This has been discussed before in the political thread - from the Obama website - I would certainly not be afraid of this - think it's smart - yes - afraid-no. This was to protect our infrastructure if attacked - our water supplies, food supply, etc. Remember all our troops are overseas including the National Guard.

Create a Civilian Assistance Corps (CAC): An Obama-Biden administration will set a goal of creating a national CAC of 25,000 personnel. This corps of civilian volunteers with special skill, sets (doctors, lawyers, engineers, city planners, agriculture specialists, police, etc.) would be organized to provide each federal agency with a pool of volunteer experts willing to deploy in times of need at home and abroad.