Secret Service - Rotting from Within

[Sensei]

It pains me to say that this once fine organization appears to have a crisis of leadership at multiple levels. I have a number of former colleagues from that agency who are mystified by what is happening. First, you have the Columbia sex scandal. Next comes several high profile security lapses at the WH. Along the way there have been agents leaving their weapons on the toilet, agents swept up by local authorities so drunk that they cannot stand, etc.

The two most recent missteps highlight serious concerns with the SA leadership. On one hand, you have the ASAC for the Obama protection team driving his vehicle through an investigation scene while likely inebriated. His boss then makes the call to have the Uniform Division personnel at the scene let him go despite their concerns that he was drunk as a skunk. Now, we have a supervisor for Human Resources / Security Clearances being accused of sexual assault by another Secret Service employee while at the office for Christ sake. He too was apparently drunk after leaving his own promotion party when he couldn't keep his hands to himself (allegedly).

The new Director does not appear to be making the grade and fresh leadership is needed.

[GardoneVT]

....the ASAC for the Obama protection team ... likely inebriated.......

Makes sense to me.

[Sensei]

Makes sense to me.

I hear you. I'd need to be high as a kite before jumping in front of a bullet for that clown.

[jlw]

I read an article in which some in the Secret Service are blaming it upon their being put into Homeland Security and losing their specialness and that if they are made independent that all will become right in the world.

[1slow]

If you are around Caligula it is hard to remain uncorrupted.

[TCinVA]

The new Director does not appear to be making the grade and fresh leadership is needed.

The stuff you're referencing points to an organizational culture that is ailing...and that can be difficult for one person to fix. Even if that person is at the top. It usually takes years to get to that point and years to get out of it.

I read an article in which some in the Secret Service are blaming it upon their being put into Homeland Security and losing their specialness and that if they are made independent that all will become right in the world.

I actually could believe that to an extent. I've been reorganized a time or two and I've seen the impact that being under a different chain of management can have on the way an organization works.

Of course, I've also seen an organization with tons of internal problems blame outside forces for pointing out those problems...

Kind of a tossup.

[LittleLebowski]

I read an article in which some in the Secret Service are blaming it upon their being put into Homeland Security and losing their specialness and that if they are made independent that all will become right in the world.

I was at a class last year with several folks from the Secret Service and I asked one guy if the problems were from within or from the outside. He said "both."

For what it's worth, every Secret Service agent in that class was a genuinely good American and also a good shooter.

[BehindBlueI's]

First, you have the Columbia sex scandal.

I know I'm picking one tree out of the forest, but I'll just say the only reason this is a scandal is because we live in the age that loves scandal and electronic media makes it so easy. GIs and gov't workers of all stripes stationed abroad have been banging rentals since Benny Franklin tickled some French girls.

[TGS]

Having some conversation with a few USSS guys over the last couple years, I really wouldn't expect anything else. Their morale is horrible. Morale in DHS overall is horrible. A lot of their problems started with the reorganization. Making fun of that isn't going to change anything.

They're being drove into the ground, as well. Everything is protection now because of Caligula, very few guys get to do solid crim work. Their family and personal lives are non-existant, and it has ruined more than a few's marriages. To put it into context, DSS is often cited as being very, very hard on family life, and ruining marriages, and right now is sort of going through some morale issues. One of my buddy's is a DS agent, and said that after he worked UNGA for the first time with some USSS guys, he see's how he made the right choice.

Put that into perspective. Having semi-disgruntled DS agents say that the USSS will give you a horrible personal life is.......well......that's like being called ghetto by Camden, NJ or Flint, MI.

These are the results you get. It doesn't make the misconduct right, but there's a reason this crap is happening.

[LittleLebowski]

I know I'm picking one tree out of the forest, but I'll just say the only reason this is a scandal is because we live in the age that loves scandal and electronic media makes it so easy. GIs and gov't workers of all stripes stationed abroad have been banging rentals since Benny Franklin tickled some French girls.

Agreed. "You can kill people but don't have sex in any way that might offend people."