Nelson Meek, ace 10, of Riverside, Calif., for his question:
WHAT EXACTLY DOES THE SECRET SERVICE DO?
The Secret Service of the United States is a bureau of the United States Department of the Treasury. Its main job is to protect the President, his immediate family and certain other important government officials.
It is also the job of the Secret Service to stop the counterfeiting of U.S. currency and stamps and the forgery of government bonds, checks and securities.
Congress created the Secret Service in 1865 to fight the counterfeiting of U.S. currency. The organization started protecting the President in 1901 after the assassination of President William McKinley.
Among the important persons protected by the Secret Service are the Vice President and his immediate family, as well as the President elect and the Vice President elect. Also receiving protection are former Presidents and their wives, widows of former Presidents and the children under the age of 16 of former Presidents.
In addition, the Secret Service also offers protection to the major presidential and vice presidential candidates.
Members of the Secret Service guard visiting heads of foreign governments and, at the direction of the President, other distinguished foreign visitors. Its members also protect U.S. representatives performing special missions in other countries.
A director heads the Secret Service. He is appointed by the secretary of the Treasury. The agency is headquartered in Washington, D.C., but it also has offices in major U.S. cities and in San Juan, Puerto Rico and in Paris, France.
Applicants for positions with the Secret Service must be college graduates in good health. They must pass a civil service examination. Those who are accepted receive training in the protective and investigative functions of the agency.
The Secret Service directs the Executive Protective Service and the Treasury Security Force. The Executive Protective Service, formerly called the White House Police, guards the White House, the Executive Office Building and certain foreign missions.
The Treasury Security Force guards the Treasury Building, its annex and the billions of dollars in currency and other securities that are stored in the Treasury vaults.
Among the Secret Service publications is a pamphlet called "Know Your Money." It tells how to detect counterfeit currency and how to guard against losses from forgery.
The Secret Service, of course, maintains a 24 hour guard in the White House and members of the organization accompany the President wherever he goes. If the President takes a walk, goes to the theater or goes out horseback riding, Secret Service agents precede and follow him, alert for danger.
If the President travels and stays in a hotel, he usually takes over an entire floor. An elevator is reserved exclusively for the presidential party.