ABSTRACT
Introduction Military support for civilian authorities in America is not new . “‘Thank God for the Boys in Blue!’ was the ardent and praiseful exclamation of the people of San Francisco during and after the terrible days” (Linthicum and White, 1906, p . 171) of the Great Earthquake of 1906 . Prior to September 11, 2001, the U .S . Army continued to lead the Department of Defense’s efforts to provide assistance to federal, state, and local officials during natural disasters, wildland firefighting, and other times of national need . The U .S . military also has a long history of providing other types of support to civilian authorities, including to law enforcement officials, in accordance with America’s laws, policies, customs, and traditions . To support these activities in the homeland, an extensive legal, policy, and doctrinal foundation had been established over the years . The 9/11 terrorist attacks on America caused the Department of Defense to rethink, reorganize, and refine its role in the homeland, including its support to civil authorities, to ensure that it can successfully accomplish its missions while, at the same time, conforming to the norms of American society .
