TXagogo

Hi,
I hear a lot of discussion about "he was a two-striper" or "I asked to speak to a three-striper" but I don't know how to tell who is what level.

If I ever need to request a supervisor I want to know exactly how I can be sure I get one, and if needed whether or not there is someone else to go to if that fails as well.

How does one tell a 1-striper from a 2-striper from a 3-striper, etc...?

IslandBased

I hope the answer is not "Look in their shorts".....

HSVTSO Dean

Holy crap, a question I can answer without getting fired!

Sorry. This is something of an event.

Ahem:

The base-line Transportation Security Officer, or TSO, is also known as a 1-striper. Exhibit A.

Please note on the shoulder board that it has a single silver-threaded (pro-tip: Don't stick them in the microwave. This comes to us from a TSO in DFW) stripe across the top, the label "TSA" beneath it, and then another single silver-threaded band at the base.

The second-tier rank is the Lead Transportation Security Officer, or LTSO; also known as a 2-striper. Sometimes, they actually are a cut-above the average TSO, or are particularly talented or what-not. And, sometimes, it's just people that are better at interviews regardless of what their actual work ethic or skills or technique are. Exhibit B.

You will note that, like the TSO, the LTSO has a single silver-threaded stripe at the top of the shoulder board, then "TSA," and then, at the base, has two silver-threaded stripes.

The third rank, and highest of the uniformed personnel, is the Supervisory Transportation Security Officer, aka the STSO, aka the 3-striper. These are the bosses, but mostly they seem to be assigned scut work most of the time that has to do with lots and lots and lots of paperwork. Exhibit C.

The lady on the right in the image in front of the DHS flag has, as you can see, the normal single-stripe/TSA on her shoulder board, and then, at the base, has a total of three silver-threaded stripes at the base. This marks her as a supervisor.

Please note that there are concurrent ranks that have nothing to do with the management track of TSO/LTSO/STSO, but utilize the same striping. Master-TSOs have two stripes as well, though they're not Leads. Expert-TSOs have three stripes, but they're not Supervisors. It gets complicated, and kind of hard to explain since HSV doesn't have any except BDOs (aka, M-TSOs), though I do understand that the system allows for some degree of versatility in much larger airports.

goalie

A very good explanation ^ and now a question....In exhibit A, what's the Star Trek phaser that the TSO is holding?

HSVTSO Dean

I haven't a clue. The actual website I linked it from doesn't give any hints (it's from that 2010 sequential check-numbered incident) either. I can, however, make an educated guess, though it's probably wrong since I've never seen the technology or its devices before.

The only hand-held devices that (I'm aware of) TSA uses are the HHMD, the FIDO, and the e-boarding pass scanner. Since it's obviously not a HHMD, and it's also obviously not a FIDO (I've seen pictures of them, at least, and they look more like a phaser rifle than a hand phaser), then all that's left is the e-boarding pass scanner.

However, other stuff in the image take away from that, since there's obviously a suitcase on a table in front of him (or it's just a really tall suitcase!), and, also obviously, he's pointing at some kind of screen.

The only thing I can even imagine it being is some kind of remote control interface for controlling that device, whatever it may be. There's not enough of it to see its function or purpose, but if I had to take an absolute blind stab in the dark I'd say it's probably a checked-baggage EDS machine, likely set up in the public area prior to passenger check-in (you'll note that the bag's main handle has what appears to be an airline luggage tag wrapped around it).

But, remember, aside from guesses? I haven't a clue. It's nothing I've ever actually seen before.

Caradoc

Looks like an earlier model MT-series Motorola handheld barcode scanner.



That's an MT2000, but the basic lines look pretty darned similar.

To the OP - if you really want someone "higher up," look for the one wearing a TSA ID card and no uniform. You can't trust counting the stripes to get a "supervisor" thanks to the unbelievably stupid "ranking" system the TSA uses.

LuvAirFrance

Looks like what the store guys use doing inventory, a bar code scanner.

Vidiot

Hey, I just wanted to express my thanks to HSVTSO Dean for consistently being an affable presence and good communicator in these fora, and for giving us an inkling of what's going on inside TSA, but sans all the usual chest-thumping, posturing, and FUD-creating of most who describe themselves as TSOs here. You're an asset to FT.

(Hope I didn't just get him fired.)

PTravel

Seconded! ^

InkUnderNails

Agreed.

It is Dean, and a few others, that prevents me from making the blanket statement that all of TSA is bad. If there is a Dean, surely there must be others.

goalie

Third-ed ^ (and to a few others as well ^)

Xyzzy

Yes ... but sadly not enugh...

davef139

Its a Symbol P3XX wireless barcode scanner.

TSO1973

The types of barcodes something like that would be scanning would be found on the baggage tags on checked bags. I would suspect that unit has something to do with the new in-line systems. But, I'm just taking a stab at that one, since I don't work down in baggage. It is kind-of 'phaser-esque' though! We used to have a portable sniffer that looked suspiciously like a tri-corder for that matter. Hmmm...

DIFIN

looks like exhibit "C" is a photo of two hookers