America's key infrastructures are protected.

During a Pentagon press briefing on Sept. 25, 2001, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld announced that the war against terrorism will now be known as Operation Enduring Freedom outside the United States. Operation Noble Eagle refers to U.S. military operations in homeland defense and civil support to U.S. federal, state and local agencies. Under Operation Noble Eagle, more the 35,000 service men and women were called upon to help in homeland defense and civil service. National Guard troops were called in to assist in the New York City recovery effort from the very day that two jetliners crashed into the twin towers at the World Trade Center. National Guard civil and support teams were among the first on the scene to check for chemical, biological and radiological hazards.

For more information, please visit Operation Noble Eagle in the Deployment section of this Web site