Seeking a way.

eaglescout68

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Sep 23, 2013
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Hi,
This might seem really stupid. I aspire to become Secretary of Homeland Security. Any thoughts on what I can do to try and get this position. I am going to college to study a bachelor degree in emergency management and probably a Masters in Public admin or crisis response and management. Any thoughts?
 
DHS is MISERABLE.

So much of it is who you know, and when.... so far two lawyers and two governors.

But I will also tell you, DHS is a mess.
 
Thats why I want to be secretary DHS needs to be a model. I want to work with other nations to work and make DHS respectable. I believe DHS needs to be a protection, response, recovery, and planning agency.
 
Hi,
This might seem really stupid. I aspire to become Secretary of Homeland Security. Any thoughts on what I can do to try and get this position. I am going to college to study a bachelor degree in emergency management and probably a Masters in Public admin or crisis response and management. Any thoughts?

Well, since any cabinet sect'y position is an apptmt by the President, Besides college I would get pretty heavily invested in your political organization. One may have all the educational and experience in the world, but with out a pretty weighty political resume to go along with it, one would be a non-starter.
 
And if all else fails you can go the opprobrious way...and get some dirt on the right people...
 
I'll go into a little more detail now that I'm at lunch.

Some departments have members who go through the "career service" (think non-political appointees) ranks and eventually hit those "secretary" level positions. I have a good friend who is very high in a very large department. That friend had a background in that industry.

I tend to think the folks who work their way through organizations get more respect (but not MUCH more) than appointees who came by way of campaign work.

Some leaders cross party lines. Secretary Bob Gates would be an example. The Coast Guard's old secretary, at Transportation, Secretary Norm Mineta, served Republican and Democrat Presidents.

You have SOME departments that require someone with a background in the industry.... you see it with the Treasury Department and often the Department of Agriculture.

And you'll have departments that are more of favors...

Now that top position "S-1" or "the Secretary"... those are often filled by an individual who was a big supporter of the president, in some way. A cabinet level position is a big reward.

Under that top spot are other "secretaries"..... first you have the Deputy Secretary, but after that it gets bumpy. The Department of Defense has some many different levels, under secretaries, assistant secretaries, deputy assistant secretaries, principal deputy assistant secretaries, etc.

Within the Department of Homeland Security it's not as complex, but here's an example of where some people came from.

Janet Napolitano was the governor of Arizona. She came from a boarder state, was supportive of Obama and fell in line with the "Administration." Napolitano's top leadership came with her from Arizona. Some of the old Arizona team was sprinkled throughout her leadership staff. Other members of DHS's leadership were campaign leaders. If you pick the winning team, and do enough to make them happy, you CAN be rewarded with a spot. Are you qualified for that spot? Eh, who cares?

A department job that seems "important" first.... isn't always important, and usually doesn't pay well.

That said, more often than not (and there are certainly many exceptions to this) you have to be politicially active, and your party has to win.

That's NOT easy (for a good number of reasons) for an active duty officer. It's SLIGHTLY easier for a reservist.

And I'll go ahead and tell you this, the vast majority of the people I worked with (and I'll include myself in this group), not only were not impressed with the Department of Homeland Security and it's leadership, we were usually disgusted with it. It regularly ranks at the very bottom of the "happy workplace" lists, and makes a habit of spreading the misery to the important component agencies.

When DHS was first created I bought the shirt and the pin and I said "yay, ra ra DHS". By 2011 I had ditched all of it (and it HAS gotten worse with this administration, folks will tell you behind closed doors).
 
I agree with you line in the sand. Emergency management has increased in importance in the post 9/11 era. I strongly believe that DHS is horrible someone needs to step in and make it into a agency people within the coast guard and other agencies within dhs can be proud of. And I want to be that person.


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I agree with you line in the sand. Emergency management has increased in importance in the post 9/11 era. I strongly believe that DHS is horrible someone needs to step in and make it into a agency people within the coast guard and other agencies within dhs can be proud of. And I want to be that person.


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Well, you had better run for President then because that's the only guy (or gal) who can really fix it. It certainly won't be fixed by a mere Secretary.
 
With the current administration, it's because commonplace for the Executive branch (the President) to appoint people with little or no experience in the field to high positions. So theoretically, all you have to do is be a political ally of a future President, donate a lot to his/her campaign, and hope that you magically get appointed to DHS. Heck, you might get DOT or DOD instead. It's all about who you know. :thumb:
 
True which is sad. Sometimes the best person for the job is not chosen


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With the current administration, it's because commonplace for the Executive branch (the President) to appoint people with little or no experience in the field to high positions.

This "decision-making process" is certainly not limited to the current administration. Or to the last two administrations. Or to the last three administrations. Or to the last {insert number here} administrations.
 
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