Center for Homeland Defense and Security

10/16/2026

Congratulations to Chris Vetromile on his new role as Director of Wildfire Mitigation and Response at American Electric Power (AEP)!

Wishing Christopher continued success as he takes on this important leadership role, supporting wildfire risk reduction, preparedness, and response efforts.

10/16/2026

HOT SEAT OUTTAKES

🔥😂 Think The Hot Seat was entertaining? Wait until you see what didn't make the cut!

From unexpected laughs to hilarious bloopers, we're taking you behind the scenes for all the moments that didn't make it into the episode! 🎬👀

🎥 Watch the bloopers now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXg3tlGQpsU

Not every answer made the final cut, and neither did every reaction...

10/15/2026

Turning Ideas into Action, One Family at a Time!

When a vulnerable individual goes missing, every second counts.

👏Center for Homeland Defense and Security Emergence alumna Christina Gering is making a difference in Seminole County, Florida, by transforming the CARES Program into a more accessible, proactive safety resource for families of individuals with autism, dementia, and other cognitive conditions.

Through her Emergence Change Initiative, Gering helped simplify enrollment, improve real-time tools for deputies, and strengthen community outreach—all to help reunite families faster when every moment matters.

💡 See how Gering turned classroom learning into real-world impact!

🔗 Read her story: https://www.chds.us/c/emergence-grad-cares/

In Seminole County, Florida, a program is there to help: CARES (County Autism Response and Enhanced Services). CARES was designed to identify at-risk individuals who elope so as to reunite them with their family when necessary

10/15/2026

SIGNALS: A CHDS PODCAST IS LIVE. 🚨

The wait is over. We're excited to launch Signals: A CHDS Podcast with not one but two episodes: “Terrorism: Then, Now, and Next” and “Securing the World Cup.”

In the first episode of Signals: A CHDS Podcast, renowned terrorism scholar Dr. Bruce Hoffman and CHDS faculty member Dr. David Brannan reflect on the evolution of terrorism studies, the lessons learned over the last half-century, and the emerging trends shaping the future of homeland security. Their conversation offers valuable insights for practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and students alike.

In our second episode, “Securing the World Cup,” G.B. Jones offers an inside look at securing the 2026 FIFA World Cup, from fan behavior and crowd management to counterterrorism and international coordination. The conversation highlights the critical role of intelligence, interagency collaboration, and systems thinking in managing a global mega-event.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0nF0nZ4fxF2S1tCjXfFUx3?si=xiQaSUunQqagIt06GJGndQ

Castos: https://signals-a-chds-podcast.castos.com/?_gl=1*tyw63w*_gcl_au*MjE2NDcwMjMzLjE3ODk0MDg2MzkuMTQ0MjIyOTEyMS4xNzkxNDAzMDMwLjE3OTE0MDMwMzkuMzUyMTAxMDQzLjE3OTE0MDMwMzAuMTc5MTQwMzAzOQ

CHDS Website: https://www.chds.us/c/category/all-posts/signals/

10/14/2026

The future of homeland security needs your ideas.

Are you in the first half of your career and ready to rethink how we protect our communities and the nation?

The Emergence Program at the NPS Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) combines an academic journey with an innovation lab for homeland defense and security professionals.

Participants explore emerging technological shifts, social trends, and public threats—examining the challenges they present and the opportunities to approach them in new ways.

Bring your curiosity, your experience, and your commitment to public service. Take the next step in shaping the future of your field.

📅 Application deadline: December 1
For more information: https://lnkd.in/dtUMzyup

CHDS alumni: Help us reach the next generation of leaders. Recommend your recruits, encourage promising colleagues to apply, and share this opportunity with your networks. Your recommendation could inspire someone’s next chapter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8ADIt2-7HQ

The Emergence Program at the Naval Postgraduate School's Center for...

10/14/2026

🚨 What if anyone, including criminals and foreign adversaries, could purchase shockingly detailed profiles on private individuals?

In his NPS Center for Homeland Defense and Security Master's thesis, Jesse Y.., Chief of Louisville Metro Emergency Services exposes the "Digital Panopticon"—a vast surveillance ecosystem where data brokers collect and sell personal information with little oversight.

But this isn't just about privacy. It's about national security.

From tracking military personnel to exposing law enforcement officers and critical infrastructure workers, Yarbrough explores how commercially available personal data can become a powerful tool for those seeking to do harm—and what we can do to protect ourselves.
🎥 Watch his thesis presentation and discover why your digital footprint matters more than ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGBl2J5jsGQ

📚 Want to explore more groundbreaking homeland security research? Dive into the CHDS Digital Library, where real-world challenges meet innovative solutions. 📖 Explore the CHDS Digital Library: https://www.hsdl.org/

Jesse Yarbrough, Chief of Louisville Metro EMS, presents his gradua...

10/13/2026

CHDS is launching a podcast‼️

Starting October 15, Signals: A CHDS Podcast brings fresh voices and timely conversations about emerging challenges to the homeland security and defense community. Whether you're a practitioner, policymaker, researcher, or student, Signals will explore the ideas, challenges, and innovations shaping the field today through engaging discussions with experts and leaders from across the enterprise.

Join us as we launch Signals: A CHDS Podcast on October 15!

Starting countdown now...! ⏳

10/13/2026

The Center for Homeland Defense and Security(CHDS), in partnership with the Governors’ Chiefs of Staff Network, was pleased to welcome senior state leaders and advisors from across the country to the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey for the Governors’ Chiefs of Staff Homeland Security Forum.

Led by the CHDS Executive Education Program, the forum brought together leaders from governors’ offices, higher education, and the National Governors Association to examine issues increasingly shaping decisions at the state executive level. Discussions addressed the evolving homeland security threat landscape, the opportunities and vulnerabilities presented by artificial intelligence and emerging technology, the changing role of states in emergency management, and the growing implications of homeland defense for governors, National Guards, and communities.

Across the forum, participants considered not only what is changing, but what those changes may require of governors and their senior advisors as responsibilities, authorities, and risks continue to evolve. The program concluded with a discussion on leadership and consequential decision-making from the chief of staff’s chair, followed by an opportunity for participants to identify takeaways and next steps for their work at home and together.

The forum also provided an opportunity to highlight CHDS Executive Education Seminars, which bring EEP directly to governors and senior state leaders across the country to address jurisdiction-specific homeland security challenges and priorities. Learn more about Executive Education Seminars:https://www.chds.us/c/resources/uploads/EEP-Seminar-Planning-Guide-for-State-Leadership_r6.16.26.pdf

We are grateful to the Governors’ Chiefs of Staff Network for its partnership in convening this forum and to the leaders and experts who contributed their experience and perspectives throughout the program. CHDS is proud to support opportunities for state leaders to think critically about emerging challenges, learn from one another, and strengthen their capacity to navigate complex homeland security and homeland defense decisions.

10/12/2026

🔥🌶️ How well can a homeland security leader handle the heat?

The Hot Seats is back for Episode 2. Join CHDS Director Dr. Gregory Bernard as he sits down with Dr. Caleb Cage, PhD Cage, CHDS's new Master's Program Lead, for a candid conversation on leadership, education, public service, and the future of homeland security.

🍗 The catch? Every question comes with an increasingly spicy hot wing!

Watch as the conversation deepens, the heat rises, and Dr. Cage shares insights from a career spanning emergency management, national security, and higher education.

👀🔥 Will Dr. Cage make it through the heat? Watch to find out!

🎥 Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OydK1C__kzs