JumboD

What about a state's National Guard troops? I recall them being stationed in airports shortly after 9/11 (like three or four of them, full camo, all armed with large automatic rifles, at each checkpoint)

StanSimmons

From Homelandsecurity.org:

greentips

Does this mean Texas could mobilize it NG and remove the TSA?

StanSimmons

Only if our Governor wasn't such a <deleted expletive>.

gsoltso

I have never said that, and never will. 9/11 was a confluence of several bad things happening at once and folks with bad intentions taking advantage of the situation.

gsoltso

The reason it seems that TSA is fixated on the elderly and children, is because they are a sensitive subject, and the media outlets (and by extension the public) are focused on them. If we were to pull 5000 folks of Middle Eastern descent in short order, the media would be focused on the fact that we were "obviously profiling based on ethnic, racial or geographical reasons". TSA is in a no-win situation on the perception game, if we do the job before us and screen the folks per SOP, everyone freaks out because we made sure that a 6 year old was not actually carrying a bomb when they alarmed, or the same with an elderly passenger - on the other hand, if someone were to actually use a child to transport a device, and do damage to an airliner, we would be shanghai'd because we didn't screen the child.

I will answer your question plainly - No. Due to the more intense focus of the media, the fact that we have had more publicity about the theft, other crimes and of course the deal in HNL, no.

I will agree with you that TSOs are at the mercy of the technology in many cases, but that is not something I can do anything about. I can do something about coworkers berating passengers, or being unprofessional. I liked the ETP, but it didn't stand up to the rigors of the checkpoint environs. The ETD tests for chemical makeup on a mass usage level, without some sort of mass spec system upgraded to withstand the checkpoint rigors, we will not be able to test any better at this point (and I do not see much in the way of that tech coming soon). The best thing I have heard lately is the terahertz scanners, but I do not know much about them (I am just beginning to get into research on them, and the Brits have been very closemouthed about the tech so far). Barring a great leap forward in technology available to us, we have what we have currently, with some other advancements coming in slowly (AT xray, more EDS tech). It is like Nascar, we run what we brung.

Boggie Dog

I'm going to suggest to you that the TSA SOP is wrong. Wrong for the threat, wrong for America.

The bone headed so-called leadership of TSA are a bunch of fear mongering idiots who are only interested in their next pay check and gaining more power.

If you think TSA is disliked today give it another year. You folks will be the target of all manner of abuse.

jtodd

+1. The leadership of the TSA is taking it down a road that is good for no one but the terrorists, as they sit back and watch us fight. Meanwhile, if a single, or group, of terrorists decide that they want to attack an airplane again, they will, and they can do it through the pax route, freight route, airport perimeter or employee AOA access.

It's time to stop the theater and assaults, understand that it can not be 100%, and put the resources/money to use in true intelligence and law enforcement work. Hand the flight security back to the airlines, the cost to the taxpayer is minimized, and we help this country much farther down the road. Right now, it is a short sighted plan that politicians tinker with to use for re-election campaigns.

gsoltso

See, I have no problem with disagreeing with policy or leadership. There are cases where I disagree on things as well. In order to foment change that serves all parties involved, it needs to be done the correct way. I will never fault you for saying your piece, disagreeing with policy or leadership, that is how we as a nation change things. I encourage that type of participation, as a matter of fact. I like hearing other viewpoints and getting input from folks like you. It makes it easier for me to understand both sides of an issue, and to do what I can to make things easier/better for the passengers that come through my sphere of influence.

Again, I think that some of the changes coming will be liked, and some will not, just like they are at most places of business. I think that the change will be slower in coming than it would be at a private company, because it always seems like government moves slower than the private sector on most issues and changes.

We will see how things are in a year. If they are better, I will be a happy man, if they are worse, I will not.

Boggie Dog

I want to be clear, I have no issue discussing TSA issues with you or others and I know my opinion is pretty well a polar opposite of TSA policy.

TSA has instituted screening methods that I clearly feel are well beyond reasonable on nothing more than "trust us" . I don't trust TSA; show me the need for these excessive screening methods then I will be in a position to understand the need.

I do not think the threat is such that everyone needs to be strip searched, felt up or made to surrender harmless liquids.

We were told of changes coming last October, the ones that resulted in making Strip Search Machines primary screening after TSA had stated that would not happen along with the Sexual Assault Pat Grope Down. I don't need any more warning of change that I may like because I believe that TSA will only make screening more difficult and invasive.

I have no hope that TSA will correct these things without being forced to do so.

edit to add:

Since TSA refuses to listen to the citizens of this country just how is the correct way to bring change to TSA?

I support prison for life for the senior leadership.

nachtnebel

Agree. That is why the strip searching and groin invasions of the American people can be layed on Pistole's doorstep. It will follow him the rest of his life.

There are things you rule out from the start, no strip searches, no feel overs of private areas, the hair thing, which ridiculous. If you set the go/no go parameters correctly, then the solutions you come up with will be received well. Making decisions like you folks did to strip search and groin and boob search everyone just alerts us that you are UNFIT for this job. Is it so hard for you folks to live within the explicit requirements of the federal charter (4th amendment) and within the limits of conduct expected by the American people?

If you must, simply must peek under our clothing, the best analog to WTMD is passive millimeter wave devices, which do not render the person nude. And you simply must have a better way to resolve anomalies than grope genitals and boobs. If you identify risk, you can dispense with everything other than WTMD for most passengers, leaving yourself open to fewer opportunities to violate people for what turns out to be no cause.

The TSA has the responsibility of performing screening in ways that do not violate the persons being screened. Saying the words "we respect your privacy" while groping our genitals, feeling our breasts and buttocks and expecting the words to wash away the reality of what you are doing is a joke. It is a joke that will lead to violence. And is already leading to violence.

JumboD

I was just thinking about the original point made in this thread, and while I wouldn't agree with having active soldiers in charge of airport security, I think ties to the military could work. For example, if DHS had decided to make the VA in charge of airport security, as a way of finding (possibly disabled) veterans w/o many options jobs with the government doing something useful, that could have worked. That is an organization that understands both discipline and compassion. And it would have been a great PR move: we're going to find all the seemingly forgotten vets jobs with the gov't where they can use their desire to protect our country every day w/o being in harm's way.

Wally Bird

He will doubtless be proud of it.

jtodd

Yeah, he probably made himself a plaque to hang in his office.

"To John Pistole, for his excellent service and willingness to go above and beyond when he came up with the idea of grabbing Americans sex organs. Keep up the good work!" October, 2010

I find it difficult to fully express the disdain that I have for Janet and he.

gsoltso

I do think that change is coming, just call it a gut feeling, but there are going to be some changes before too terribly long. I like the professional standards division (I would love to work in that regional office!), and hope that it is something that is used the correct way - to weed out those that need to be weeded out. I think there are going to be changes to the training as well, there is simply no reason for TSOs to be unprofessional in ANY situation, p e r i o d! That is something that needs to have some focus on it, the norm should be that when something unprofessional happens, the on site management (from LTSO up) is on it immediately, and if it happens more than once, that person should be gone. We all have bad days, but even on my worst day, I can't remember losing my cool past raising my voice a bit to get the passengers attention (due to checkpoint noise, and I still referred to her as Ma'am and said please). These are the types of changes that I feel are coming, maybe not right now, but over the course of the next couple of years. I think that some of the policy that you dislike will come up in court over the next couple of years as well, and there will be a more clearly defined set of parameters that TSA works within. I will say again, if the TSOs are following the SOP, there is no sexual assault (I can't say more due to SSI, but you get the point I am making). Anyone doing a squeeze or twist, is outside of that and should be prosecuted. Those are the things that I want to focus on, as I can have an impact locally on things of that nature. Polcy is outside of my realm of influence with the exception of forwarding concerns up my chain for review.

I can't disagree with you on the MMW. I am uncertain as to the decision process for using them, but I would prefer that as well. I am truly interested in the terahertz scanners that are coming on scene now, as they give you better detecion on a fundamental level (based on the info I can find in the news) as it gives you a specific alarm based on the make up of the item, limiting any kind of false positive or alarms on residue.

I have a question as an aside, the patdown has always had clearing of the buttocks and breasts (that part has not changed) why is it so much more of an outrage now?