USMC Roles and Missions in Homeland Defense and Defense Support of Civil Authorities

1.  PURPOSE.  PROVIDE INFORMATION ON 
USMC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN HOMELAND DEFENSE (HD) 
AND DEFENSE SUPPORT OF CIVIL AUTHORITIES (DSCA), OFTEN 
REFERRED TO AS CIVIL SUPPORT (CS), MILITARY SUPPORT TO 
CIVIL AUTHORITIES (MSCA) OR MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO CIVILIAN 
AUTHORITIES (MACA).  DSCA INCLUDES DOD SUPPORT THAT MAY 
BE PROVIDED BY FEDERAL MILITARY FORCES, DOD CIVILIANS 
AND CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL, AND DOD AGENCY AND COMPONENT 
ASSETS FOR DOMESTIC EMERGENCIES AND FOR DESIGNATED LAW 
ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.  AS A RESULT OF ISSUES 
RAISED DURING THE RESPONSE TO HURRICANE KATRINA THERE HAS 
BEEN AN ONGOING DEBATE ON THE ROLE OF DOD IN THE US 
GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO DOMESTIC DISASTERS.  ADDITIONALLY, 
THE OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR 
HOMELAND DEFENSE IS DRAFTING A DOD DIRECTIVE WITH SUPPORTING 
DOD INSTRUCTION AND DOD MANUAL FOR DSCA.  WHEN RELEASED, 
THE DOD DIRECTIVE FOR DSCA WILL ESTABLISH DOD POLICY AND 
ASSIGN RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROVIDING DSCA.  
2.  BACKGROUND.  DEFENDING THE UNITED STATES HOMELAND IS 
A COMPREHENSIVE INTERAGENCY EFFORT; THERE IS NO SINGLE 
FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING 
THE HOMELAND SECURE AGAINST ALL THREATS.  THE DEPARTMENT 
OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING 
THE NATION'S BORDERS, PORTS AND TERRITORIAL SEAS; WORKING 
WITH THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS TO REDUCE VULNERABILITIES; 
AND PREPARING THE NATION TO RESPOND QUICKLY AND DECISIVELY 
TO TERRORIST ATTACKS.  THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (DOJ), TO 
INCLUDE THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI), IS FOCUSED 
ON APPREHENDING SUSPECTED TERRORISTS WHO HAVE PENETRATED 
THE U.S. BORDERS.  DOD, WHEN DIRECTED BY THE PRESIDENT OR 
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (SECDEF), UNDERTAKES MILITARY MISSIONS 
AT HOME TO DEFEND THE UNITED STATES, ITS POPULATION, AND ITS 
INFRASTRUCTURE FROM ATTACK.  ADDITIONALLY, DOD PROVIDES 
DSCA WHEN CIVILIAN RESOURCES ARE OVERWHELMED OR WHEN CIVILIAN 
AGENCIES ARE FACED WITH CHALLENGES NECESSITATING THE 
UTILIZATION OF DOD'S UNIQUE CAPABILITIES.
3.  REF (A) IS THE RECENTLY RELEASED DOD STRATEGY FOR HD 
AND CS THAT OUTLINES A DOD CONSTRUCT OF LEAD, SUPPORT 
AND ENABLE TO PERFORM HD AND DSCA MISSIONS.  THE STRATEGY'S 
CONSTRUCT UNDERTAKES A RANGE OF ACTIVITIES TO SECURE THE 
UNITED STATES (GLOBAL COMMONS, FORWARD REGIONS, APPROACHES 
AND HOMELAND) FROM DIRECT ATTACK THAT ARE DIVIDED INTO THE 
FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
3.A.  LEAD.  AT THE DIRECTION OF THE PRESIDENT OR SECRETARY 
OF DEFENSE (SECDEF), DOD EXECUTES MILITARY MISSIONS THAT 
DISSUADE, DETER, AND DEFEAT ATTACKS UPON THE UNITED STATES, 
ITS POPULATION, AND DOD CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
3.A.1.  DOD PERFORMS THESE MISSIONS AS ELEMENTS OF HD, WHICH 
ARE DISTINCT FROM HOMELAND SECURITY ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY 
OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.  EXAMPLES OF DOD 
HD MISSIONS INCLUDE DEFENDING US AIRSPACE AND DEPLOYING QUICK 
RESPONSE FORCES (QRF) TO PROTECT CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
3.A.2.  THE MARINE CORPS CONTRIBUTES TO HD AS A TOTAL FORCE 
TRAINED AS THE NATION'S PREMIER EXPEDITIONARY COMBAT 
FORCE-IN-READINESS.  THE MARINE CORPS PERFORMS HD BY OPERATING 
FROM FORWARD DEPLOYED LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.  WE 
EXPLOIT THE SPEED, FLEXIBILITY, AND AGILITY INHERENT IN OUR 
COMBINED-ARMS APPROACH TO DEFEAT TRADITIONAL, TERRORIST, 
AND EMERGING THREATS TO OUR NATION'S SECURITY.  WHEN DIRECTED 
BY THE PRESIDENT OR SECDEF, THE MARINE CORPS USES ITS 
EXPEDITIONARY CAPABILITIES TO RAPIDLY RESPOND TO THREATS 
IN THE HOMELAND.  EXAMPLES OF THE MARINE CORPS PERFORMING 
HD MISSIONS INCLUDE PROVIDING QRF'S, LEVERAGING FORWARD DEPLOYED 
INTELLIGENCE ASSETS AND OUR EFFORTS IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM.
3.B.  SUPPORT.  AT THE DIRECTION OF THE PRESIDENT OR SECDEF, 
DOD PROVIDES SUPPORT TO CIVIL AUTHORITIES.
3.B.1. THE SUPPORT PROVIDED BY JTF-KATRINA TO HURRICANE KATRINA 
RESPONSE AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW DOD 
PROVIDES DSCA.  OTHER EXAMPLES INCLUDE INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT 
(I.E. IMAGERY AND GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS) THROUGH THE USE OF 
DIRECT REACHBACK CAPABILITY TO MARINE CORPS INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITY, 
PROVIDING EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DETECTION DOGS IN SUPPORT OF THE 
UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE FOR A NATIONAL SPECIAL SECURITY 
EVENT OR PROVIDING AVIATION AND INFANTRY UNITS FOR FIGHTING 
WILDLAND FIRES.
3.B.2.  THE MARINE CORPS PROVIDES SUPPORT TO A LEAD FEDERAL 
AGENCY (LFA) AT THE DIRECTION OF THE PRESIDENT OR SECRETARY 
OF DEFENSE, BY USING OUR EXPEDITIONARY WARFIGHTING CAPABILITY 
TO RAPIDLY RESPOND TO A DOMESTIC INCIDENT IN SUPPORT OF CIVILIAN
AUTHORITIES.  THE DEPLOYMENT OF MARINE FORCES KATRINA 
(MARFOR-KATRINA) IN SUPPORT OF COMMANDER USNORTHCOM'S 
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE/DISASTER RELIEF OPERATIONS IOT MITIGATE 
THE EFFECTS OF HURRICANE KATRINA AND TO ENSURE SECURITY OF 
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IS AN EXAMPLE OF MARINE CORPS PROVIDING 
DSCA.  MARINE CORPS UNITS CAN ALSO PROVIDE DSCA UNDER THE DOD 
POLICY FOR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE AUTHORITY EXPLAINED FURTHER IN 
PARAGRAPH FIVE.
3.C.  ENABLE.  IN ORDER TO DEVELOP AND IMPROVE CIVILIAN 
CAPABILITIES IN HOMELAND SECURITY AND CONSEQUENCE MANAGEMENT, 
DOD SHARES EXPERTISE AND TECHNOLOGY, AS APPROPRIATE, ACROSS 
MILITARY AND CIVILIAN BOUNDARIES.  
3.C.1.  AN EXAMPLE OF DOD ENABLING CIVILIAN CAPABILITIES IS 
CONDUCTING TRAIN-THE-TRAINER COURSES TO ASSIST CIVILIAN 
ORGANIZATIONS IN DEVELOPING AND REFINING DELIBERATE PLANNING 
CAPABILITIES.
3.C.2.  THE MARINE CORPS ENABLES CIVILIAN AGENCIES IN DEVELOPING 
THEIR CAPABILITIES FOR HS AND INCIDENT MANAGEMENT BY LENDING 
OUR EXPERTISE AND SHARING TECHNOLOGY.  SPECIFICALLY, THE MARINE 
CORPS' CBIRF CONDUCTS TRAIN-THE-TRAINER OPERATIONS FOR CIVILIAN 
FIRST RESPONDERS AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY PARTNERS.  ALSO, 
UNDER THE AUSPICES OF COMMANDER USNORTHCOM, THE MARINE CORPS 
PARTICIPATES IN TABLE-TOP TRAINING EXERCISES WITH THE OBJECTIVE 
OF DEVELOPING MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF DOD 
CAPABILITIES AND PROCEDURES FOR PROVIDING DSCA.
4.  THERE ARE FOUR PRIMARY MECHANISMS BY WHICH DOD TAKES PART 
IN A FEDERAL RESPONSE TO A DOMESTIC INCIDENT.  FEDERAL ASSISTANCE, 
INCLUDING ASSISTANCE FROM DOD, CAN BE PROVIDED: (1) AT THE 
DIRECTION OF THE PRESIDENT; (2) AT THE REQUEST OF ANOTHER FEDERAL 
AGENCY UNDER THE ECONOMY ACT, REF B; (3) IN RESPONSE TO A REQUEST 
FROM DHS'S FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) FOLLOWING 
A DECLARATION OF A NATIONAL DISASTER OR EMERGENCY UNDER THE 
STAFFORD ACT, REF C; OR (4) UNDER THE DOD IMMEDIATE RESPONSE 
AUTHORITY.  
4.A.  THE SECOND AND THIRD MECHANISMS ABOVE REQUIRE A REQUEST 
FOR ASSISTANCE (RFA) AND APPROVAL BY THE SECDEF.  PRIOR TO BEING 
SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL EACH RFA IS EVALUATED BY THE OFFICE OF 
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (OSD) AND THE JOINT STAFF (JS) USING 
THE FOLLOWING SIX CRITERIA: (1) LEGALITY (IS THE REQUEST IN 
COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW); (2) LETHALITY (WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL 
FOR THE USE OF LETHAL FORCE BY OR AGAINST DOD FORCES); (3) RISK 
(SAFETY OF DOD FORCES); (4) COST (WHO PAYS, IMPACT ON DOD BUDGET); 
(5) APPROPRIATENESS (WHETHER THE REQUESTED MISSION IS IN THE 
INTEREST OF THE DOD TO CONDUCT); AND (6) READINESS (IMPACT ON 
THE DOD'S ABILITY TO PERFORM ITS PRIMARY MISSION).
5.  PER REF (D), IMMINENTLY SERIOUS CONDITIONS RESULTING FROM 
ANY CIVIL EMERGENCY OR ATTACK MAY REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ACTION BY 
MILITARY COMMANDERS, OR BY RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS OF OTHER DOD 
AGENCIES, TO SAVE LIVES, PREVENT HUMAN SUFFERING, OR MITIGATE 
GREAT PROPERTY DAMAGE.  WHEN SUCH CONDITIONS EXIST AND TIME DOES 
NOT PERMIT PRIOR APPROVAL FROM HIGHER HEADQUARTERS, LOCAL 
MILITARY COMMANDERS AND RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS OF OTHER DOD 
COMPONENTS ARE AUTHORIZED TO TAKE NECESSARY ACTION TO RESPOND 
TO REQUESTS FROM CIVIL AUTHORITIES.  SUCH ACTIONS ARE REFERRED 
TO AS IMMEDIATE RESPONSE.  PER REF E, THE MILITARY COMMANDER, 
OR RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL OF A DOD COMPONENT OR AGENCY RENDERING 
SUCH ASSISTANCE SHALL REPORT THE REQUEST, THE NATURE OF THE 
RESPONSE, AND ANY OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION THROUGH THE CHAIN 
OF COMMAND TO THE NATIONAL MILITARY COMMAND CENTER (NMCC).  
REF D ALSO DIRECTS THAT EACH LEVEL IN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND WILL 
MAKE EXPEDITIOUS NOTIFICATION TO THE NEXT HIGHER COMMAND IN 
ORDER TO NOTIFY THE NMCC WITHIN A FEW HOURS OF THE DECISION 
TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE.
5.A.  THE INITIATIVE OF COMPANY A, 4TH ASSAULT AMPHIBIAN 
BATTALION DEPLOYING IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE 
KATRINA IN SUPPORT OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO RESCUE VICTIMS 
OF THE HURRICANE IS AN EXAMPLE OF RESPONDING UNDER IMMEDIATE 
RESPONSE AUTHORITY.  
5.A.1.  MARINE CORPS COMMANDERS RENDERING ASSISTANCE UNDER 
IMMEDIATE RESPONSE AUTHORITY WILL INFORM VIA THE CHAIN OF 
COMMAND THE MARINE CORPS OPERATIONS CENTER WHICH WILL IN 
TURN INFORM THE NMCC.
5.A.2.  AN ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION FOR COMMANDERS WHEN 
EVALUATING A RFA FROM CIVILIAN AUTHORITIES UNDER IMMEDIATE 
RESPONSE AUTHORITY IS THAT, PER REFS (F) AND (G), ACTIVE DUTY 
MILITARY FORCES WILL NOT SUPPORT DOMESTIC CIVILIAN AUTHORITIES 
BY ENGAGING IN DIRECT LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES (SEARCH, 
SEIZURE AND ARREST, OR OTHER SIMILIAR LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY) 
NOR WILL MILITARY EQUIPMENT THAT HAS A POTENTIAL FOR LETHALITY 
BE LOANED TO CIVILIAN AUTHORITIES WITHOUT APPROVAL OF THE 
SECDEF.  ALL REQUESTS FOR INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT WILL BE IN 
ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING INTELLIGENCE OVERSIGHT REGULATIONS 
AND PUBLIC LAWS.
6.  PRIOR TO PEFORMING A DSCA MISSION, COMMANDERS AND THEIR 
MARINES MUST KNOW THE STANDING RULES FOR THE USE OF FORCE (SRUF) 
WHICH GOVERN THE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY COMMANDERS AND THEIR 
MARINES DURING ALL DSCA MISSIONS OCCURRING WITHIN US TERRITORY 
OR US TERRITORIAL SEAS.  REFS (H) AND (I) SPECIFICALLY GOVERN THE
USE OF DEADLY FORCE AND THE CARRYING OF FIREARMS BY DOD PERSONNEL 
ENGAGED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SECURITY DUTIES.  REF (I) 
ESTABLISHES THE BASELINE SRUF GOVERNING THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY DOD 
FORCES PERFORMING DSCA MISSIONS AND AT/FP MISSIONS WITHIN 
THE UNITED STATES TERRITORY.
6.A.  PER REFERENCE (I) UNIT COMMANDERS ALWAYS RETAIN THE 
INHERENT RIGHT AND OBLIGATION TO EXERCISE UNIT SELF-DEFENSE 
IN RESPONSE TO A HOSTILE ACT OR DEMONSTRATED HOSTILE INTENT.  
UNIT SELF-DEFENSE INCLUDES THE DEFENSE OF OTHER DOD FORCES 
IN THE VICINITY.
6.B.  GIVEN THE NATURE OF HD AND DSCA, SRUF ARE GENERALLY 
MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (ROE) UTILIZED 
DURING COMBAT OPERATIONS.  NORMALLY, FORCE IS TO BE USED 
ONLY AS A LAST RESORT, AND THE FORCE USED SHOULD BE THE 
MINIMUM NECESSARY.  COMMANDERS SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR SJA 
WHEN DEVELOPING AND PROVIDING SRUF TRAINING.
6.C.  COMBATANT COMMANDERS MAY RESTRICT OR AUGMENT THE SRUF 
AS NECESSARY BY SUBMITTING REQUESTS FOR MISSION-SPECIFIC RUF 
TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF (CJCS) FOR SECDEF
APPROVAL.
6.D.  IT IS IMPERATIVE DOD FORCES OPERATING IN COORDINATION 
WITH LEAD FEDERAL AGENCY (LFA) SECURITY FORCES COORDINATE WITH 
ON-SCENE LFA PERSONNEL TO ENSURE COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF DOD SRUF.
7.  AN IMPORTANT TENET OF DSCA IS THAT ALTHOUGH DOD IS IN THE 
SUPPORTING ROLE, AT NO TIME DOES THE SUPPORTED AGENCY EXERCISE 
ANY COMMAND AND CONTROL OVER DOD FORCES.  ONCE DOD RESOURCES 
ARE EMPLOYED IN SUPPORT OF DOMESTIC CIVIL AUTHORITIES, THOSE 
RESOURCES ARE PLACED UNDER THE OPERATIONAL, OR TACTICAL, 
CONTROL OF THE SUPPORTED GEOGRAPHIC COMBATANT COMMANDER, EITHER 
CDRUSNORTHCOM OR CDRUSPACOM.
8.  THE NATIONAL RESPONSE PLAN (NRP), REF (J), IS BUILT ON THE
TEMPLATE OF THE NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (NIMS), 
REF (K), WHICH PROVIDES A CONSISTENT DOCTRINAL FRAMEWORK 
FOR INCIDENT MANAGEMENT AT ALL JURISDICTIONAL LEVELS, 
REGARDLESS OF THE CAUSE, SIZE, OR COMPLEXITY OF THE INCIDENT.  
THE PURPOSE OF THE NRP IS TO ALIGN FEDERAL COORDINATION 
STRUCTURES, CAPABILITIES, AND RESOURCES INTO A UNIFIED, 
ALL DISCIPLINE, AND ALL-HAZARDS APPROACH TO DOMESTIC INCIDENT 
MANAGMENT.  THIS APPROACH IS UNIQUE AND FAR REACHING IN THAT IT 
IS AN EFFORT TO ELIMINATE CRITICAL SEAMS AND TIE TOGETHER THE 
COMPLETE SPECTRUM OF INCIDENT MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES TO INCLUDE 
THE PREVENTION OF, PREPAREDNESS FOR, RERSPONSE TO, AND RECOVERY 
FROM TERRORISM, MAJOR NATURAL DISASTERS, AND OTHER MAJOR 
EMERGENCIES.  AN INTEGRAL PART OF NIMS IS THE INCIDENT COMMAND 
SYSTEM (ICS), THE CIVILIAN FIRST RESPONDER CONSTRUCT FOR STAFF 
FUNCTIONS DURING A RESPONSE TO A DOMESTIC INCIDENT.
9.  AS PART OF DOD IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NRP AND NIMS, REF L 
DIRECTS THAT DOD INSTALLATIONS ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT PROCEDURES 
CONSISTENT WITH THE NIMS AND ICS FOR INCIDENT MANAGEMENT AT ALL 
DOD DOMESTIC INSTALLATIONS IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH REF M.  
DIRECTION REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NRP AND NIMS AT
MARINE CORPS INSTALLATIONS WILL BE PROMULGATED AT A LATER DATE.  
IN THE INTERIM, AN INTRODUCTORY COURSE ON THE NRP AND NIMS IS 
OFFERED BY THE FEMA INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAM: IS-800 COURSE, 
NATIONAL RESPONSE PLAN (NRP) AN INTRODUCTION, AND CAN BE 
FOUND ON-LINE AT HTTP:TRAINING.FEMA.GOV/EMIWEN/IS/IS800.ASP.  
10.  UNCLASSIFIED REFERENCES CONTAINED IN THIS MARADMIN ARE 
AVAILABLE ON THE MARINE CORPS UNCLASSIFIED WEBSITE AND MAY BE 
ACCESSED BY CLICKING THE FOLLOWING BUTTONS IN ORDER: HEADQUARTERS 
MARINE CORPS; PLANS, POLICIES AND OPERATIONS; SECURITY DIVISION; 
HOMELAND DEFENSE BRANCH (PSH); HD/CS SECTION; REFERENCES.   
ADDITIONALLY, HQMC POC CAN PROVIDE BRIEFINGS ON HD AND DSCA.
11.  HQMC POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS MESSAGE, AND FOR HD AND DSCA 
POLICY ISSUES IS MAJ DAN MCGOUGH, PPO (PS), DSN 222-4243, COMM 
(703) 692-4243 AND E-MAIL MCGOUGHDJ@HQMC.USMC.MIL.