Another thread here in the TSS board recently linked to an article on the Business Insider web site, discussing the TSO academy. I also did a little Googling and came up with a behind-the-scenes at the TSA academy story on CBS.com with extensive video of the academy. And I noticed what everyone was wearing:

TSOs in training are apparently issued uniforms at the academy which closely match what we have been discussing in this thread - light-blue polos with the DHS seal (a rather chilling perversion of the Great Seal of the United States that looks like it was designed by Albert Speer) over the acronym FLETC (Federal Law Enforcement Training Center); navy blue cargo pants which resemble the military-issue BDUs of the 80s and 90s; navy blue web belts which also resemble military issue belts from the 80s and 90s; black shoes (hard to see them in the images and videos), and matching navy blue logo-imprinted windbreakers.

Instructors wear a similar uniform consisting of a black polo and tactical khaki pants. I saw several different sets of pants and belts on the instructors; looks like they have some leeway in choosing 5.11 brand or something similar, and I saw a couple of different tactical belts on instructors, too.

I like the overall image presented by the trainee uniforms, other than the DHS logo (that's a completely separate issue), but I wonder what happens to this clothing after the 9-day course is over? Is it collected and re-issued to incoming trainees (a rather unsavory practice)? Or do the trainees keep it, never to use it again after they're issued their TSO rent-a-cop uniforms upon graduation?

Personally, I'd love to see TSA implement a new uniform and just start issuing TSA-imprinted polos, BDU pants/belts, windbreakers, and shoes at intake. The cost of the clothing, whether it's kept by the trainees or re-issued, is definitely part of the $2400 the stories quote as the cost of the academy training, but I don't think we're getting max value out of it, especially if the trainees keep it after graduation.