Rebranding the KSK

Back in 1973 (West Germany days), because of the continuing issues with the Munich 1972 Olympic games (hostages)....it was decided that Germany needed a highly trained and specialized force to handle emergencies.  This led to the creation of what was called 'GSG-9'.

It was an elite police force.  It could only be sent into a situation that the Bundestag would agree upon.  This wasn't a tool of the Chancellor or the Interior Minister.

You can go and look at Kosovo, Bosnia, and even Afghanistan....the unit has been used on several missions beyond the border of Germany.

In 1996, they were rebranded into what was Special Forces Command....KSK.  All total....up to this point, they had around 1,400 members.

So, this issue came up....right-wing activities on social media.  This started in the spring of 2017.  The loyalty of the entire organization was called into question.  Oddly, this led to a commission to examine the unit, and it's members.

When the new Defense Minister (Kramp-Karrenbauer) entered the job...this became her burden to carry.  Various individuals were brought in and dismissed because of the investigation effort.

But more reports got added to the burden (lost explosives, poor bookkeeping on bullets used, rituals that were questionable, and things that were deemed anti-constitutional).  All of this led to what you describe as a poor culture that you were relying upon for the protection of the public.

N-TV actually did a five-star piece on the whole mess, and where things are going.

One element of the KSK is probably going away entirely (2nd Company).  The entire company was branded 'boy-bad' status.

The training of KSK is recommended to to to an entire different organization.

The inventory system?  Total rebuild.  Whatever they were doing....was marginal and just begged for audit questions.

So you look at the involvement of the Bundestag and their expectations....it's legitimate.  But when you go out and recruit people....to find entirely neutral people on politics, behavior, and correct social media messaging?  This is going to be awful hard for recruitment or retaining people.  One can openly predict within five years that another social media crisis will occur, and 'shock' the Bundestag yet again.

Maybe in the 1970s and 1980s....you could find the right people for this type of work, and they weren't affected by social media.  But those days are long gone, and people have opinions now on just about everything.  And when you get into some crisis where hostages are involved....you don't want to explain the failure of the 'solution' back on the fact that they weren't the 'best of the best'.