Homeland Security grapples with management vacancies

The Homeland Security Department is facing uncertainty in a handful of high-profile senior management positions, including ones with responsibility for handling disasters and preventing terrorist attacks.

The department still has not named a permanent director for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, even though the next hurricane season begins in less than three months. The chiefs of the department's Operations Directorate and Science and Technology Directorate also recently have announced their resignations.

And last week, DHS 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.

Of all the open positions, the vacancy at the top of FEMA has received the most congressional and public attention. R. David Paulison has been acting FEMA chief since Michael Brown resigned from the position last September under mounting criticism for how the federal government handled Hurricane Katrina.

Brown has said in recent media interviews that he knows candidates who have turned down offers to be the permanent FEMA chief because they believe the agency is in too much turmoil.

Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said Brown's claim is "not true." He said the department wants to install a new management team at FEMA that includes a new director, deputy director and chief logistics officer.

"It's not just a director that we're looking to bring on board," Knocke said. "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 as we can."

Knocke added that nobody has been offered the FEMA jobs yet, though the department hopes to fill them as quickly as possible. "We're very close, and we hope to be able to be talking more about this with the public in the very near term," he said.

The top position in the DHS Operations Directorate will be vacant when retired Brig. Gen. Matthew Broderick resigns at the end of March. The directorate oversees the Homeland Security Operations Center and is a fusion point for law enforcement and intelligence information to prevent terrorist attacks.

"Over the past three years, Matt made tremendous contributions to our homeland security, having planned and coordinated countless national security events and intra-agency activities," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said.

Charles McQueary also announced his intention to resign on March 25 as the first head of the department's Science and Technology Directorate. He said he feels comfortable leaving the post because DHS has an excellent technical team and research and development programs.

DHS moved relatively quickly to find a new FAMS director after Thomas Quinn resigned in early February. The department announced March 3 that the spot will be filled by Dana Brown, who previously served as the agency's chief of staff. Brown spent 25 years with the Secret Service.

The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association and some rank-and-file air marshals, however, had wanted another candidate: Don Strange, a former special agent in charge of the FAMS Atlanta office. Strange spent most of his career at the Drug Enforcement Administration and joined FAMS in 2002. But his contract was canceled after he challenged several policies enforced by Quinn relating to the agency's dress code and boarding procedures.

Brown's appointment is controversial because some associate him with Quinn, who did not get along with FLEOA and other air marshals. FLEOA, however, is willing to give Brown a chance, said Jon Adler, the association's vice president.

"It's FLEOA's position that a lot of the pre-existing problems were attributed directly to the former director, and we're hoping with his departure that the atmosphere will change and improve," Adler said. "We're disappointed that Don Strange didn't get selected, but we are looking forward to establishing open dialogue with Mr. Brown so that the remaining issues will be addressed."