Pentagon defining homeland security role.

• Author: Book, Elizabeth G.
• Position: Security Beat

The Defense Department continues to focus and clarify its role in homeland security, said Peter Verga, special assistant to the secretary of defense for homeland security. The department contributes to homeland security in two ways, he said. "First, we guard against threats and aggression, and we provide support for civil authorities," he said. The Defense Department "effectively bridges the divide between homeland security and national security," said Verga.

Speaking at a conference of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Verga said that the Defense Department has a history of involvement in domestic security matters, providing civil support to communities in three ways. First, in extraordinary circumstances, there has been a need for the deployment of Defense Department air combat power in the continental United States. Second, in emergency...