In the second half of their two-part episode, host Tom Spahr and Sean Shields discuss the Hurricane Helene relief efforts in western North Carolina. Shields details his experience leading the 20th Engineer Brigade and the critical importance of collaborating with other organizations like FEMA, the National Guard, and local officials. He notes this was a real-world application of his Army War College studies on defense support to civil authorities. The mission also marked the first use of the ...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
The U.S. Army War College (USAWC) recently hosted its 2025 Homeland Defense Symposium, gathering experts to tackle the complex issues of defending the homeland. A key focus was clarifying the difference between Homeland Security (law enforcement and emergency response) and Homeland Defense (military protection against external threats). Bert Tussing, Director of the Homeland Defense and Security Issues Group at the USAWC’s Center for Strategic Leadership, joined host Ron Granieri in the stu...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
In November 1944, Japan launched thousands of balloons carrying incendiary bombs across the Pacific, aiming to set fire to American forests and divert resources from the war effort. While the campaign caused minimal damage and few casualties, it highlights the vulnerability of the U.S. homeland to attack. To discuss lessons from this historical event, the current state of homeland defense, and how we might better prepare for the future, George Schwartz and Bert Tussing sat down with host Darr...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast