National Security Staff Becomes National Security Council Staff, Again

President Barack Obama meets with National Security staff in the Oval Office, March 8, 2012. Clockwise from the President are: Jeff Eggers, Director for Afghanistan and Central Region; David Holmes, Director for Afghanistan; Avril Haines, Deputy Counsel to the President; Dennis McDonough, Deputy National Security Advisor; National Security Advisor Tom Donilon; and Lt. Gen. Doug Lute, Senior Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Barack Obama meets with National Security staff in the Oval Office, March 8, 2012. Clockwise from the President are: Jeff Eggers, Director for Afghanistan and Central Region; David Holmes, Director for Afghanistan; Avril Haines, Deputy Counsel to the President; Dennis McDonough, Deputy National Security Advisor; National Security Advisor Tom Donilon; and Lt. Gen. Doug Lute, Senior Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

US President Barack Obama’s National Security Staff is the National Security Council staff once again.

The president signed an executive order on Monday making the name change official.

From a blog post written by NSC spokesperson Caitlin Hayden:

For those of you who don’t know, back in May 2009, when the Administration announced the merger of the National Security Council staff and the Homeland Security Council staff, the combined team was renamed the “National Security Staff” — or “NSS” for short. The name reflected a desire to ensure a cohesive and seamless consolidation of the two organizations. Now nearly four years later, and with the overwhelming support of the staff, the Administration has decided to change the name back to the National Security Council staff, which is the name our organization used from the signing of the National Security Act of 1947 until 2009.

The desire to change the name back is reflection of the very successful merger of the two organizations. The original goal was to end the artificial divide between White House staff dealing with national security and homeland security, and avoid stovepipes that could arise in the face of multiple threats that ignore the foreign-domestic divide. Given that the merger has done just that, and we are well aligned and organized to meet complex 21st century threats with the re-organization, we can revert to our historic and well recognized name, while maintaining a strong sense of cohesiveness and unity in supporting the President and the principals on his national security team.

Marcus Weisgerber
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Marcus Weisgerber

Senior Pentagon Correspondent at Defense News
I write about broad-ranging policy, acquisition and budget issues affecting the US military.
Marcus Weisgerber
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