National security concerns unfold in a rapidly changing environment.

We may think that national security is beyond our control—something best left to the experts. In fact, national security affects us all, in the communities where we live and work, and meeting the challenges of national security requires both deliberation and action at the local level.

The materials on this site are designed to inform civic leaders and citizens about some of the most important national security issues we face today. They are intended to spark meaningful debate on the challenges we face as a nation and how we might face these challenges in our local communities.

We invite you to explore the features on this site and use these resources to initiate national security programs in your communities. Throughout the site, you’ll find program ideas and planning tips.

The resources on this site were originally developed for a national security workshop for citizen leadership sponsored by the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law with funding provided by the U.S. Department of Education. The ABA Division for Public Education and the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security are pleased to join with the McGeorge School of Law in bringing these materials to a wider public.