Security measures at federal government buildings in Canada and Australia are tighter now, after attacks against those buildings in the last few weeks. So far, the federal government here hasn’t seen much difference in the threat landscape. General Norton Schwartz (U.S. Air Force ret.) and former Chief of Staff of the Air Force, is now President and CEO of Business Executives for National Security. In his Top 3 for 2015 and on In Depth with Francis Rose, he says we may be looking at our internal terror threat the wrong way.

Norton Schwartz’s Top 3 for 2015

1. Ensuring public safety through improved domestic counterterrorism efforts: As the terrorist threat to the U.S. continues to evolve, so too must our domestic counterterrorism efforts. Recent attacks in Australia and Canada are illustrative. An effective domestic counterterrorism strategy that enhances public safety requires a stronger linkage with state and local law enforcement and clear federal leadership. It is unrealistic to expect that every attack can be prevented, but it is vital to improve our preparedness to better ensure domestic security and resiliency in the face of these evolving and persistent terrorist threats.
2. Making senior government service more attractive: Vacancies of presidential appointees impacts national security and the government’s ability to act in unforeseen crises. In early 2014, the Department of Defense reported 70 percent of Senate-confirmed positions filled, with 13 nominated and six unannounced. In late 2013, the Department of Homeland Security reported a 39 percent fill. The long, tortuous and unpredictable path through the appointment process is a serious impediment to good governance, with attendant consequences for national security. Clearly, procedural improvements are needed prior to the next presidential transition.
3. Sequestration is a “bad business practice:” Sequestration’s indiscriminate nature means the Department of Defense cannot make decisions about stemming fixed costs, with these costs becoming a larger portion of the overall budget at the expense of military readiness. Private sector companies would never act in similar fashion. Across-the-board cuts do not work in big business; they spare the poorest performing elements from deeper cuts. It is far better to apply best business practice to improve the business of defense and by extension, tackling the well-understood challenge of properly managing fixed costs.

In our special radio report, Top 3 for 2015, federal experts tell In Depth host Francis Rose what top three concepts, trends or priorities they believe will be important in 2015.

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