They were, for a while.
Up until the “Night of the Long Knives” (i.e., “Operation Hummingbird”) in which the SA were targeted for death by Hitler.
Check out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_of_the_Long_Knives
I had included that observation then cut it in the interest of brevity. While they were breathing they were Adolph’s baddest
henchmen.