Homeland Security

[W4TEY]

I recently joined a Homeland Security "pod" in SE Ky. They seemed thrilled to have Ham radio members involved. We are planning on a communications center in the meeting building and I also have arranged for NOAA to teach a weather spotting class. Anyone else involved with DHS yet?

[KC5SAS]

Not familiar with Homeland Security "Pods". I have been aware of CERT and similar programs under the DHS umbrella for quite some time.
Do you have a link to a website with more information on the program you are referring to?

[W4TEY]

By the way, this is proving to be very beneficial to ham radio as well. We have a newly licensed ham from the group in less than 3 weeks. He passed his cw, tech and general in one session. We have 4 more lined up and interested in getting their tech license. This all seems to be in the early stages for DHS as upper echelon in Ky. expressed surprise and delight that the Middlesboro group "already" had ham radio involved.

[W4TEY]

Quote[/b] (KC5SAS @ Oct. 11 2004,11:27)]Not familiar with Homeland Security "Pods". I have been aware of CERT and similar programs under the DHS umbrella for quite some time.
Do you have a link to a website with more information on the program you are referring to?
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/

Actually "pod" is just my word for the group. Not official. You can follow the link above. My advice is to contact your local DHS office if you have one and offer your services. They will determine how you can fit in as a ham operator or what your special talents may do. I am still very early in my involvement and have a lot to learn especially about organization. I assume this falls under Citizen Corps as much as anything.

[W2LYS]

How about Homeland Security "cell"?

But this I wonder about... why do we need a Department of Homeland Security when we already have a Department of Defense... it seems a little redundant to me.

[ac3p]

I've always thought that DOD should go back to its original name. Department of War.

[K7JBQ]

It was never "Department of War." It was "The War Department."

73,
Bill

[W4TEY]

Just got in from another meeting. We now have 6 new people interested in getting a ham ticket. Also have a cw class in the works. Folks, ham radio and homeland security is a marriage made in heaven. A lot of the individuals I have met are ex police, military and etc. Also several interested females. Get out there and recruit!

[KI4FVX]

Quote[/b] (KC5SAS @ Oct. 12 2004,10:27)]Not familiar with Homeland Security "Pods". I have been aware of CERT and similar programs under the DHS umbrella for quite some time.
Do you have a link to a website with more information on the program you are referring to?
We have CERT classes going on now in my area. I would love to participate , buuuuuuuuuut.......all the classes are 9am to 5 pm during the week. Only ppl that can attend these classes are either retired or jobless. Seems like a bad plan to me.

[k6ncx]

Quote[/b] (ac3p @ Oct. 12 2004,11:57)]I've always thought that DOD should go back to its original name. Department of War.
Actually, that's not quite right. The Department of the Navy was on par with the Department of War. DoD (which doesn;t even formally exist with that name... see National Defense Establishment) combines the two.

[ka5s]

MARS has a role under DHS, though not part of it.

Cortland

[w5klb]

Quote[/b] (K7JBQ @ Oct. 12 2004,12:01)]It was never "Department of War." It was "The War Department."

73,
Bill
Actually the The War Department was established to manage the US Army including the Navy until 1903 when the Navy came under it's own department.

The Department of Defense wasn't established until 1947.

K6NCX is correct about this.

[ae2ny]

I'm a CERT Trainer so I guess that DOES put me under DHS, both as a CERT Member and a Trainer.

In all honesty, I'm not sure how I feel about being part of DHS. It was bad enough being answerable to FEMA, now DHS too? Sheesh. Might as well put Big Brother on us twice over in our daily lives...

Besides, DHS doesn't like my ideas on CERT... LOL... Too radical THEY say, but if you stop to think about it, my ideas aren't too far off base if at all.


73

Anthony - KI4VPR

[W4TEY]

Quote[/b] (KI4VPR @ Oct. 12 2004,05:35)]I'm a CERT Trainer so I guess that DOES put me under DHS, both as a CERT Member and a Trainer.

In all honesty, I'm not sure how I feel about being part of DHS. #It was bad enough being answerable to FEMA, now DHS too? #Sheesh. #Might as well put Big Brother on us twice over in our daily lives...

Besides, DHS doesn't like my ideas on CERT... LOL... Too radical THEY say, but if you stop to think about it, my ideas aren't too far off base if at all.


73

Anthony - KI4VPR
If DHS asks me to do something I'm not comfortable with I ain't doing it! By the way, what are your ideas concerning CERT.

[K4KWH]

Quote[/b] (W4TEY @ Oct. 12 2004,18:20)]Just got in from another meeting. We now have 6 new people interested in getting a ham ticket. Also have a cw class in the works. Folks, ham radio and homeland security is a marriage made in heaven. A lot of the individuals I have met are ex police, military and etc. Also several interested females. Get out there and recruit!
Since we are putting in plugs for Homeland Security, why not investigate Civil Air Patrol? It is volunteer, has its own radio network, and is the auxiliary of the USAF. It has a long history of "homeland security" going back to WWII when they chased submarines off the East coast.
They even chased German spies trying to enter the US via the Mexican border, and, in at least one instance, flew low enough to read the tag number of a suspicious,
black sedan that was where it shouldn't have been. Today, it flies 80% of the search and rescue missions in Conus. ON 9/11 when civilian aviation was curtailed, only the military was flying.....................and Civil Air Patrol. #Those first photos taken of the twin towers were taken by a New York Wing, Civil Air Patrol plane.
Within its ranks there are many fields of endeavor and arenas for volunteer service; one does not have to be a pilot to volunteer with CAP. There are places for observers (flight crew), administation, public affairs, ground operations and----one that is dear to our hearts---
COMMUNICATIONS!!! CAP operates a dedicated network of HF and VHF frequencies designed to meet the needs of its mission. Its frequencies are USAF (similar to MARS), and it has #similar network protocol. (Before you ask, I cannot divulge the frequencies. Yes, many of them are on the 'net, but they are changing, and by December, they will be totally different.) You can participate in nets
that support each Wing's (state), Region, or local unit needs as well as coordinate with USAF, Army, FEMA, and something called SHARES. SHARES is what it suggests; military and Federal agencies "sharing" #communications resources and maximizing operations in an emergency.

So while I put in a shameless plug, if you ARE looking for a way to serve in the uncertain environment we face, check out Civil Air Patrol. Your participation is, of course, voluntary and there are some tax advantages. There are
career training opportunities, personal development, and training to DO those jobs that serve the Nation and Homeland Security. #Like to see young people succeed? Become involved in CAP's Cadet Program as a leader. Our youth are vital to the development of leaders for tomorrow! There are many rewards to doing this kind of volunteering (except monetary), best of all, satisfaction that one has done a part in serving this great Nation.

OH, did I mention that it is just plain F U N? And, yes, I've been in it ever since I was 15 years old. Forty years worth! #

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

73

[ky5u]

Sorry, "The War Department" name is in use. I have used the name for years to refer to my wife.

[ae2ny]

TEY:

They go along the lines of Hurricane Activation since my CERT Team is on an island.

By the time they allow the public back onto the island here, the professional responders have already done damage assessment, windshield checks, marking of downed power lines, fire supression... Everything CERT is trained to do.

I've recommended to the county EOC here to *NOT* activate the Island CERT Team for major events such as hurricanes. There's no use for us if we all evacuate as ordered.

My idea was met with high skepticism and mucho anger.


Anthony - KI4VPR