DHS Struggles with Management Vacancies

The Department of Homeland Security is still trying to fill a number of high-profile senior management positions, including ones with responsibility for handling disasters and preventing terrorist attacks, says a new report.

According to an article by Chris Strohm on the GovExec.com website, the DHS has yet to name a permanent director for FEMA and the chiefs of the department’s Operations Directorate and Science and Technology Directorate recently announced their resignations.

What’s more, Strohm says the DHS has announced the appointment of a new Federal Air Marshal Service director, but “it is unclear how much support he will have, as a major law enforcement association and some air marshals had wanted a different person for the job.”

DHS spokesperson Russ Knocke told Strohm that the department wants to install a new management team at FEMA that includes a new director, deputy director and chief logistics officer, which explains the holdup.

“It’s not just a director that we’re looking to bring on board,” Knocke told him. “We’re looking at a package of senior veterans that can come in and really help to lead the agency and continue to retool the agency with 21st century capabilities and get as much of that accomplished by June 1 [the start of the hurricane season] as we can.”