Air Marshal Says He Faced Retaliation for Bringing Up Security Issues

You can sneak any weapon you want at any airline in the states. They do not search the personel who come in everyday to work at the airports. Janitors, clerks, airline personel, and any of them can smuggle in weapons and you know if you are in a connecting waiting lounge you don’t get screened or searched again. Some American Airlines people told me this and that they complain to higher ups and nothing is done. Do these Marshalls know this, they must and that has to be a big worry to know someone may have a gun and they know you are the Marshall. This world is crazy.

I just got through watching the news regarding the air marshalls on board airplanes. This report was very informative, especially, to those terrioists who are rather on the “dumb” side. Why do we air such report findings? Isn’t this a breach of confidentality? I am concerned for the information being reported on the news instead of just to the people who have influence to fix this situation and make it better. I fear the air marshall program is now in jeopardy which, in time, will jeopardize the lives of future passengers on board. Thank you for you time. May God Bless America!

With all the hassles, it’s hardly worth flying anymore. The government has the entire airline and airport industries so tied up with red tape, regulations, and beurocracy, it’s a wonder anything gets done.
Anything the DHS touches becomes so full of ineptness, incompetance, and stupidity… we were better off before 9/11.

Shawn McCullers was right on the money. If you care about your safety and the security of this nations airlines, write all of your state representative and senators and demand what is suppose to be. The air marshals need our help and support just like our troops do.

I am losing all faith in all levels of government…

Congress is not the answer to our law enforcement crises. They are absolutely useless demagogues, and they have no ability nor desire to make changes in any agency policy. The responsibility and blame lies squarely on the President’s shoulders. He is a do-nothing, disinterested President who hires shady and unqualified people to run the country. When the top dog is incompetent, what can we expect from the people he hires? (Calm down, there, Mr. Liberal Press…Clinton was just as worthless). People complain because Bush is secretive. Incompetent people are always secretive…lest they expose themselves for the chimpanzees they are. Get all bothered about flight security if you want, but absolutely nothing will change until real men run this country. And that will never happen (thanks to our public school educated electorate), so I guess we’re doomed!

Our president needs to get off his duff and clean out FAM management.

Read “Terror in the Skies Series” at Womens Wall Street Journal. Very eye opening and runs along this line. They have been talking about this for years and nothing is done. Why is that? I don’t fly anymore on vacations and Thank God none of my family or myself have to fly for our jobs. Scary Stuff and unforgiveable. We need outcry from the people to congress!!

Seems as though not a single day goes by that you do not see one or more “whistleblower” reports of malfeasance on the part of our government bureaucrat or bureaucracy.

What a huge beauracracy our government has become. Homeland “Security”? What a joke.
A bunch of power hungry guys in charge of a MASSIVE budget.
We have groups of terrorists.. One group destroys a building. Another one destroys our Constitution. Another waging war on our workforce and standard of living.
Billy

It is Unconstitutional to deprive airline passengers of the means to resist.
The U.S. spent billions on the antithesis of the lesson learned by flight 93 on 9/11. Armed Passengers and aircrew are the answer, not impotent (by their own admission) Federal Air Marshalls.
I’d rather see “swap boxes” of frangible common ammo types at the ticket counter. Dont mind being “sniffed” for nitrates, though.
Abolish the Air Marshall program, cut TSA budget by 50%. We’ll all be safer.

Just another example of how our Government is being run by proponents of the New World Order, trying to achieve their goal of destroying our country from within. I hate to say it, but we will never be at peace again. If we do not stage a revolution and bring down the current President, House and Senate, we are doomed.

Just another example in a mind numbing litany of the government simply not being serious about security. From borders to, well everything else, there’s always something blocking efforts at security. Not to be cynical but it is probably going take another terrorist incident – or series of incidents – on US soil before we do anything about the mess that has been made of security. The mind boggling amnesty plan about to be adopted by the Senate is just the latest in a series of actions taken by the government that simply defy rational explanation.
The worst aspect of it is the loss of national consensus. Fed by a media that wants controversy, as it fuels the public’s hunger for the product put out by the media i.e. news reporting, the overal consensual nature of our republican form of government is fraying, with a result I don’t want to even consider. This will be made far worse under the plan being considered by the Seante, which on the low side will give us 90 million new citizens in the next 20 years, a mind boggling number, that is the functional equivelent of national suicide, and the eventual balkanization of America as each group sets up enclaves.
Pretty far afield from the orginal issue, but this is what our leaders are handing us, as we go like sheep to the slaughter…

I work at National Airport, and to watch our Air Marshals stand out so badly is pathetic. I sit back and pick out Air Marshals as easy as it is to pick out a women who is 9 month’s pregnant. You laugh,….BUT IT”S TRUE !!
Now let me give you Marshals some advice,…….STOP LOOKING LIKE AIR MARSHALS ! You guy’s always pair up walking through the terminal with your brand new bags, and then to make things even obvious, I can just about identify your maker of the gun you hold on your side. Jeeze,…wear more appropriate shirts please !!
Also,…..to have the Marshals go past the security lines to a Police Officer who checks their ID’s in plain view of the same passengers who will be getting on the same flight is ridiculous ! At National Airport, the Marshals go in the opposite way that the landing passengers go when exiting that terminal. You guessed it,…..it’s right next to all the passengers that are waiting to get to their flights. What GREAT GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE HOTSHOT CAME UP WITH THAT IDEA !! I’ve come to finally realize that not only is our government corrupt,….but alot of the folks in these 6 figure salary positions are just as bad. It’s one big dog & pony show, where-as the little people make things work, and the top people brag about how important they are. I could only wish to get a top job so I could run the Marshals the way they should be run.

The incompetence in the FAM program and Homeland Security is stunning to say the least. FAM’s are required to enter through an area, (visible to everyone) other than the metal detecters, as do all law enforcement because they’re packing heat. What’s even more ridiculous is the FAM’s have a dress code. They’ve fought this for the longest time as anyone who had a shred of intelligence would. However, the same FBI mentality (bureaucratic lack of imagination)that gave us 911 still permeates TSA and the FAM program. I was a security screener for TSA for two years. I would cringe every time I had to pat down a 90 year old wheelchair bound passenger while three 20-something Middle Easterner’s skipped through without a concern. I suggested many times that TSA send management teams to Israel for training but to no avail. Without a doubt, El Al has the best security in the air-carrier industry. For four decades Israel has been dealing with unfriendly neighbors who cause a very real, day to day existential threat. Security personnel at El Al are dead serious. They’ll make you sweat, they will make you squirm but a it’s small price to pay for safety. They utilize a method we abhor. It’s called ‘Profiling’. We in America are too stupid to use it and ultimately I’m afraid we’ll will end up paying a very high for allowing Political Correctness to trump our safety.

You simply follow logic…
Air Marshals should pick their guns on the plane. The pistol is
in a special hidden compartment in one of the restrooms or galley
that can be open with a special
key/rench. So they can board the flight like any other passenger.
It has been done on other safe airline, you know…

While the FAM’s perform their service to the best of their ability, and are undoubtedly frustrated, they are seeing the result of being handcuffed just like the rest of the USA’s law-abiding citizens. Before meaninful change can occur, the People (as in, ‘We the People’) must realize that A: The government CANNOT and IS NOT designed to provide security during private transactions, ie, flying on PRIVATE company airlines–you are on your own. B: The absolute BEST defense against terror in the sky is to let law enforcement PROFILE the types of people who would commit crimes as was done on 9/11 and not cave to social whining. The fact is that 75 year old “Aunt Minnie” from Scandanavia is not going to have a bomb, gun, or box cutter under her dress to use against an aircrew member. On the other hand, a young man from the Middle East who is overheard talking about his great hatred for the ‘great satan’ shortly before checking into his air carrier just MIGHT merit an extra careful search. Remember, the President is very vocal reminding us that we are in a war against terrorism. Terrorism, 99% of it originates from the Middle East. C: The best defense on an aircraft is a trained and ARMED civilian populace, ie, those law abiding citizens who show an interest in carrying weapons for the protection of themselves and others. Statistics indicate (look them up yourselves–I am not your librarian) that armed civilians have less cases of mistaken identity, less missed targets, etc, than trained law enforcement does across the board.
Bottom line: You lose both your freedom AND your security when you give up your rights in the name of “security”.

I was a Sky Marshall in 1971 and we had exactly the same problems.
It’s a fairly useless program anyway. We never stopped a hijacker and I doubt the program can be made to work.
Do it like the Israelis did-post a guy in theback of the plane with an Uzi in plain sight.

I recently returned from a trip to Denver with my family. The announcement came over the PA system that the flight I was on was allowing courtousy seating begin for people traveling with small childern. My wife and I approached the gate with our childern to present our boarding passes when 4 single men with no childern just walked right past us on to the plane. I started laughing with disbeleif right there in the airport. Having just come from watching my family being molested at the security check point by the TSA screeners, I knew right away that those gentelmen were FAM’s and I couldn’t fathom that they were so blatant in their boarding procedures. I mean come guys, at least try to remain undercover, fake an injury or something to at least cover up why 4 very healthy men have to rush in front of every mother and child to getr to their assigned seat first.

Why don’t we just out source our airline security to a Dubi company, I’m sure that halaburton has a security section there.

It’s Bush’s fault.

Bush Sucks!

PLEASE LOOK INTO VOTING FOR LIBERTARIAN WHERE OUR FREEDOM IS CONCERNED, TIME FOR CHANGE. WE BELIEVE IN PROTECTIING OUR COUNTRY. DO NOT BELIEVE IN GIVING FREE BENEFITS TO ILLEGALS. YES SOME OF US DO BELIEVE IN KEEPING THE ILLEGALS OUT.
LOOK AT ART OLIVIER WEBSITE FOR GOVERNOR.

My Congressman Rob Andrews has been reporting the shortcoming at the Philadelphia Airport for over since before 9/11. One would think Washington would listen. However, like any business the WH security concerns seem to be low on their priority list. We pay taxes for the government to protect us, well they should do their jobs or be fired. I mean we’re not allowed to protect ourselves when we fly.

Everyone keeps asking about a union. There is none! When DHS was formed part of the agreement was to dissolve all bargaining powers of ALL active unions so not to hamper what the agency wanted to do.
If I am not mistaken the Patriot Act had something to do with it.
So, all the organization that moved over to DHS lost a say, and their say was exactly the same as who ever had the most power. Oh and dare to have a different opinion!
The DHS plan to revamp the pay system is a sham. It is a biased and prejudiced way to cut out those they don’t like or don’t want to rise to position to be part of change.
This is what all this boils down to power, position, and recognition! It is ridiculous!
My only hope is that someone does something with all this, otherwise we got all riled up for nothing.

Not being privy to the precise details of the case, I won’t comment on the particulars surrounding this FAM’s allegations. However, the rule prohibiting FAMs from speaking publicly about their job seems a rational one to me, and I am confused as to why it would be rescinded in the recent settlement. This is a sensitive security post. While I understand that sometimes the only way to effect change is to scream your argument from the rooftops, it seems that in this case the congressional oversight system was working to generate the necessary change.
My concern is this: I now know that it’s difficult for agents to be anonymous. If I know it, others know it. Doesn’t this obviously degrade the security situation even further? If so, isn’t this FAM’s public commentary counterproductive to his original goal of enhancing security?

Fabio-
How can a broken system be more broken? The info is already out there. Any flyer with two eyes and a functioning brain can figure it out in minutes.
You can’t put that genie back in the bottle.

If all concealed carry permit holders were allowed to carry on all airlines, nobody would know but the carriers, but the prospective ‘terrorists’ wouldn’t know who was armed and who wasn’t. Sounds like a plan that would work, but, of course, ‘a workable plan’ isn’t listed in the government handbook!

Government employees at all levels — Federal, State, Local — are constantly subjected to managerial retaliation, often worst than described in this article, for speaking out against mismanagement, fiscal irresponsibility, and general incompetence.
The only protections are for those who elevate gross negligence, criminal malfeasance, or sexual harassment.
No protections exist at all for taxpaying citizens who work in government and call for responsible reform.

Why can’t FAMs buy tickets, board like airline personnel (to avoid the metal detectors) and be reinbursed later?
Maybe too simple?
Not like other agencies don’t do something similar…. Successfully….
Or are simplistic, peter principle grads like Meyers’ daughter in the way?

FAM-
–These rogue FAMS are not a minority. They are the majority and any information that they are releasing has already been released by top supervisors. I’m a flying FAM and praise these guys as patriots who are risking their positions.
Patriots my ass. The true patriots are in IRAQ giving their lives everyday despite their own comforts and political views. Patriots fight to protect the American people not for reasons of self betterment. If you are indeed a FAM then why don’t you ask Mr. Pickard why he really came forward? I bet it had nothing to do with being patriotic but more about getting some cash in his pocket or lining himself up for future employment. I would bet money there is some ulterior motive for his OPSEC violation. I know FAMS and know the service well–more than you think. Didn’t you guys sign a nondisclosure agreement? I signed one for my military position and a court martial would be quick at hand if I did such an act of cowardice. So much for service before self. I know the system is broken. However, just as the American public can view alJazeera on TV and online…what do you think the terrorists watch? Yep you guessed it American news programs. I also guarantee that information will be given out in this interview that has not been heard before by the public and to think otherwise is naive. These FAMs need to learn how to be big boys and handle their business the right way. If it sucks so badly why didn’t he quit? I applaud you for being a FAM as it is typically a thankless job. I applaud you for backing the badge of your fellow officers. I think you are doing yourself a disservice backing Mr. Pickard as he does not care about you or your security…if so he would have handled this much differently. I tell you one thing, if I did something like this it would be the functional equivalent of finding Al Qaeda while I was in Afghanistan, pointing over the ridge and letting them know where to find my platoon to kill them. I hope that things get better for you and your brethern, however I wouldn’t hold my breath that anything will come out of this interview…well except for Mr. Pickard losing his job.

OPSEC-
Hey pal, why don’t you do a quick Google and read all the articles that have already given out every single piece of info Pickard gave out.
Articles directly from FAM management.
So if management releases the info and then Pickard does, he is the one that should be punished?
You can’t put the genie back in the bottle.

All true folks. You are not safe in the skies! Not to mention, most Air Marshals who have filed EEO Complaints against supervisors are paying the price for speaking up. The SS cares about no-one, only how much more money they can put into there retirement check.

I am absolutely stunned at some of the idiotic comments made by those who have no knowledge of the subject.

I have read some very interesting postings on here.
To the airline employees who are bashing fams…. IF you thought you could do a better job, then you should have applied. Oh, by the way, sheep need not apply, we only want sheepdogs willing to fight off the wolves.
Mr. Larry Tate,
I fly 4-5 days a week. I have seen the cockpit door open for 4 minutes while a very interested pilot talked to a very attractive flight attendant. I have seen passengers open the lavatory door just as the pilot opened the cockpit door and they got into a shoving match over opening the door, resulting in the pilot falling backwards onto the center console and the door coming open. Then the passenger shut it for them!
Don’t think for one minute that you can leave it all up to screeners and flight crews. There are mostly very safety conscious crews, but, the lazy ones are just asking for another takeover and then they can lead the charge up the aisle to take the plane back.
This may seem insensitive, but if the crews really watched what they were doing and followed procedures, we wouldn’t be needed in most cases. But, just like the Government is full of laziness, there are doors opened right in front of passengers who the flight attendant expects them to “just wait there” within 7 ft. of the open door and no cart out.
We are forced to go through security checkpoints as designated by the local Law Enforcement/FSD. We don’t have a choice. As for boarding right in front of the passengers… blame the airline, your airline, for screaming and crying whenever we tried to get a discreet meet in place in operations. Before people start blaming the FAMS who are forced by out of touch managers and “king and queen of my domain” gate agents to do what they want, not what is safest, educate yourselves and find out the truth, not just what you THINK.
I support my brothers and sisters in their fight to get the job done the right way, each and every one of them would give their life to save yours. We just don’t want to give it up over stupidity, that’s all.
Semper Fi!

OPSEC Soldiers,
Check nightline videos for 7/10/04 and abc news 7/8/04 on these days they video taped specifics on our tactics. Both of these videos specify details of how we function to the same detail as that of FAM Pickard.
We were hired under false pretenses worse than any military recruiter could ever do. In addition as stated by some of my counterparts like it or not the majority of us are educated, articulate and have held positions at supervisory or higher positions previously. We care deeply about the flying public and honestly, our own necks. I get on a plane everyday and do say “not on my watch.” But this is a loaded phrase. My goal is to go home at the end of the day.
I have served this country in uniform in th military, in uniform as a police officer and now in a suit as a FAM. We have been working hard for the last 4 years trying to get things changed and some are seeing no other recourse but to go public.
Understand that the reason for the change is to ensure the safety of the flying public, which could include your family. How would you feel if due to the ineptitude of management your family could have been saved in an incident?
Unlike us that sign up or take positions to serve our country, the general public are not combatants and as such need to be protected and if you or I have knowledge that can protect them it needs to be brought to light. The things Pickard said are common knowledge.
In the military if you find fraus wast or abuse it is your responsibility to report it. Well, the malfeasence and nepetism of this agency need to be reported. The normal channels of reporting this in DHS are broken at best so what options are left?
We the flying FAMS can assure you see FAM Pickard as a brother at arms and respect his decision. Honestly, we that did not know him personally, he has gained our respect.
So please stop saying that he stabbed us in the back, because we don’t see it as such. I have spoken with over 15 FAM’s in the course of this night including one lower level supervisor and none has spoken about Pickard except with respect. So again, if the majority don’t feel as you say we should feel, it should give you into some insight into how severe the problem is. Honestly it is much deeper than Pickard said.

This administration is what you should see when looking up “Peter Principle”in the dictionary. I must say I am not surprised.

OPSEC – You sound more like Management than brother in arms?
Nice try, but that dog won’t hunt.
You’re dripping with arrogance and it shows all over that suit.
Whatever your point is, isn’t.
This Agency’s Leadership hasn’t had time to develop even a ‘policy’ to develop an SOP, so when the proverbial stuff hits the fan…it will be the FAMS themselves who will be blamed for any fall out.
How convenient is that?
In the LAX field office, the original FAMS cleaned up an old range to make it usable, didn’t even have ammo but were told to buy it themselves…so they did.
Soon, there was money to provide big barriers in the office to separate the FAMS from the Management, and then there was money for a new office in a Fortune 500 building for management complete with a state of the art gymnasium, and FAMS became quite cognizant of the fact that they wern’t welcome to use that facility.
LAX FAMS weigh in with the rest of the Nation’s FAMS in offering respect and appreciation to Spencer for his sacrifice on behalf of the American people.
One of the biggest ‘secrets’ still in tact concerns the number of Federal Air Marshals in Service. It may be because the Agency Brass doesn’t want anyone to know the actual ‘turn over’ numbers and dumbing down of training requirements for Air Marshals to fill ever gaping holes in their ability to man aircraft.
How about supervisors ‘whiting out’ actual working hours FAMS report, or asking FAMS to lie on their time sheets? Does that affect national security?
How about FAMS being told that they would fly four days on and three days off…like all Flight personnel and even military pilots because to fly longer is unhealthy and dangerous.
Then, FAMS were told that the Agency wasn’t going to accept any other medical evaluations of dangerous flight times and worked them five days a week at 30,000 feet for a year while the inter Agency ‘study’ was being done.
Without informing the FAMS of the results, the Agency suddenly put them on four days of flying with one day in training. On their two days off they had to file reports, read memos and ever increasing new instructions and unpack and repack for the next go.
They have no collective bargaining unit, they have no overtime pay, they often put in 16 hour days port to port, they sleep on different beds every night, and are locked up in a container with people with the flu, colds and God knows what else, and get harrassed and threatened and treated like children if they ‘are absent’ without a Doctors permission slip.
They were put on a rotating pay scale which steals pay from them each month, and a cascading day off plan that assures them they can make no plans with their families whatsoever…and they are on call 24/7 as well.
If a sick FAM nods off during a second or third flight of the day, he’ll be fired. Most of them suffer chronic sleep deprivation as well.
NOT ONE SINGLE FAM has cited these, nor many other legitimate personal grievances, they endure at the hands of this double dipping Government largess Agency Leadership.
So they aren’t ‘whining’ as you put it, for ‘themselves’.
I commend your service in Iraq (if true?), but you are OPSEC and you are not out there in the danger zone with the ‘young ones’.
So, don’t try to bring any shame by comparison to these great American HEROS by trying to diminish them claiming a Military Soldier sacrifices more.
Lest you appear a little like their current Management folks who rarely miss an opportunity to demean them…EXACTLY as you have done here.
Methinks you need to get back in the dining room to practice more good “Management stance”…cause out here in the kitchen it’s getting a little hot…and it looks like your getting burned like all the other ‘know it all…know nothings’.
God help American with Leaders like these.

I LEFT A PROMISING CAREER AS AN EXPERT TRAVELING AROUND THE WORLD TEACHING OTHER COUNTRIES SECURITY OFFICIALS HOW TO COUNTER TERRORIST TACTICS. BECAUSE AT THE TIME ‘9/11’ IT SEEMED THE RIGHT OPPOURTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND TEACH THESE VERY SAME TACTICS TO MY OWN GOVERNMENTS SECURITY OFFICIALS THE FAMs. I AM ALSO A FLYING FAM! I SERVED IN THE MILITARY, AS A CIVILIAN POLICE SWAT OFFICER THEN A FEDERAL AGENT AND INSTRUCTOR ENDING UP AN ADJUNCT INSTRUCTOR. AS IT WAS KNOWN IN THE BEGINNING THE PROGRAM WAS A SUCCESS WE WERE PROVIDING FAMs THE BEST TRAINING IN THE WORLD. THE SHOOTING QUALIFICATION COURSE WAS SECOND TO NONE, BEING AN ADJUNCT TRAINER THAT HAS TRAINED WITH MANY SPECIAL MILITARY UNITS & CIVILIAN POLICE SWAT TEAMS, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SWAT TEAMS AND TRANSPORTATION SAFEGUARDS FEDERAL AGENTS, I CAN ATTEST TO THE PROGRAM. IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE THE PROGRAM HIRED ALL THE FLYING AIR MARSHALS MANY MONTHS PRIOR TO HAVING THE CORE EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM WE KNOW TODAY. THE AIR MARSHALS WERE MOSTLY MID CAREER FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, CIVILIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT OR MILITARY VETERANS. OUR BACKGROUNDS AND SKILLS SETS WERE IN MOST CASES SUPERIOR TO THE MANAGEMENT TEAM OF MOSTLY RETIRED SECRET SERVICE AGENTS, BROUGHT IN BY MAGAW WHO LATER TURNED OUT TO LEAVE IN DISGRACE FOR BEING A GREEDY EGOTISTICAL MANIAC LIKE MOST RETIRED SECRET SERVICE AGENTS ARE! <-THAT MY FRIENDS IS THE ROOT OF ALL OUR PROBLEMS AND WHY WE ARE IN THE SITUATION WE ARE SUFFERING THROUGH. THE FEW WHO HAVE COME FORWARD SHOULD GET KUDOS ALONG WITH THE SENATE AND HOUSE COMITTEES INVESTIGATING THE ILLS OF OUR AGENCY. CIVILIANS YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY THIS HAPPENED NOW! DON’T BE CRITICAL OF THE WORKING DAILY FLYING FAMs BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL WILLING TO GIVE IT THEIR ALL TO WIN A FIGHT EVEN AT A DISADVANTAGE. WITH THESE ISSUES BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT HOPEFULLY THE FAMs CAN SOON BECOME THE UNKNOWNS TO ALL ON THE MISSIONS THEY FLY.

I LEFT A PROMISING CAREER AS AN EXPERT TRAVELING AROUND THE WORLD TEACHING OTHER COUNTRIES SECURITY OFFICIALS HOW TO COUNTER TERRORIST TACTICS. BECAUSE AT THE TIME ‘9/11’ IT SEEMED THE RIGHT OPPOURTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND TEACH THESE VERY SAME TACTICS TO MY OWN GOVERNMENTS SECURITY OFFICIALS THE FAMs. I AM ALSO A FLYING FAM! I SERVED IN THE MILITARY, AS A CIVILIAN POLICE SWAT OFFICER THEN A FEDERAL AGENT AND INSTRUCTOR ENDING UP AN ADJUNCT INSTRUCTOR. AS IT WAS KNOWN IN THE BEGINNING THE PROGRAM WAS A SUCCESS WE WERE PROVIDING FAMs THE BEST TRAINING IN THE WORLD. THE SHOOTING QUALIFICATION COURSE WAS SECOND TO NONE, BEING AN ADJUNCT TRAINER THAT HAS TRAINED WITH MANY SPECIAL MILITARY UNITS & CIVILIAN POLICE SWAT TEAMS, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SWAT TEAMS AND TRANSPORTATION SAFEGUARDS FEDERAL AGENTS, I CAN ATTEST TO THE PROGRAM. IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE THE PROGRAM HIRED ALL THE FLYING AIR MARSHALS MANY MONTHS PRIOR TO HAVING THE CORE EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM WE KNOW TODAY. THE AIR MARSHALS WERE MOSTLY MID CAREER FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, CIVILIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT OR MILITARY VETERANS. OUR BACKGROUNDS AND SKILLS SETS WERE IN MOST CASES SUPERIOR TO THE MANAGEMENT TEAM OF MOSTLY RETIRED SECRET SERVICE AGENTS, BROUGHT IN BY MAGAW WHO LATER TURNED OUT TO LEAVE IN DISGRACE FOR BEING A GREEDY EGOTISTICAL MANIAC LIKE MOST RETIRED SECRET SERVICE AGENTS ARE! <-THAT MY FRIENDS IS THE ROOT OF ALL OUR PROBLEMS AND WHY WE ARE IN THE SITUATION WE ARE SUFFERING THROUGH. THE FEW WHO HAVE COME FORWARD SHOULD GET KUDOS ALONG WITH THE SENATE AND HOUSE COMITTEES INVESTIGATING THE ILLS OF OUR AGENCY. CIVILIANS YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY THIS HAPPENED NOW! DON’T BE CRITICAL OF THE WORKING DAILY FLYING FAMs BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL WILLING TO GIVE IT THEIR ALL TO WIN A FIGHT EVEN AT A DISADVANTAGE. WITH THESE ISSUES BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT HOPEFULLY THE FAMs CAN SOON BECOME THE UNKNOWNS TO ALL ON THE MISSIONS THEY FLY.

I would like to say thank you to all those FAMS out there who are sticking out there necks for better procedures and common sense. I an a former Secret Service employee as well as a former FAM. I can only say that I now work for a different government agency and could not be happier. The Secret Service and the Air Marshal program both have high turn over rates and continuing low morale. These situations are due to poor supervision, power hungery managers, and a disregard for employee’s health or safety. During my time in both agencies, I’ve seen supervisors ask employees for a copy of a death certificate so they could get time off for a family member’s funeral. I personally worked with one Air Marshal who was very outspoken and critical of policies. What happened to this person? The Air Marshal service fired him, claiming he made international phone calls with his government phone. These were bogus charges that were never proven. They were trying to silence him and put a scare into everyone else. That’s when I knew it was time to get out. Since leaving the Marshal program, I continue to hear horror stories about their jobs. Hang in there guys. Your supervisors are just there for the extra retirement money and more glory. We all know how these former SS agents crave attention and recognition. As for you OPSEC boy, this is not the military. We don’t take blind orders from anyone. We use our intelligence, experience, and common sense to solve problems. Stop wrapping yourself in the flag and do what you do best: sucking up to management.

Not only do I believe everything these FAM’s have been saying in these various posts about the malfeasance of FAMS management, I think that someone ought to send copies of these blotter posts to every member on the Hill and to the White House for “required reading”.
This disgracful unlawful conduct has been covered up by the guilty for too long and it is not too late for the powers to be to take action and investigate to the fullest any and all agencies that have refused to investigate all of the charges of unlawful conduct, discrimination and incompetence by management.
I believe you ! Bless you all for your courage,commitment and enduring integrity. You are the real spirit of America and an example of those that made this country what it is today. Keep up the fight – because you are right !

I agree completly with almost every comment made! I wanted to be a air marshal until i heard they were required to follow a dress code. How STUPID is that! What idiotic in a suit behind a desk came up with that great idea?! I’de like to know so i could write him. Why not put a sign on your back saying “AIR MARSHAL”. I thought this was considered “UNDERCOVER” work. i know undercover police officers and i know they can look and dress any way that helps them blend in with the people they are infultrating. Air marshals are supposed to blend in NOT stand out like a G.I. Joe Ken Doll. I fear for the safety of the marshals and the passangers on the planes alot more than for the executives behind the desks with no fear for their lives or 150 other people. just a few things i feel they should do to make it safer and more “UNDERCOVER”:
1. NO DRESS CODE
2. AIR MARSHALS ENTER THE AIRPORT THROUGHT A SECRET ENTERANCE (THE SECURITY ENTERANCE MAYBE AS NOT TO BE SEEN GOING AROUND SECURITY CHECK POINTS.)
3. NO EXTRA MESSURES WHEN BOARDING PLANES (LET THEM GET ON WITH AND LIKE EVERY OTHER NORMAL PASSANGER.)
GOD BLESS THE MEN & WOMEN IN THE MILITARY, POLICE OFFICERS, FIGH FIGHTERS, AIR MARSHALLS AND ALL OTHERS GIVING THIER LIVES FOR PEOPLE WHO DONT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THERE’S!!

I am in the application process for the FAMS and was quite eager for this opportunity UNTIL I started researching and found such a large group of low moraled individuals. I dont think I need to start a career with an agency that is a living mess filled with incompetent or even worse, uncaring managers. I will take the job if offered and do my best but I dont think I will be offened if I never hear back from the FAMS again!!!

Air Marshall’s giving their lives for…
Please.
Well paid job, free travel, feeling of power.