Federal Air Marshal Whistleblower Suspended

Common Practice is what is happening to Spencer, the Federal Air Marshal Service through the mouth of one who once has flown amongst the ranks has now flown the coupe like a chicken looking for a feed. Why because treatment is better in the Ivory Castle of headquarters and other selected assignments as people have fulfilled as the chosen ones. Or was the spokesperson internally advertised and filled on a competitive basis?
Retaliation is retaliation, and we can say it predates his appearance, but feces are feces and these feces stink like retaliation. Are they that busy that they can not deal with issues timely? Of course not they dig and dig until they find little things or they hold onto stuff until they have ammunition. Since some of management have trouble meeting the same standards of the flying FAM, they know who they are! So they sling feces to hit a FAM who they see as their enemies with that old us and them mentality of the Secret Service.
A suit and an ear piece never make a man. What makes a man is standing up for what is right. I will say this handful of people have had the courage to stand up for what’s right but most think what they speak. I use to hear it almost daily and witness it, but they all fear management and know what others have going through and the disparity in treatment between how management is treated and how FAMs and others are treated.
One of many examples I could give;
I remember a loaded pistol being retrieved out of the glove compartment of a vehicle which the ATSAIC left there. He went home and called back to ask if we could see if it was there. When another ATSAIC was informed it was like it was not even a problem, what was the saying they must be in control of their fire arms at all times and he was recently in regards to a management official.
As the EEOC and MSPB cases are now starting to work through the system one would expect that some accountability would be brought to management. If Dana Brown was truly for change he would get rid of some of those temporary managers out of the federal service and start to reorganize the service with experienced Air Marshals in leadership positions and loose the attitude of when the Big 33 are going it will be so much better. A term many agents (SAIC/ASAICS/ATSAICS) refer to in regards to the original Air Marshals.

He got suspended because his boses are egocentrical maniacs who think they know better than anyone. How can you be so stupid as to let a hotel welcome the FAM as client of the month lit up sign? He is just trying to protect other air marshalls.

Spencer is a fine FAM and a good person as well. Thank God for his courage. EVERYONE knows this is just blatant retaliation.
I wish Congress would do something.

You must be kidding, I was in the office today and the office was empty. I forgot it was Federal Half Day Friday.

So…getting drunk with your wife and waving your gun around makes you a “Knight in Shining Armor?” Get real guys.
I don’t know what he did this time, but I am sure it was something along the same lines.
And for all you haters, I was a flying fool for 3.5 yrs, had enough and moved on happily.
And…some of us know the real story on this guy, we just aren’t on 20/20 spouting our mouths off. You guys don’t realize these reporters will turn on you just as quick if they can make a story out of it.
See you back at the X.

We all know how it works … maybe the public should know too. Here it is: There are so many tiny rules, small conflicting directives, and stupid “orders” that each and every one of us has done something technically against the rules at one time or another. each of us has flown without a jacket when suits were required, or worn something other than dress shoes, shown up for a flight after the official check-in but well before the time needed to make the flight, gotten upset with an ignorant gate agent who offended us, or stayed at a hotel that isn’t on the designated list. We’re all in fear that if we do something that pisses off management, they’ll come after us and retaliate against us by finding out one of these tiny offenses and over-repremanding us for it because, as the report clearly stated, there is no consistancy in the system for reprimands. Retaliation doesn’t come in the form of, “You went to 20/20 so we’re going to get you.” It comes in the form of, “You went to 20/20? Good for you. Oh, by the way, you were 10 minutes late for a checck-in, you’re voucher was 35 cents off, and your T&A was turned in a day late. Your FIRED!” Spin, anyone?

Who is going to fly the missions when we are all gone to other jobs?
SS Management – what is Conan or Baghdad Dave Adams going to tell the public when we have all quit?
NCIS, Border Patrol, ICE, DEA, FBI and the private sector are picking up FAMs in great numbers. Who will you abuse when we have all left?
Some guys are quitting without a new job lined up. Many are leaving law enforcement completely.
Wake up managers, because you surely are not leaders.

“Las FAM”:
You forgot to mention the fact that the NOW Supervisory FAM who left his gun in the lavatory of a plane in-flight tried covering up the incident. The FAA and TSA only found out about it because the Captain of the plane filed a complaint with them.
You also forgot to mention that the Training Instructor Air Marshal chaalso rged with drinking and driving had WRECKED his car and REFUSED to take a breathalizer test. It is a miracle that the State of Nevada gave him back his Driver License.
Protecting yourself and your wife from muggers or almost killing yourself in a car accident are really the TRUE crimes to FAMS Management – ESPECIALLY if you are a FLEOA Representative.

Mr. Bane is very scary. His heart is in the right place, but the mind is not totally engaged.
Hang in there Spencer. At least 17 of your brothers had the courage to speak up. Hopefully more will follow soon.

Bane,
I have met many family members and I have yet to meet one to agree with you. I can’t imagine one saying, “If only my wife had a snub nose .38…she would have executed the hijackers one by one and landed the plane herself…”
Sit down and think beyond your wild cowboy scenarios. It sounds like you are someone denied for application to a police officer position.
I am one of many trying to prevent another 9/11. I never said passengers should not be vigilant and act in an attack if necessary. I would not want my children on a plane in which your relatively untrained (I am giving you the benefit of the doubt – you must have some level of training) people are sitting there armed. You do not know anything about fighting aboard an aircraft in flight if you propose putting weapons there in the hands of anyone, but sufficiently experienced and supremely trained personnel.
Do you not even understand the issue of anonymity many FAMs complain about? If anyone figures out you are carrying a gun, your ability to protect the plane just went through the floor even if you are a highly trained counterterrorist professional.
Go drive on our nations’ highways and streets. Do you trust the ability of many of those people to drive? They have licenses and are legally driving, but they kill people through their own recklessness and stupidity every day. How do you propose we keep out all of those morons from your program?
If you want to help, call you Congressman about the issues you care about. Tell your neighbors to keep their chin up despite the screening hassles. Finally, be vigilant and fight as hard as you can to defend that plane if you find yourself in a horrible situation and there are no FAMs present. The whole bring your gun to fly idea is not well thought out.
Would you support bringing your gun to the White House to defend yourself if a tourist was to go insane and start hurting you? Same thing at work here. There are some places where deadly force needs to be left in the hands of the professionals.

Michael,
Other federal LEOs all go through annual training about flying armed. ALL do. This is on top of the fact of them carrying a weapon and engaging in enforcement activities FOR A LIVING.
The topic pointed out by Hinson re: the White House versus planes is a perfect point. Your rebuttals prove his case. You do not understand the inherent challenges of the aviation domain. You don’t even comprehend the issues Hinson put to you.
Many highly qualified federal agents and military types wash out of the FAM training program. How in the world do you propose opening it up to anyone with a clear criminal history and the desire to get ‘trained up’? The wash out rate for the general public to understand the issues involved and to be able to be proficient would be close to 100%. No offense, but you have to be a very special person to become an Air Marshal. A lot of police officers, feds, and commandos are still not the kind of special that is needed and recruited.
I, as it appeared Hinson is too, am in favor of an armed public. I understand it is not a wild west in every state with liberal concealed carry laws. That being said, the aviation domain is far more special than even the White House. Think about it you simpleton. You can move the President and make the White House another pretty building. You can call for backup. You cannot crash the White House into yet another high value target. They DO NOT let anyone come waltzing in the White House to help the Secret Service protect anyone. What kind of nut expects the Air Marshals to trust anyone to help them if they are unsure of their level of training?
An Air Marshal is alone against an unknown foe, with no backup, with no retreat, with no chance to think about things. He must respond, be brutally decisive and win. Sorry Bane, you are frightening. Your ideas are poorly considered.
I will not even try to respond to some of your latest arguement as you make the case through your responses. The case for keeping you off airplanes.

“Think about it you simpleton.”
It figures someone who would resort to posting anonymously would also resort to personal attacks. Let’s see what that makes your credibilty level: ABSOLUTELY ZERO. Have the guts to give your real name like I do.
“Bane is a nut.”
Cindy Maxwell, your resorting to personal attacks instead of arguing facts speaks volumes about whether you have any credibiltiy as well.

I must agree with others that Mr. Bane is all too eager to get a weapon. He should worry more about being a more alert passenger and watching things around him. Then he can report these incidents to the proper authorities or point them out to the innocents around him if there is not time for anything else.
Being a FAM is far different from chasing a perp down a dark alley as was already pointed out. A police officer can be smart and back off instead of chasing an unknown down a dark alley alone. A FAM MUST win despite risks to himself. Street cops are trained to survive. They do not race into a hostage situation as soon as they arrive first on the scene. They set up a perimeter and wait to think about things. They CAN do that because they are on the ground and time is on their side. The longer time goes on, the hostage takers tire and the cops bring more and more help. A FAM would have to use speed, surprise and violence of action to end the situation immediately. He may have to do this alone. Time for a FAM emergency situation means it is closer and closer to the plane being shot down by F-15, F-16 or F-18s.
The White House was a perfect analogy by undisclosed. There are certain times and places when you must control the environment more than the Wild West.
Some of my co-workers have been arrested, fired or disciplined for criminal and/or stupid actions Mr. Bane. Do you know of a human organization without any failures? The CIA has had operatives and employees turn and spy for the enemy. The FBI and Secret Service have had their share of embarrassments.
As for your addressing of Ms. or Mrs. Maxwell, Go to hell Mr. Bane. You show your lack of tact. No matter how you dress it, your ideas are weak and poorly reasoned.
I am not a profiler, but I would imagine you have a long criminal history or at least complaints related to road rage as well.
Please seek counseling.
I almost forgot a great one. You feel it is a great idea to arm passengers since you know some gun enthusiasts who shoot more than some LEOs you know. Great, there are some surgeons out there that do not study on a continuing basis as much as some other scientists. Do you want the credentialed, experienced surgeon Mr. Bane, or should we bring on all who have read a bunch of books and dissected animals all week long?

Enough responding to him. MBane is a gun NUT and not someone to engage in an intelligent discussion.
He is the reason the NRA and other self defense organizations get a bad name.

All right, let’s address the latest spin.
“Some of my co-workers have been arrested, fired or disciplined for criminal and/or stupid actions Mr. Bane. Do you know of a human organization without any failures? The CIA has had operatives and employees turn and spy for the enemy. The FBI and Secret Service have had their share of embarrassments.”
I never said that all law enforcement officers should are not trustworthy. What I did say is that we should not just trust the government when they say “leave it to the professionals”.
“As for your addressing of Ms. or Mrs. Maxwell, Go to hell Mr. Bane. You show your lack of tact.”
The fact that you would say this shows your lack of maturity and emotional stability. Be an adult and stick to reasoned arguments instead of stooping to personal attacks. The fact that you would make such a statement says more about you than you ever could about me.
“I am not a profiler, but I would imagine you have a long criminal history or at least complaints related to road rage as well.”
If you’re not a profiler, then don’t make assumptions about other people. You have no idea who I am and what my background is. Mature adults don’t slander people.
“Please seek counseling.”
What kind of education and training do you have that qualifies you to diagnose people over the internet?
“Great, there are some surgeons out there that do not study on a continuing basis as much as some other scientists. Do you want the credentialed, experienced surgeon Mr. Bane, or should we bring on all who have read a bunch of books and dissected animals all week long?”
That’s just a silly comparison. Self-defense isn’t brain surgery.
“Bane is frightening. I think his postings must be a joke to get people fired up. Someone cannot be that stupid.”
Someone claiming to be a FAM posted this. I find it disturbing that someone who would stoop to making statements like that was determined psychologically fit to be an air marshal.
“Able bodied passengers are great, but allowing everyone to fly armed is too dumb an idea on so many levels.”
I never said everyone should be allowed to fly armed. Convicted criminals can’t even own a firearm, let alone carry one.
“MBane is a gun NUT and not someone to engage in an intelligent discussion.”
Someone claiming to be a police officer posted this. My concerns about the mental stability of this poster are the same as for the supposed FAM.

I agree. Stop all the silly arguing. I do not want anyone on my flight with weapons other than FFDOs, FAMs and properly authorized law enforcement officers.

The only “spin” on this blog is coming from people like Delta Pilot who can’t think of anything better to say in response to someone else other than calling them names. The first line in his post isn’t even a complete sentence!
I don’t object to anyone providing rebuttals to my reasoning; just don’t resort to making personal attacks.

Spencer Pickard is a hero still to this day. The world needs more whistle blowers to keep mgmt on thier toes.