Originally Posted by
HSVTSO Dean
No real point from me. Just felt like doing something random.
But if you want to know the actual stories behind the images, I'll put them out. Again, this is all information accessable to any member of the public. You just have to know where to look.
I hate to sound like I don't approve of most everything that TSA does (I don't, but I hate to sound like it), but here goes:
Pic 1: On April 8, Lead TSOs Bernard and Mayra (pictured) of the TSA Miami International Airport Color Guard, helped deliver a U.S. Flag of Honor to the funeral of three police officers killed in the line of duty recently in Pittsburgh. Also pictured are officers from eight area police departments. A bagpiper played America the Beautiful as the flag was presented to a pilot of a non-stop flight to Pittsburgh. The Flag of Honor flew over the state capital in Austin, Texas, on the day of the 9/11 attacks, and later flew over ground zero in New York in honor of 9/11’s fallen heroes.
This seems to me like TSA is presenting itself as a uniformed service equivalent to the military or LEOs. Though I've never served in the military, I honor our members of the armed forces (and LEOs, fireman, EMTs and others who put their life on the line to protect us). I can't speak for how a vet would react to this, but it seems a little . . . well . . . arrogant for TSA to put itself in the same class as those who put themselves in harm's way for the benefit of their fellow citizens.
Pic 2: TSA employees from Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport visited the Michael E. Debakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center March 25-26 to meet with veterans as part of ongoing community outreach efforts. The veteran soldiers shared stories and talked about the friendships formed during military service. TSO Joseph (pictured) sang and played guitar to a group of veterans in the hospital’s recreation area, as a medical center volunteer looked on. “It was definitely something to remember,” said Joseph.
I think visiting hospitalized vets is a great thing to do. However, with respect to it being done in TSA uniforms raises the same question as in 1, above.
Pic 3: TSA’s Safety Action Team at Chicago Midway recently visited the city’s John C. Dore Elementary School to help more than 500 students get fingerprinted and receive “KIDS” identification cards.
The Chicago Kids Identification System (KIDS), maintained by the city, is a computer system designed to help locate missing or abducted children by storing their digital pictures, fingerprints, and other information provided by parents. Database access is permitted only if the police or family report a child is missing. The information can be posted on the Internet and distributed to law enforcement and media.
As I said in my previous post, I am absolutely opposed to the idea of children being taught that a TSO is like a policeman or teacher.
Pic 4:Jessie, a TSO at Baton Rouge (La.) Metropolitan Airport, recently participated in “Real Men Read,” a literacy initiative sponsored by the East Baton Rouge Parish School System.
More than 300 men visited district schools one day last month to read to students. Jessie visited Greenbrier Elementary School and read the Dr. Seuss book, “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!”
“The book deals with making decisions and being self-confident so it was a good basis for a conversation with the students,” Jessie said. “The students had a lot of questions about TSA and the airport, too, and I was happy to answer those. I enjoyed their smiles and their enthusiasm.”
The initiative, started in Chicago, also gives men an opportunity to be positive role models.
Same objection. Teaching kids about the importance of reading is terrific. Coming to class and talking about TSA on a, "This is my daddy's or mommy's job" day is fine, as well. Presenting uniformed TSOs to school children, who are taught to associate uniforms and badges with LEOs is not. And, if TSA was being honest, the book should not have been, "Oh, The Places You'll Go," but, "Do You Want to Fly, Today?"
Pic 5: Using innovative ways to spread the Sensitive Security Information (SSI) awareness message, TSA's nearly 200 SSI coordinators reached out to employees with multiple events across the country during the agency's SSI Awareness Week Nov. 17-21.
I asked this question in another thread but didn't get an answer. Maybe you can provide one.
Do TSOs have security clearances? I mentioned that, when I worked in aerospace, I held, at various times, Confidential and Secret security clearances. The former was relatively pro forma, but the latter was not -- I was required to disclose everywhere I'd lived from when I was 16, identify friends and associates, provide banking details and a variety of other personal information that was specifically and expressly investigated and verified by the FBI, who did things like visit my neighbors and make inquiries about me. I also had to sign a statement indicating I was aware of the
criminal penalties for disclosing classified information. Even after receiving my Secret clearance, I was only once exposed to information that I would consider remotely related to national security, and that was the result of an accident -- something was delivered to my desk that should not have been (and, though it some 25 years ago, I still won't say what it was because I take the obligations I incurred in connection with the clearance seriously).
What security vetting do TSOs receive before they're exposed to "sensitive security information," whatever that is? What security does SSI carry? Confidential? Secret? Top Secret? Is it even classified? What I don't understand is how it can even be regarded as sensitive. When I ask a TSO, "why do you think you can do this?", and he says, "I can't tell you because it's SSI," wouldn't that imply that procedure is authorized as SSI, and I now know that? Is SSI subject to declassification review in the event of a FOIA request? It should be, by law.
I'd appreciate any illumination you can provide.