Following 2 forum responses 150 words each:
1. Floyd DeWitt
"The Homeland Security vision is a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards, where American interests, aspirations, and way of life can thrive" (DHS). Considering that protect of the home front is the main priority I would say the biggest threat into the future would be terrorism. I see this as the biggest threat since you never know when it's going to happen or who's going to do it. When it comes to individual tactics a Lone wolf would always be the most dangerous. You will never know when they are coming or who it may be. Some recent examples are happening more so in Europe then the US. Looking on a large scale the driver in Berlin who drove through the market and killed people is one of the largest lone wolf attacks. The most recent to hit the US would have to be the night club shooting in Orlando. Also, the male who killed 9 people in a church in Charleston can be considered a lone wolf; because of his crime he was giving the death penalty. Considering the future, the next great attack on America will be in a school, our soft spot as Americans are our youth. Killing them will put a slow stop to the future. I hope this is nothing that would happen but looking at reality it is likely to happen. Terrorism to me is a giving as a constant threat to homeland security; terrorism can range from minor to small depending on the scale of effect. As Americans, we tend to look at the large scale of things we usually classify incidents as terrorism when lives are lost. Not looking at the small items where it's simple violence and intimidation tactics to seek political gain. My final prospective threat is insider threat; an insider can be a person who decides to go rouge at any point and time. There are no known factors of who can trade on you or what their reason may be for trading. Some people are turned because of family connection or an unknown bias towards the institution. "Preventing terrorism is the cornerstone of homeland security. Within this mission we focus on the goals of preventing terrorist attacks; preventing and protecting against the unauthorized acquisition or use of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials and capabilities; and reducing risk to the Nation's most critical infrastructure, key leaders, and events" (DHS).
APUS. (2016). Homeland Security Threats. Retrieved from https://edge.apus.edu/portal/site/337589/page/b3413ef3-d28b-4d4c-9d38-1ffab8387c40
2. John McLaughlin
Going forward, over the next five years, I believe that the biggest threat to our nation's homeland security posture will be terrorist attacks. It has been our biggest threat for the past twenty years and I believe that it will continue to be for the foreseeable future. Terrorist attacks have been happening all over the world over the past two decades, and the United States has no shortage of them. In the United States alone there was 16 terror attacks in 2016 that caused at least one death. Whether the attack is by a radicalized lone-wolf terrorist or it is a coordinated attack by a terror cell, the threat will continue to be real.
The Department of Homeland Security Fiscal Years 2014-2018 Strategic Plan address this threat in the mission of preventing terrorism and enhancing security. Preventing terrorist attacks is the cornerstone of the Department of Homeland Security's mission as it was created after the September 11 attacks. Within the mission of preventing terrorism and enhancing security the Department of Homeland Security has a mission priority of preventing travel. This is especially important because many of the recent lone-wolf terrorist attacks that happened last year such as Chattanooga and the Chelsea/New Jersey bombings occurred after the perpetrators traveled to countries known for terrorism. Another one of the mission priorities is to strengthen aviation security, which is just as important as the first. By strengthening aviation security it will give the United States the ability to recognize people suspecting of terror activities at the first opportunity.
The mission priority that I believe is currently the most important is preventing the hostile use of nuclear material against the homeland. Every time I turn on the news it seems North Korea is making some sort of nuclear threat to the United States. While I understand that North Korea is a traditional state and not a terrorist group I believe that the use of a nuclear weapon against the United States would fall under this mission.
Preventing terrorism will continue to be the main mission of the Department of Homeland Security. With more terror groups popping up all over the world the threat continues to grow and it is the responsibility and everyone to mitigate it. Terrorism will continue to be a threat against the United States for the next five years and beyond.
Department of Homeland Security. (2014). 2014 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
Department of Homeland Security. (2013). Fiscal Years 2014-2018 Strategic Plan. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.