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We shall unremittingly fulfill our task, the guaranty of the security of Germany from the interior, just as the Wehr-macht guarantees the safety, the honor, the greatness, and the peace of the Reich from the exterior. We shall take care that never again in Germany, the heart of Europe, will the Jewish-Bolshevistic revolution of subhumans be able to be kindled either from within or through emissaries from without. Without pity we shall be a merciless sword of justice for all those forces whose existence and activity we know, on the day of the slightest attempt, may it be today, may it be in decades or may it be in centuries.
Following Hitler's assumption of power in Germany, the SS became regarded as a state organization and a branch of the established government. The Headquarters Staff, SD, and Race Office became full-time paid employees, as did the leaders of the SS-Gruppen and some of their command staffs. The rest of the SS were considered part-time volunteers, and in this concept the Allgemeine-SS came into being.
Allgemeine-SS
Main article: Allgemeine-SS
The Allgemeine-SS (the "General SS") refers to a non-combat branch of the SS. The Allgemeine-SS formations were divided into Standarten, organized into larger formations known as Abschnitte and Oberabschnitte. Many personnel served in other branches of the state government, Nazi Party, and certain departments within the RSHA (e.g., the SD, Gestapo and Kripo). Members of the Allgemeine-SS were considered more or less reservists with many serving the German military, or the Waffen-SS. For those who served in the Waffen-SS, it was a standard practice to hold separate SS ranks for both the Allgemeine-SS and the Waffen-SS.
The Waffen-SS were frontline combat troops trained to fight in Germany's battles during World War II. During the early campaigns against Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland, military SS units were of regiment size and drawn from existing armed SS formations:
The Leibstandarte, Hitler's personal bodyguard.
The Death's-Head Battalions (German: Totenkopfverbände), which administered the concentration camps.
The Dispositional Troops, (German: Verfügungstruppe).
Germanic-SS
Main article: Germanic-SS
The Germanic-SS was an SS-modeled structure formed in occupied territories and allied countries. The main purpose of the Germanic-SS was enforcement of Nazi racial doctrine and anti-semitic policies. Denmark and Belgium were the two largest participants in the Germanic-SS program. Germanic-SS members wore the all-black SS uniforms favored by the pre-war German SS. After the war began, Himmler ordered the uniforms to be turned in and many were then sent west to be used by Germanic-SS units such as the ones in Holland and Denmark.[7] These groups had their own uniforms with a modification of SS rank titles and insignia. All Germanic-SS units answered to the SS headquarters in Germany.
The Auxiliary-SS (SS mannschaft) was an organization that arose in 1945 as a last-ditch effort to keep concentration camps running. Auxiliary-SS members were not considered regular SS personnel, but were conscripted members from other branches of the German military, the Nazi Party, and the Volkssturm. Such personnel wore a distinctive twin swastika collar patch and served as camp guard and administrative personnel until the surrender of Germany.
Auxiliary SS members had the distinct disadvantage of being the "last ones in the camp" as the major concentration camps were liberated by allied forces. As a result, many auxiliary SS members, in particular those captured by Russian forces, faced swift and fierce retaliation and were often held personally responsible for the carnage of the camps to which some had only been assigned for a few weeks or even days.
There also exist very few records of the Auxiliary SS since, at the time of this group's creation, it was a foregone conclusion that Germany had lost the Second World War and the entire purpose of the Auxiliary SS was to serve in support roles while members of the SS proper escaped from allied forces. Thus, there was never a serious effort to properly train, equip, or maintain records on the Auxiliary SS.
The George W. Bush administration consolidated many of these activities under the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a new cabinet department established as a result of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. However, much of the nation's homeland security activity remains outside of DHS; for example, the FBI and CIA are not part of the Department, and other executive departments such as the Department of Defense and Department of Health and Human Services play a significant role in certain aspects of homeland security. Homeland security is coordinated at the White House by the Homeland Security Council, currently headed by John Brennan.
According to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget[4] and Homeland Security Research Corporation, DHS Homeland security funding constitutes only 20-21% of the consolidated U.S. Homeland Security - Homeland Defense funding,[5] while approximately 40% of the DHS budget funds civil, non-security activities, such as the U.S. coast guard search and rescue operations and customs functions. The U.S. Homeland Security is the world largest Homeland counter terror organization, having 40% of the global FY 2010 homeland security funding.[6]
Homeland security is also usually used to connote the civilian aspect of this effort; "homeland defense" refers to its military component, led chiefly by the U.S. Northern Command headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The scope of homeland security includes:
Emergency preparedness and response (for both terrorism and natural disasters), including volunteer medical, police, emergency management, and fire personnel;
Domestic and International intelligence activities, largely today within the FBI;
Critical infrastructure and perimeter protection;
Border security, including both land, maritime and country borders;
Transportation security, including aviation and maritime transportation;
Biodefense;
Detection of radioactive and radiological materials;
Research on next-generation security technologies.
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is a cabinet department of the United States federal government, created in response to the September 11 attacks, and with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the United States and protectorates from and responding to terrorist attacks, man-made accidents, and natural disasters. In fiscal year 2011 it was allocated a budget of $98.8 billion and spent, net, $66.4 billion.
With more than 200,000 employees, DHS is the third largest Cabinet department, after the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.[6] Homeland security policy is coordinated at the White House by the Homeland Security Council. Other agencies with significant homeland security responsibilities include the Departments of Health and Human Services, Justice, and Energy.
Department of Homeland Security
Secretary Napolitano unveils Spanish "If You See Something, Say Something" public service announcements. Watch the video and learn more on our blog.
Expanding our “If You See Something, Say Something™” Message to the Hispanic Community
At DHS, we often say that homeland security begins with hometown security. It begins with our state and local law enforcement partners, businesses, communities, and individual citizens all working together to identify potential threats and report suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.
we have promoted the “If You See Something, Say Something™” campaign is by airing PSAs on television and radio encouraging individuals to report suspicious activity – a suspicious bag or package, someone who is acting in a suspicious manner, or a vehicle that seems out of place – to authorities.
We want to reach as many people as possible with these messages because every person and every community has a role to play.
en.wikipedia.org...
Excess, waste, and ineffectiveness
The Department of Homeland Security has been dogged by persistent criticism over excessive bureaucracy, waste, ineffectiveness and lack of transparency. Congress estimates that the department has wasted roughly $15 billion in failed contracts (as of September 2008).[49] In 2003, the department came under fire after the media revealed that Laura Callahan, Deputy Chief Information Officer at DHS with responsibilities for sensitive national security databases, had obtained her advanced computer science degrees through a diploma mill in a small town in Wyoming. The department was blamed for up to $2 billion of waste and fraud after audits by the Government Accountability Office revealed widespread misuse of government credit cards by DHS employees, with purchases including beer brewing kits, $70,000 of plastic dog booties that were later deemed unusable, boats purchased at double the retail price (many of which later could not be found), and iPods ostensibly for use in "data storage"
Employee morale
In July 2006, the Office of Personnel Management conducted a survey of federal employees in all 36 federal agencies on job satisfaction and how they felt their respective agency was headed. DHS was last or near to last in every category including;
33rd on the talent management index
35th on the leadership and knowledge management index
36th on the job satisfaction index
36th on the results-oriented performance culture index
Homeland Security was started in 2002 in response to the 9/11 attacks of 2001. It includes now, the US National Guard, FEMA, US Coast Guard, US Customs and Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs enforcement, US Citizens and Immigration Services, US Secret Service and TSA.
Now people talk alot of crap about the Police and the US Military, but hey at least those people swore an oath to defend the constitution. Is Homeland Security held to that same standard?
I gotta throw this one in for the discussion too. CERT. Civilian Emergency Response Team.
And how come nobody talks crap about them as much as OWS talks bad about the police?
BTW what are the qualifications for becoming Homeland Security, did anyone bother to ask that question?
LOL, the sad thing is, in a firefight DHS stands no chance, so I wonder how they plan on acquiring a strong military presence, however, at this point in the game with the laws they are trying to pass and so fourth they need a police force to accompany their legislation, to bring US military and make them a police force would be unconstitutional and like I said in a fire fight they wouldn't stand a chance.
I got mine do you have yours?
In January 2008, the Department of Homeland Security has issued a final rule to establish minimum standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards in accordance with the REAL ID Act of 2005.
These regulations set standards for states to meet the requirements of the REAL ID Act, including:
information and security features that must be incorporated into each card;
proof of identity and lawful status of an applicant;
verification of the source documents provided by an applicant; and
security standards for the offices that issue licenses and identification cards.
Pursuant to the Department of Homeland Security's REAL ID regulation, States were to be in full compliance with the REAL ID Act of 2005 by May 11, 2011. A final rule issued March 7, 2011 changes that date to January 15, 2013. This change gives States the time necessary to ensure that driver's licenses and identification cards issued by States meet the security requirements of the REAL ID Act.
Originally posted by Thurisaz
reply to post by yourmaker
are you saying, 'abolish homeland security?'
Just because the SS had a security dept or any other phase of Govt around the world throughout history, doesn't mean it is a precursor to a regime.
The title is misleading also. Homeland Security vs the Secret Service?
Are you comparing the two?
If so, HS is visible, any SS is not and therefore, SS is secret in all areas...
HS would not even know who the SS people were.
Originally posted by FurvusRexCaeli
reply to post by thehoneycomb
Large quote reduced to save space
Note, making the other military branches a police force isn't unconstitutional. The Militia (National Guard) is charged with executing US law in Article I, Section 8. The rest of the military can be used for law enforcement, too, but there are statutes restricting when and where that can be done.
Ever heard of "posse comittatus"? It used to protect the U.s. public from being policed by the military(who are trained,staffed and equipped to destroy opposing Armies). ;it's been watered down but I don't believe repealed. The intentions behind it are IMHO very appropriate and applicable to just this kind of expansion of federal "police" power..edit on 13-12-2011 by 46ACE because: (no reason given)edit on 13-12-2011 by 46ACE because: (no reason given)