Homeland Defense: Steps Have Been Taken to Improve U.S. Northern Command's Coordination with States and the National Guard Bureau, but Gaps Remain

DOD partially agreed with the recommendation. DOD highlighted the importance of the Homeland Security Presidential Directive-mandated Integrated Planning System for governing the structure of planning between the states and federal government. However, this system was subsequently suspended pending restructuring of the Homeland Presidential Security Directive on planning/preparedness. DOD also stated that the process to coordinate state planning with combatant commands--such as US Northern Command--would be fully integrated through the Northern Command-controlled Defense Coordinating Officers and the military services' Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officers. Additionally, DOD participated in the Task Force for Emergency Readiness effort, which was organized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and involved a pilot program of five states to help them prepare detailed emergency response plans, including civil-military integration. The pilot program ended in December 2009. The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that it will not further fund the effort. DOD plans to review the recommendations from the participating states to capture and apply lessons learned. Together, these efforts represent progress toward addressing the intent of the recommendation.

DOD agreed with the recommendation and stated that a revised memorandum of agreement between US Northern Command and the National Guard Bureau (NGB) was in coordination. DOD continued to report in the intervening three years that the memorandum of agreement remained "in coordination" or awaiting signatures. In July 2011, DOD reported that by agreement between the Chief, NGB and the Commander, US Northern Command, the original 2005 memorandum of agreement was mutually terminated. DOD further reported that both NGB and NORTHCOM believe that DOD directives and regulations updated since 2008 and other DOD documents have more clearly defined roles and responsibilities for USNORTHCOM, NGB and the NORTHCOM National Guard Office and strengthened unity of effort. Although not located within a single document or memorandum of agreement, when taken together, the contents of DOD directives and regulations that detail the relationship between US Northern Command and the National Guard Bureau address the intent of the recommendation.