Homeland Security And the Need for Change

By Michael J. Hillyard

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1593300123
• ISBN13: 9781593300128
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Aventine Press
• Length: 236 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.7" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A Very Timely Book

Mike Hillyard's book on Homeland Security and the Need for Change is an extremely timely and important book in the changing world that we now live in. After recently taking a Master's-level courses in National Security Policy and Homeland Security through the Defense Intelligence Agency, I thought that I had a good understanding of the importance of Homeland Security, but Mr. Hillyard's book shed even more light on the little-known subject. There are many authors attempting to write about Homeland Security, but none can compare with Mr. Hillyard's understanding of the need for change that we Americans must make in the future.

A Welcome Addition to Homeland Security Literature

This publication is a welcome addition to the growing body of literature regarding Homeland Security. While the vast majority focus of books on government bureaucracy, organizational change and technological solutions, in his new book, Michael Hillyard chooses instead to emphasize that instead the answer lies in the education and training of the American citizen. Using historical examples dating all the way back to the Revolutionary War, he shows how people that are united together, in a common cause, can accomplish anything. By equating the analogy to the current Homeland Security challenge, the author accomplishes an extremely valuable service.By highlighting the key role played by the local and regional first-responders, Hillyard demonstrates his grasp of this complex subject. That is the true value of this book, for it lies not only in his approach, but also the methodology that he employs to build a model for success in the future. The fact that many of the chapters were previously published as stand-alone articles, in respected journals, also add an air of authority to the manuscript. In probably the best section of the book, in Chapter 6, Hillyard describes the need for a reassertion of the role of citizenship by the United States. He believes through the areas of prevention, mitigation, planning, response and recovery, that America can develop a concept for a greater citizen engagement in the role of Homeland Security.I think that my only criticism of the book comes from a lack of a conclusion. While the case study on Three-Mile Island is great, a summary of all of the great points made in the book would have been nice. In addition, a checklist of Hillyard's recommendations would have been good to add as an appendix. However those small critiques notwithstanding, overall, I thought that the book was very good and makes a contribution to the body of knowledge concerning Homeland Security.

Right on Target

Hillyard has hit the nail on the head and has called attention to a critical link in the homeland security chain. He clearly reveals that homeland security is now everyone's job and how things can be exacerbated when people do not take responsibility and do this job. In this book he clearly notes that citizens must be proactive, and thus be trained, in basic homeland security response items such as being a resource for first response, basic assistance, and remaining calm at the targeted site. His message is that this must be taken seriously and the ability to recognize, respond and report a top priority for those who live and work in local communities. He notes that this is not a new concept and cites several examples of heroic life saving and property protecting acts performed by engaged citizens such as postal service workers, for example. Local citizen agencies as well as those in the highest levels of the national government will benefit from the message in this book.

The book the terrorists fear.

Terrorists will hate this book. In the wake of September 11, a plethora of books has spewed forth, with not a single logical, workable "battle plan" to defeat terrorism--and do it right in our own neighborhoods. In addition, the author presents a compelling argument and blueprint for exactly HOW and WHY every citizen can run terrorists to ground. By putting the correct focus--with the correct components--on education by the main players in the homeland security arena, we are at last able to wean ourselves from the hand-wringing lament of "Why can't the government DO something?!" He lucidly dissects the worst statement our government made immediately post-September 11; i.e., "Go back to normal; everything will be okay." We did; and it wasn't.Further, there is an astonishing account of all the errors that led up to the Three Mile Island accident. While that occurred in 1979, Dr. Hillyard makes an airtight case that a terrorist doesn't have to destroy a nuclear power plant--or any other piece of our infrastructure--he or she need only create FEAR. Aided by the sensationlism of the media and the on-air drivel of "experts" (who are not), they combine to create a tsunami of fear that quickly overwhelms us. In its wake are strewn the wreckage of warnings, workable plans for protection, and the seeds to ensure the same crisis does not repeat itself.If you want to know how you CAN defeat terrorists, with no risk to yourself, why the terrorists are so vulnerable and can do nothing about it, and how you can wage the war on terrorists the day you read the book, buy it! It's one of a very few books that don't have a political agenda or pure stupidity at its core.