Wednesday, September 14, 2016

McKee to lead Mississippi Office of Homeland Security

Governor Phil Bryant issued the following press release:


Governor Phil Bryant Appoints Mark McKee Director of Mississippi Office of Homeland Security


Jackson, Miss. – Gov. Phil Bryant announced today that he has appointed Mark McKee Director of the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security.

McKee’s appointment is effective Oct. 10. He replaces Rusty Barnes, who recently retired.

As Director of MOHS, McKee will oversee the agency that establishes, trains and equips strategically placed statewide response teams capable of responding to terrorist incidents and natural disasters. The MOHS is also responsible for critical asset identification, standardized incident response and overseeing the state's fusion center, the Mississippi Analysis and Information Center.

Since 2014, McKee has served as Resident Agent in Charge over Mississippi for the U.S. Secret Service. From 2004-2014, he was a Supervisory Special Agent in the Washington, DC, area over numerous investigative and protection assignments for the Secret Service. His law enforcement and military service spans nearly 30 years, starting in 1986 with the U.S. Coast Guard. He left the USCG in 1991 when he was commissioned a Special Agent with the U.S. Secret Service. He is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm.

In 2007, McKee was sent on special assignment to Iraq, where he served as Supervisory Special Agent with a CENTCOM task force. There, he identified insurgent financiers and coordinated the actioning of those targets with U.S. Special Forces. He also served as an interrogator of enemy combatants and terrorist suspects.

“Mark’s experience and proven leadership ability make him a perfect fit to take the helm at MOHS,” Gov. Bryant said. “I am confident he will serve the people of Mississippi well as he leads this critical agency, whose mission is to safeguard Mississippians. I am delighted he has accepted this appointment.”

McKee graduated from the University of South Alabama in 1989, with a bachelor of arts in criminal justice administration. He completed advanced degree work in executive development programs at Johns Hopkins University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“I was honored and humbled to be considered for such an important job by Gov. Bryant, and I am looking forward to a new and rewarding career supporting the law enforcement community of Mississippi,” McKee said. “I will be bringing almost 30 years of military and government experience to this new position, which I will apply to provide a safer environment that will benefit all Mississippians.”

McKee and his wife live in Madison. They have three children.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Strong pick, McKee is the right person to fix that office, and he actually has experience in the homeland security world.

Roger Murdock said...

Why, again, does Mississippi need an Office of Homeland Security? Post 9/11 bed wetting has created awful entrenched bureaucracy after bureaucracy. All from the party supposedly all about smaller government. At least the democrats are honest about wanting to rob you blind.

Anonymous said...

3:55 stop complaining I need a cush government job! " I'm from the Government and I'm here to help you"!

Big Government beats welfare any day.

Anonymous said...

Good question, Roger ^^^. Just another opportunity for the Gubnor to appoint a frand into a cushy PERS position funded by the feds. Look for him to add two hundred four-wheelers and thirty four wheel drive trucks, all on no-bid contracts, while hanging out at the deer camp. And we ask why the guy in Madison County was terminated?

Ron Burgundy said...

Boy, that escalated quickly....I mean that really got out of hand fast.

Anonymous said...

I happen to think McKee is a great choice, Roger. He is the most qualified and intelligent choice for this position. He will be the best leader this state has ever seen. There will not be any four wheelers or trucks, only positive changes for you and your families. So I recommend seeing what he will do for you before criticizing him based on previous people's mistakes.

Anonymous said...

@8:58 PM
"... most qualified and intelligent..."
"He will be the best leader this state has ever seen."
Trump-isms!

Anonymous said...

4:44 and 6:03, you obviously don't know this guy or anything about what he's done in his career - he's the real deal, not some trooper the commissioner owed a favor to.

Anonymous said...

Why do we need MOHS? this office also is the home to the Citizen Corp Council and its affiliated programs, like Neighborhood Watch, Fire Corps, VIPS, Medical reserve Corps and CERT (community emergency response teams) Mississippi is a leader in these programs. In 2014 we won the FEMA best youth preparedness program. We are taking that program to 7 other states at no cost to Mississippi. We have been recognized as a leader in the Campus CERT program as well. Much good work is being done at this office even if it is not seen everyday.

Anonymous said...

I haven't found whatever section it is in state law that actually creates this office. If anyone knows, please post it. If you to to their website and look at resources and staff, it's not impressive. It looks as if they don't actually do anything but collect plans and make recommendations.

Anonymous said...

8:19,

Are you trying to make the point that MOHS is a joke? What program that you mentioned is at all relevant to anyone other that the person drawing a paycheck for writing it's SOP? Medical reserve corps? Neighborhood watch? Does any of those things sound like anything other than a black hole for grant money? Grow up and get a relevant job.

Anonymous said...

9.47

The programs mentioned have beneficial to the state. Many crimes have been thwarted due to neighborhood watch. The Medical Reserve Corp is made up of retired health care professionals who do not get paid, yet respond in times of disaster. The CERT teams have been very valuable in places like Yazoo City, Louisville and French Camp to name just a few. The award winning program teaches youth how to build disaster supply kits and help 6 other families do the same.

Know what you are speaking about before you cast aspersions and insult people.


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