Should Homeland Security ever grow into its own military branch?

CH (MAJ) William Beaver — Fri, 15 May 2015 08:38:14 -0400

Odd question, but I have been wondering what it would be like for the Department of Homeland Security to become its own military branch - incorporating the cyber defense pieces. Thinking strategically, would this help better manage our national defense o just add expenses and bulk to the DoD that we don't have? What do you think?

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2015 8:42 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 15 May 2015 08:42:42 -0400

NO.

Response by COL Jason Smallfield, PMP, CFM, CM made May 15 at 2015 8:53 AM

COL Jason Smallfield, PMP, CFM, CM — Fri, 15 May 2015 08:53:53 -0400

- Short answer: no. The Department of Homeland Security should not become its own military branch.
- The purpose of a police force is to protect society from the criminal element within society.
- The purpose of a military force is to defend society from enemies and external threats.
- The risk of using a military force as a police force is that they will tend to morph into seeing society as the enemy.
- With the above written, the United States should definitely used a layered defense. HLS and DoD must integrate, synchronize, and coordinate their efforts along with sharing their intelligence. HLS, however, is not and must never become a military branch.

Response by SGT David T. made May 15 at 2015 9:33 AM

SGT David T. — Fri, 15 May 2015 09:33:17 -0400

I think it should be desolved and its functions given to the DOD. Afterall it's DOD's mission to protect this nation.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2015 9:42 AM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 15 May 2015 09:42:56 -0400

Not only no, but hell no!

Response by CPT Jack Durish made May 15 at 2015 12:42 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Fri, 15 May 2015 12:42:23 -0400

No government innovation has worried me more than the establishment of Homeland Defense. It has come close to evolving into a secret police as I suspected that it might.

Am I paranoid? No, simply an observant citizen and student of American history. Look how the FBI and IRS have been employed to ferret out political opponents. Did anyone really think that Homeland Security wouldn't be used in a like manner?

Sadly, Homeland Security has grown in so large in power and budget, that it need only fear the established military to oppose it if it ever went rogue. Even sadder, that constraint is diminishing as the American military is downsized and state-based National Guard units are stripped of key resources (viz Apache helicopters).

Thus, I not only do not want to see Homeland Security grow, but also want to see it eliminated forthwith.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 15 at 2015 1:40 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 15 May 2015 13:40:35 -0400

No, however, DHS has a 4 and 3 star HQs as down trace units.