I live in San Diego and have a market research consultancy. As many of you are aware, we have been running the TSA survey since 1Q04 and now have been sharing the data on our website.
I admit to being a travel industry junkie, with a overbearing personal dislike of Osama BL - many of my friends in the travel industry lost their jobs. But for his (and supporters) hideous actions, travel would be fun, thousands would still have their jobs and the industry would be less in the red.
My salute goes to all on this list who remain involved in travel - for whatever reason - travel is the primary and best way to learn about others and build tolerance. You might find, as I have, that the most frequent travelers are among the best people to learn from. Travel is fabulous - do if often.
I live in San Diego and have a market research consultancy. As many of you are aware, we have been running the TSA survey since 1Q04 and now have been sharing the data on our website.
I admit to being a travel industry junkie, with a overbearing personal dislike of Osama BL - many of my friends in the travel industry lost their jobs. But for his (and supporters) hideous actions, travel would be fun, thousands would still have their jobs and the industry would be less in the red.
My salute goes to all on this list who remain involved in travel - for whatever reason - travel is the primary and best way to learn about others and build tolerance. You might find, as I have, that the most frequent travelers are among the best people to learn from. Travel is fabulous - do if often.
It's been a while since I perused the forum. It's nice to be back.
I am a 15-year law enforcement and military veteran, served two tours in the first Gulf War. In the (active duty) Air Force I was a Law Enforcement Specialist (AFSC 81152) and then a Security Specialist (81150) in the Reserves. (For you youngsters, those jobs were rolled into "Security Forces" some time after I left in '92.)
Even though I'm not a TSA screener myself, I was a "screener" (though I had a different title) for a local law enforcement agency -- working mostly in the court security division -- for 10 years. I know what Screeners do and I've lived some of the same (or similar) experiences as a government employee.
I own two small publishing companies and I've been heavily involved in graphic design, writing and publishing for the last 10 years, with 60+ published credits, from an "Industry news" column in a hobby magazine to authoring/co-authoring 3 dozen books, doing book cover and advertisement design, and book layout.
I do not, nor have I ever, worked for TSA. I did apply for a position, but my name floated in the so-called Ready Pool until that list was tossed out just in time for the new TSA job openings, requiring everyone to RE-apply and RE-test and... But I digress.
I have no allegience to TSA, and I have no fear of the reprisals that many TSA managers like to threaten subordinates with. I run the Screeners Central web site to speak out and to help other Screeners as best I can, be it by posting links to online resources, informing them with news, criticizing the agency via my editorials, or making them laugh with The Screeners comic!
Oh, and my favorite sports teams are the Patriots and the Red Sox.
I'll probably get bashed with numerous questions but here goes. I am currently a TSA Screening Manager assigned to a Cat 1 airport. I have observed this site as well as TSAScreener.com (I knew Chris Gahr the creator of that site). A little history on my self, I was hired by TSA as a member of the MSF and I helped open JFK (Terminal 7 and 8 the "voodoo" pier), Nashville, West Palm Beach, Phoenix Sky Harbor then my own airport. Granted I cannot release any SSI information over this board but if you have any questions about TSA, I'll try to answer what I can.
TalkBoard Member/Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Alaska Mileage Plan, CommunityBuzz!, OMNI and OMNI/PR
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The PoohBear
I'll probably get bashed with numerous questions but here goes. I am currently a TSA Screening Manager assigned to a Cat 1 airport. I have observed this site as well as TSAScreener.com (I knew Chris Gahr the creator of that site). A little history on my self, I was hired by TSA as a member of the MSF and I helped open JFK (Terminal 7 and 8 the "voodoo" pier), Nashville, West Palm Beach, Phoenix Sky Harbor then my own airport. Granted I cannot release any SSI information over this board but if you have any questions about TSA, I'll try to answer what I can.
Welcome to The Travel Safety/Security Forum and FlyerTalk, The PoohBear!
Look forward to your participation in this Forum.
I'll probably get bashed with numerous questions but here goes. I am currently a TSA Screening Manager assigned to a Cat 1 airport. I have observed this site as well as TSAScreener.com (I knew Chris Gahr the creator of that site). A little history on my self, I was hired by TSA as a member of the MSF and I helped open JFK (Terminal 7 and 8 the "voodoo" pier), Nashville, West Palm Beach, Phoenix Sky Harbor then my own airport. Granted I cannot release any SSI information over this board but if you have any questions about TSA, I'll try to answer what I can.
I am a Supervisor with a medium sized Cat III airport in the upper midwest. I am a very bad golfer but enjoy it a lot. I live with my wife of 7 1/2 years. I love to hunt ducks, geese, pheasants, grouse and deer. I am a proud owner of a labador retriever.
I like PoohBear helped open JFK (8A and 7), BNA, PBI, PHX. The most excitement was opening the above airports when I got back to my airport where I have been every since my job has been very uneventful.
OK, time to chime in. I'm a law student--soon to be a lawyer --in NYC. That doesn't mean anything I say can be taken as legal advice, because I know nothing about the law. I do, however, know how to argue, which seems to come in handier on FT (particularly in this forum) than actual knowledge.
Most of my flying is to visit far-flung family: fiancee in Israel, parents in Iowa, grandparents in Texas, cousins in Cali... To afford my plane tickets, I subsist on veggie burgers, pasta, Cholula, and minibottles of Skyy vodka and Jack Daniels that I filch from the first class cabin when I get upgraded.
TalkBoard Member/Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Alaska Mileage Plan, CommunityBuzz!, OMNI and OMNI/PR
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Currently: Southern California
Programs: Rapidly Burning Miles and Points with Delta and Marriott
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We haven't had any activity in this thread for a couple weeks so we're assuming that whoever has wanted to post in it has already done so.
We will "unstick" it for now and let it float into Neverland. We'll make it a sticky from time to time in the future to capture the bio's of any new posters.
Thanks to everybody for your contributions to this thread....
TalkBoard Member/Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Alaska Mileage Plan, CommunityBuzz!, OMNI and OMNI/PR
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Currently: Southern California
Programs: Rapidly Burning Miles and Points with Delta and Marriott
Posts: 18,150
We've seen several new posters in this Forum lately so will "stick" this thread for a while to give our new posters a chance to tell us a little about themselves.
We've seen several new posters in this Forum lately so will "stick" this thread for a while to give our new posters a chance to tell us a little about themselves.
Hi Everyone,
I am a transplanted Southerner living in the Boston area for about 20 years now. Actually, I love the four seasons, even the snow. I am a perennial volunteer. You name the cause and I will help. The volunteer work suits my lifestyle now because I am solely responsible for the care of my elderly, ailing father who lives in the Southwest. He would not be happy moving up here with us and I respect his decision. He asks little of me. What I do for him, I do because I love him. Hence, I fly frequently sometimes on short notice. That is why TSA bothers me so much. Usually, the days when I fly are among the most nervwracking days of my life. Let's just say the TSA kicks me when I am already down.
All in all, I cannot complain. Mostly, I am having a wonderful life. My husband and I have been married almost 30 years. He is true gem. Together, we have an adult daughter of whom we are so very proud. She brings joy to every day of our lives.
Thanks for listening to my rants. It helps to have a safe place to vent. I also hope I will be able to help all of you by listening.
I am a 41 year old attorney, married with 3 children. The downturn in aviation since 9/11 has adversely affected my hometown in the Midwest. I currently fly about once per month in connection with my law practice, taking depositions all over the country. Between September 2002 and May 2004, I racked up about 125,000 miles on American Airlines.
In law school, I was a member of the Federalist Society. I have been politically conservative ever since I was aware of politics. This background accounts for my opinions regarding TSA and its screening of travelers on domestic flights.
I definitely appreciate the opinions expressed on this site. For other perspectives, try Mark's site, tsa-screeners.com, because most individual screeners are trying to do a good job. But, to echo other posters, when one is rushing trying to get to a flight on time, the TSA dog and pony show is aggravating.
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 14,927
Sorry I didn't notice this thread til now....
I am a full time international traveler in the telecom/datacom industry. I have hit over 80 countries in the last 8 years so I do get around. All that international exposure has really opened my eyes to the fact that people are the same everywhere in the world. It is something that this American didn't realize before leaving the borders regularly and it is something I think that a huge majority of Americans don't understand. I reside partly in France and partly in California.
But back to security issues. I have worked a lot with the FBI, and a bit with the British Home Office (MI-5, GCHQ, etc) and others national law enforcement agencies related to lawful intercept (wiretapping) on the Internet. I also have a social friend who is fairly senior in the FBI. I even received an FBI Commendation (mostly meaningless but I still think it's kind of neat and appreciate it) for helping them out. That doesn't make me an LEO, but I at least know more than the average bear.
So that is what you should know about me when I make my sometimes incendiary or retaliatory posts.
I'm a graduate student in theoretical electrical engineering (more like applied math) and I'm planning to finish my Ph.D. this year. I have a home in two places: one where I go to school, and one where I live with my husband, so I spend lots of time shuttling between those two places. I used to fly, but now I take Amtrak.
Hi GradGirl,
It is always a pleasure to meet a colleague.
I have a Ph.D. in Physics and Mathematics. My specialty is Cybernetics, which (for the benefit of other members) is a cross between Mathematics, Computer Science, and Electrical Engineering. I work in "Think Tank" in Southern California. By the way, the firm I work for is expanding. So, once you graduate, and if you want to relocate back to Southern California, send me your resume.
I know a few mathematician jokes. Actually, it is a good thing to laugh at yourself once in a while. My wife thinks that I am insane just to study this particular subject, let alone do it for a living. Her favorite line is: "Nobody is putting a gun to his head; why is he doing it?"
As may be inferred from my user name and some of my posts, I have not always lived in the U.S. In fact, I grew up in the Soviet Union, which I left immediately after graduating from High School. Because of this particualr experience I am passionate about personal freedom and civil liberties. I have framed copies of The Declaraton of Independence, The Constitution, and The Bill of Rights on the wall of my office. The three big reasons why I came to his country, as I once told my coworker who was looking at them.
I have seen some of your posts here and at TSA-Screeners. I cannot agree more with anything you say!
--in NYC. That doesn't mean anything I say can be taken as legal advice, because I know nothing about the law. I do, however, know how to argue, which seems to come in handier on FT (particularly in this forum) than actual knowledge. 
