Fort Knox (this is for a masters class SECR 5000) reference: security - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages Articles of Confederation of 1778, the signed copy of the Constitution of the United States, Abraham’s Gettysburg Address of 1863, and the autographed copy of Lincoln’s inaugural address of 1865” (Kleber, 2001, p.311). The Patton museum of Armor and Cavalry is also located at the installation (Fort Knox, 2009).
With technological advances in almost every field, the domain of security for high-risk facilities has kept up with the improved systems available. Security is defined by Schneier (2003, p.11) as the prevention of “adverse consequences from the intentional and unwarranted actions of others”, and a security system is a series of countermeasures or mechanisms undertaken to prevent adverse consequences.
Thesis Statement: Fort Knox has withstood the test of time, and regardless of the latest technologies, the security structure and procedures are of the highest standards. The mystique behind Fort Knox will be examined by looking at the past and its origin, the present, and the future of this important army installation and security stronghold.
The history of Fort Knox dates back to the Civil War (1861-1865), when Union and Confederate armies were located at nearby sites, the region being a gateway between the north and the south. In 1918, the army tradition of training soldiers for combat began at Fort Knox, after the United States bought 40,000 acres of local land, and named the area after General Knox, the nation’s first secretary of war. Armored vehicles such as tanks were introduced in 1916, and armored warfare was adopted by the U.S. in 1920; hence training for armored warfare was included at Fort Knox (Rector, 2005). According to Flynn & Polese (2008), the construction of a depository for gold bullion within the Military Reservation was authorized by Congress in 1935.
The United States Depository at Fort Knox was built in 1936, ensuring a solid structure of great strength, to withstand any ...Download file to see next pagesRead More